Task Creep
Beat Overwhelm with the Thrive Matrix!
Welcome to All the Tasks Fit to Print, my weekly newsletter on all issues productivity-related for authors (and other solopreneurs)!
Successful productivity tools like planners and apps always walk a tricky balance between "low friction" (something that is low effort to use) and "high value" (provides the data you need, as needed). This is why people fall back on the old-fashioned to-do list over and over again, no matter how much money they spend on productivity systems that promise them relief. But, unfortunately, becoming overwhelmed by your to-do list is a common problem. Sometimes we whittle it down to a manageable level, but tasks keep creeping up on us.
My Personal Projects Managementtm method is designed to help you find a better way to manage your time, tasks, and talents (spoiler: it's project management!) but I totally understand that you might not be ready, or in a place in your life, to spend the time to implement a whole new method of doing everything. I get it.
Don't worry, I've still got something you can use! It's a simple daily (or weekly, or irregular) tool you can use to focus on what you need to do now while not losing track of all the things. It's not directly related to my PPM method, but hopefully it might give you a reprieve from the feelings of dread and shame you have about your to-do list and your schedule.
I call it the Thrive Matrix and it is loosely based on the famous productivity tool the Eisenhower Method (or Matrix, or Principle). However, I have found that the Eisenhower version tends to cause solopreneurs more stress than help, given that the options of delegating a task or simply deciding not to do something are often not available to someone who is "doing it all" themselves. Others find the nomenclature confusing…what does "important/not urgent" mean?????
The Thrive Matrix simplifies it and also gives you solutions that you can implement! Nor is it a time-intensive project like resorting all your current tasks, or assigning priorities to all of them, or jumping into a complicated software solution (like Asana or Monday, which are great tools, but have steep learning curves).
The Thrive Matrix approach to handling the overwhelm of your massive to-do list consists of two tools:
The first tool is your List of Everything To Do. You don't need to tag or sort anything unless you want to, in fact, you don't need to organize it at all if you don't want to.
The second tool is a copy of the Thrive Matrix.
The Thrive Matrix, like the Eisenhower Method, is a four-quadrant labeled grid. However, the labels for the Thrive Matrix are very straightforward:
DO (must be done TODAY)
ATTEMPT (try hard to do)
ASPIRE (Do if possible, or as soon as possible)
EXTRA (Free space/stretch goal)
(Sorry that doesn't create a cute acronym. I tried really hard to make it 'DAMN' but we're stuck with 'DAAE'… Seize the DAAE? Oh well.)
Okay, now for the exciting part: Print out (or draw) a Thrive Matrix and then pick ONE thing out of your List of Everything To Do for EACH quadrant.
That's it. That's all you need for a successful day! Yes, you can put two things in a quadrant if you want, but I suggest completing all the tasks on your Thrive Matrix and, if you have time/energy left in the day, create a secondary Thrive Matrix.
Here's an example of how a Thrive Matrix would work in real life:
DO: Write and schedule newsletter to send to clients
ATTEMPT: Respond to email from client requesting feedback
STRIVE: Trip to grocery store
EXTRA: Start designing/researching out next digital product
Yes, there will always be times you have multiple important things on your calendar. Instead of piling up the "DO" quadrant with five+ things, which defeats the whole purpose of eliminating overwhelm from your life, put the one thing of those five that you could most easily procrastinate on into that quadrant.
Picking up your kids from school is definitely a DO type thing, but do you need a reminder for it? If you are worried about running late, set it on your favorite digital calendar as a recurring event so you can just create an alarm to remind you. It doesn't need to fill up a quadrant on the Thrive Matrix, which should be saved for the tasks on your to-do list which are causing you the most anxiety.
The beauty of this system is that it gives you four things to do, which is an very achievable goal for anyone. Meanwhile it ensures that at least one or two important tasks are accomplished, yet provides you maximum flexibility in your day. How or when you do those tasks doesn't matter, after all. The Thrive Matrix is there to just give you a shortened to-do list that won't overwhelm you or beat you into the ground. It is specifically designed for people who might also be dealing with health or mental issues that lead to fatigue and limited ability to focus. You can fill out the Thrive Matrix every other day, or even once a week. It will still help you achieve your goals, steadily and reliably.
The best part is that using this technique allows you to keep your List of Everything To Do updated and relevant. You aren't abandoning it or trying to turn it into something it is not, yet you can pull things from it as required. It remains, as always, your to-do list.
Once you are comfortable whittling down your overwhelming to-do list and are at a place where you can catch your breath, it might be time to consider a different approach. My PPM method uses project management techniques to help you consolidate, solidify, and organize all the many projects in your life, and is something you can implement using the tools you already use such as your favorite paper planner, bullet journal, or productivity app.
I hope the Thrive Matrix provide you with a stop-gap measure of relief so that you have the time and energy to explore solutions that will serve you better in the long run!
I love thinking of this as a daily DOSE of energy & motivation. This morning I'll "do," around noon I'll "attempt," and perhaps in the afternoon I'll have a chance for some "striving" & "extras."