Only Six Things To Do?

I love to-do lists. In fact, I make them all the time. I write them when I am in the car, at church, in my office, or whenever I can grab a post-it note. I have always believed that to-do lists help me use my time wisely and get a lot accomplished.

However, my long to-do lists often overwhelm me and I can easily get side-tracked from my list.

I once heard that to be successful in life you should write down the six most important things you need to do tomorrow in order of importance and do them.

Turns out this bit of advice is worth a lot of money!

The story goes....
Around 100 years ago, Charles Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, wanted to increase his own efficiency, and of the management team at the steel company. Ivy Lee, a well-known efficiency expert of the time, approached Mr. Schwab, and made a proposition Charles Schwab could not refuse:

Ivy Lee: "I can increase your people's efficiency – and your sales – if you will allow me to spend fifteen minutes with each of your executives."

Charles Schwab: "How much will it cost me?"

Ivy Lee: "Nothing, unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it's worth to you."

Charles Schwab: "It's a deal."

The following day, Ivy Lee met with Charles Schwab's management executives, spending only ten minutes with each in order to tell them:

Ivy Lee: "I want you to promise me that for the next ninety days, before leaving your office at the end of the day, you will make a list of the six most important things you have to do the next day and number them in their order of importance."

Astonished Executives: "That it?"

Ivy Lee: "That's it. Scratch off each item after finishing it, and go on to the next one on your list. If something doesn't get done, put it on the following day's list."

Three months later, Schwab studied the results and was so pleased that he sent Lee a check for $25,000.

This story is referred to as the $25,000 idea. It's so simple! Six things seems a lot more manageable than my usual to-do list. Let's try this together for 7 days and see if it helps us use our time more wisely!