In 1918 Ivy Lee was hired to increase the efficiency of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. It was the largest shipbuilder and the second-largest steel producer in the U.S. at the time.
Lee spent 15 minutes with each of the company’s executives.
When asked how much to pay him, Lee said:
“Nothing…unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it’s worth to you.”
The technique ended up being a massive success.
Lee was given a check for $25,000 (equivalent to $500,000 in 2023).
So what did he teach them?
The Ivy Lee Method:
- Make a list of your six most important tasks for tomorrow.
- Order them from most to least important.
- When you arrive tomorrow, finish the first task before moving onto the next.
- At the end of the day, move unfinished tasks to tomorrow’s list.
That’s it?
Yep. That’s it.
$500,000 for a simple prioritized to-do list.
So what makes it so effective?
—Simplicity—
Most productivity systems fail because they’re overcomplicated. Simplicity is key to sustainability.
—Priority—
It forces you to identify and work on your highest priority task until it’s complete.
—Clarity—
You know exactly what to work on as soon as you start.
TL;DR
Identify your needle-moving tasks, and get them done.
Stop overcomplicating it.
