Ivy Lee Method
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
A minimalist six-step method: 1. Before leaving work, list the 6 things to do tomorrow; 2. Rank them by importance; 3. The next day, only do the first one until it's done; 4. Then do the second one; 5. Move unfinished items to the next day; 6. Repeat daily.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Single-task processing: Its power lies in extreme simplicity and forced prioritization. It solves 'choice paralysis' and 'multi-tasking switching costs'.
Anchor fast decisions
Proposed by efficiency consultant Ivy Lee in 1918. Its mechanism is 'constrained focus': compress daily to-dos to 6 items and force prioritization, eliminating the decision fatigue of 'what to do today', and using strict serialization (finish one before starting the next) to avoid multi-thread switching costs. Limiting the number itself improves the completion rate of important tasks.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Leeverified
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