Ever felt like your to-do list is running your life? You start the day with twenty things to do — and finish it having ticked off two, half-started five more, and mentally carried the rest into tomorrow.
The problem isn’t you.
It’s the way you’re managing your attention.
Enter: The Rule of 3.
This one principle has transformed the lives of overwhelmed business owners, stressed-out parents, team leaders, freelancers — and yes, even people who thought they’d tried every trick in the book.
In this blog, you’ll discover what the Rule of 3 is, why it works when everything else has failed, and exactly how to start using it right now.
WHAT IS THE RULE OF 3?
The Rule of 3 is simple:
Choose three core tasks to focus on each day. Nothing more.
That’s it. No apps. No tracking. No overcomplication.
Just three clear, intentional priorities.
They’re not always the most urgent — they’re the most meaningful. The things that, if done, will make your day feel like a win.
Why three?
Because our brains are wired to remember and act on things in patterns of three:
- Beginning, middle, end.
- Past, present, future.
- Three-act story structure.
It’s enough to create momentum. But not so much that it invites overwhelm.
And when done right, it becomes your personal productivity engine.
This works because the brain can only handle so much input before it short-circuits. Giving it three primary targets gives it just enough friction to engage, but not so much resistance that you freeze.
WHY IT WORKS WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS
Most systems collapse under the weight of complexity.
You get excited setting it up, but within days it’s another abandoned board, another dead app, another guilt-inducing reminder.
The Rule of 3 survives because it’s:
- Frictionless — No new tech or learning curve
- Grounded — Forces you to decide what actually matters
- Flexible — Works on paper, in your head, or alongside any existing tool
You can start it today. Right now. No prep required.
More importantly — it protects your focus.
Because in today’s world, time isn’t the real issue. Attention is.
You can’t do 12 things well every day. But you can crush three.
And when life happens (because it always does), this method bends without breaking.
You’ll also notice that by working within the Rule of 3, you start to naturally build in downtime, space, and flow. You’re not scrambling from one thing to the next — you’re navigating your day with purpose.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR DAILY THREE
This isn’t about randomly picking any three tasks off your list.
It’s about:
- Impact — What will actually move the needle?
- Alignment — What gets me closer to my bigger goals?
- Clarity — What will give me a sense of progress?
It’s OK if one of them is boring. (We all need to send invoices, follow up, or clean the garage.)
But don’t fill all three with admin. Or firefighting.
Balance them:
- One deep-focus task (strategy, writing, planning)
- One progress task (follow-up, delivery, execution)
- One maintenance task (admin, clean-up, delegation)
This gives your day shape. Flow. Direction.
And it helps you resist the pull of fake urgency.
The temptation to answer every message, check every ping, or tackle every last-minute ‘quick’ job is real. But if you’ve already anchored your day with your three, you’ve got a compass. You can recalibrate quickly.
WHERE THE RULE OF 3 FITS INTO THE DROP SYSTEM
The Rule of 3 isn’t just a standalone technique.
It lives inside the DROP framework:
- DUMP all your tasks — get them out of your head.
- REVIEW them using the 3D Filter (Decide, Delegate, Do).
- OFFLOAD what doesn’t belong to you.
- PLAN your week using the Rule of 3 to anchor each day.
So your list gets lighter, your priorities get clearer, and your days become more intentional — and far less reactive.
It becomes easier to push back against distractions, say no to things that don’t serve your goals, and finish your day feeling in control rather than defeated.
And if you miss one? You still hit two. That’s a hell of a lot better than being scattered across ten undone things.
This approach also builds muscle. Decision-making muscle. Clarity muscle. Confidence muscle.
You don’t need 12 hours and no kids to use it. You need a pen, a system, and the discipline to honour your own priorities.
WEEKLY RULE OF 3 — LEVEL UP YOUR FOCUS
Once you’ve nailed the daily version, try the weekly Rule of 3:
What are the three big outcomes I want by Friday?
This gives your week a backbone. A reason. A rhythm.
Everything else gets built around those three.
And if something doesn’t support those outcomes? You say no. You defer. You protect your time.
This is how high performers operate. With guardrails. With clarity.
It’s not hustle. It’s precision.
You’re not trying to be busy — you’re trying to be intentional.
The weekly Rule of 3 ensures your calendar reflects your commitments — not someone else’s.
If you find yourself constantly reacting, ask yourself:
- Did I even set a weekly 3?
- Did I protect time for them?
- Did I honour them when the noise crept in?
If the answer is no — that’s the work. Not a new tool. Not a better app.
DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE SIMPLICITY
The Rule of 3 seems too basic at first glance. Like it couldn’t possibly be enough.
But here’s the twist: simplicity is its superpower.
When you strip things down to the essentials, you:
- Reduce decision fatigue
- Build consistency
- Train your brain to focus
Most productivity systems collapse because they rely on willpower.
The Rule of 3 builds discipline.
And because it’s so easy to implement, you actually stick with it.
Even on chaotic days. Even during holidays. Even when you’re struggling.
It’s also how you start identifying patterns. If your ‘three’ keeps getting hijacked by others’ priorities, you’ve got a boundary problem. If you’re always picking admin over strategy, you’ve got a courage problem.
The Rule of 3 doesn’t just show you what to do — it reveals how you operate.
THIS IS HOW I RUN MY DAY
Every night, before I switch off, I decide tomorrow’s 3.
I look at what’s coming up. What matters most. What will make the day feel like a win.
And I don’t hope I’ll get them done — I block time to make them happen.
It’s saved me from burnout. It’s kept me focused while running three businesses. It’s how I wrote a book, launched training, and stayed present with my kids.
The Rule of 3 isn’t a trick. It’s a principle.
And once it becomes a habit, everything gets easier.
You stop overthinking. You stop chasing. You start choosing.
You start respecting your own time, your own boundaries, your own goals.
And that — more than any planner or technique — is what changes everything.
STILL THINK YOU NEED A FANCY APP?
You don’t.
You need:
- A notebook
- A moment of clarity
- A system that doesn’t collapse under pressure
That’s it.
You can use Trello. Or ClickUp. Or just your calendar. The Rule of 3 works with them — not because of them.
It’s not another tool. It’s a lens. A way to cut through noise. A way to protect your energy.
You’re not trying to win productivity awards. You’re trying to win your time back.
And this is how you start.
WANT TO BUILD THIS INTO YOUR LIFE?
If you’re tired of tools that overpromise and underdeliver…
If your to-do list looks more like a guilt list…
If you’re done with the stress of doing everything but finishing nothing…
Then it’s time to implement the Rule of 3 properly — as part of a system that works in the real world.
🚀 Buy the book → — Discover how the DROP System helps you master focus, prioritise what matters, and finally feel in control again.
🔥 Join the DROP System training → — We’ll walk you through exactly how to make this stick — step-by-step.
Don’t just survive the chaos.
Own your time. Master your focus. Join the DROP Revolution.
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