If you’ve ever hit a wall with traditional productivity advice—overcomplicated planners, 15-step prioritisation methods, or endless apps you forget to open—there’s a good chance someone pointed you to the Rule of 3.
And for good reason.
The Rule of 3 is one of the simplest, most effective productivity concepts out there.
But simplicity, while powerful, can only take you so far.
The Rule of 3 helps you start.
DROP helps you scale.
Let’s explore how the two compare—and how, together, they can form the foundation of a system that actually works week in, week out.
What Is the Rule of 3?
It goes like this:
“Each day (or week), choose 3 key things to focus on.
Do those. Ignore the rest.”
Sounds simple? That’s the point.
It was popularised by J.D. Meier in his book Getting Results the Agile Way and is beloved by those who’ve had enough of never-ending to-do lists.
It’s a straight-talking answer to modern overwhelm:
- Pick 3 goals for the day
- Pick 3 goals for the week
- Maybe even 3 for the month or year
- Focus only on those
And for a lot of people, that level of simplicity is a revelation.
It strips away the noise.
It forces clarity.
It gives you a sense of completion.
But here’s where it hits a limit…
What happens when the world doesn’t respect your tidy list of three?
Where the Rule of 3 Shines
Let’s give it the credit it deserves.
The Rule of 3 is a killer tool for:
- Beating overwhelm – When everything feels urgent, it cuts through the chaos
- Creating clarity – You stop asking “What should I do?” and just focus on three things
- Building confidence – You finish your day with a sense of progress
- Training your brain to prioritise – It teaches discipline and discernment
That’s why we talk about it in the book.
It’s why I recommend it to clients who feel like they’ve lost control.
It’s a brilliant place to start.
But if your business is growing…
If your responsibilities are expanding…
If you’re juggling multiple projects, people, and moving parts…
You’ll quickly find yourself asking:
“What about everything else?”
That’s where DROP steps in.
The Rule of 3 Creates Focus. DROP Creates Structure.
Let’s make one thing clear:
The Rule of 3 can absolutely live inside your DROP System.
But it can’t replace it.
Why?
Because the Rule of 3 doesn’t help you:
- Brain dump the full picture
- Review tasks based on priority, energy, and capacity
- Offload or delegate what’s not yours to carry
- Schedule your week intentionally based on reality
It helps you narrow down what to focus on.
DROP helps you build the system that makes that focus sustainable—week after week.
Here’s How They Work Together
Inside your DROP week:
- Dump – You get everything out of your head (no filtering, no editing)
- Review – You identify what’s truly important and urgent
- Offload – You remove, delegate, or defer anything that’s not essential
- Plan – This is where the Rule of 3 comes in
You take your reviewed, refined list—and ask:
“What are the 3 things that absolutely need to happen this week?”
Now you’re not choosing 3 random tasks from chaos.
You’re selecting them from clarity.
That’s how you get the best of both worlds.
Why Simplicity Isn’t Always the Solution
Don’t get me wrong—simplicity beats complexity every time.
But there’s a difference between simple and simplistic.
The Rule of 3, on its own, can:
- Miss key details
- Leave no space for reactive work
- Make complex projects feel unmanageable
- Overlook dependencies, deadlines, or team commitments
DROP gives you a way to zoom out.
You still get the power of simplicity…
…but it’s backed by structure, clarity, and strategy.
The Rule of 3 Works in Isolation. DROP Works in Reality.
In a perfect world, you’d pick your three goals, get them done, and ride off into the sunset.
But business owners don’t live in perfect worlds.
- Staff need chasing
- Clients change their minds
- Deadlines shift
- Fire alarms go off (literally and metaphorically)
- Your kid’s nursery calls because someone’s got a temperature again
DROP is built for that world.
It doesn’t ask you to ignore the noise.
It gives you a way to handle it—without letting go of your priorities.
The Rule of 3 gives you a compass.
DROP gives you the map, the route, and the backpack.
The Takeaway? Use Both. Just Use Them Intentionally.
The Rule of 3 is a brilliant tool.
Especially when you’re overwhelmed, burned out, or starting from scratch.
But if you want to:
- Scale your business
- Lead a team
- Protect your time
- Finish what matters
- Build a week that works (even when chaos hits)
You need more than three bullet points.
You need DROP.
Want a Weekly System That Helps You Focus and Move Forward?
You don’t have to choose between simplicity and structure.
With DROP, you get both.
Here’s how to build the system that gives you clarity, control, and consistent progress:
- Buy the book – Control Your Time or Stay Stuck: You Choose
- Join the DROP System training and learn how to make tools like the Rule of 3 work inside a system that supports your real life
Because simple works… until it doesn’t.
DROP keeps working—no matter what your week throws at you.
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