Single top priority
Daytime
Focusing the workday on one or two highest-leverage tasks. Commonly used to direct effort where it matters most and avoid scattered attention.
Quick facts
- 1Planning tomorrow the night before moves the decision to a calm moment and hands the morning a script.
- 2Implementation-intention research shows that deciding when and where you will act substantially raises follow-through.
- 3The single-priority version, choosing one must-do task, survives contact with busy days better than long lists.
Why people do it
Frictionless mornings: Starting from a written plan skips the what-should-I-do warm-up entirely.
Better prioritization: Evening planning sees the whole day fairly; morning planning is biased by the inbox.
Closure at night: Writing tomorrow down lets the mind put the day away, which many find helps sleep.
Good to know
Keep it small: Three items, one starred, is the durable format; a plan that takes 20 minutes to write dies.
Plans are drafts: The point is a default, not a contract; rewriting at 9 AM is allowed.
Common questions
When exactly do people plan?+
The last 10 minutes of the workday or as part of the evening wind-down are the two common slots.
What if the day blows up the plan?+
The starred single priority survives most explosions; that is why it is starred.
Takeaway
Three lines at night: tomorrow's one priority and two supporting tasks. The morning inherits a decision instead of a debate.
Notes from the community
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For information only.
These habits are compiled from public statements and are not medical advice or endorsed by Tim Ferriss. Consult a qualified professional before changing your routine, supplements, or therapies.