A $25,000 Idea That Won’t Cost You a Penny

How do you manage your daily activities; Daytimer, Outlook, Franklin Planner?  I’ve tried (and found value from) them all, but feel this simple system is THE most effective in keeping me organized and efficient.  I call it my $25,000 Idea Pad and here’s why…

Back in the early 1900’s, an efficiency expert named Ivy Lee paid a visit to Charles Schwab, the head of Bethlehem Steel Corp.  As I understand it, this is how the conversation went:

Schwab: ” I know how to run this company.  What I need isn’t more knowing; it’s more doing.  If you can show me how to get my men to work more efficiently, I’ll pay you whatever you ask, within reason.”

Lee: “Before you go to bed at night, make a list of  the 6 most important things you need to do tomorrow.  Number them in order of importance (1-6).  First thing in the morning, get to work on #1.  Stick with it until it’s complete, and then move onto #2. Proceed through the list until you’re done work for the day.  Do this everyday for a week, then teach your men to do it.  If you find it of value, you can pay me whatever you think the idea was worth.”

As the story goes, Schwab took Lee’s suggestion and ended up writing him a check for $25,000.

I’ve been using this system for years and can’t imagine anything more effective when it comes to keeping track of and managing activities. Let me know if you’d like to give it a try and I’ll send you a PDF of the form I created.  Also would love to hear your ideas of how you manage your day.