Try Out The ABCDE Method To Increase Productivity Levels!

Do you feel like things are slipping through the cracks even after your best efforts? Are you overwhelmed with all you have to do? Do you wish you had more hours in a day?

We get it, we’ve all had those moments (or two, or more!). Unfortunately, no one can increase the number of hours a day. But you can make “more time” in the day by increasing your productivity and better utilizing the time you do have by using the ABCDE method to increase productivity levels. Try it out, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed. 

Let’s start with a brief into the ABCDE method. 

What is the ABCDE Method?

Most of us are familiar with the age-old technique of making to-do lists to increase productivity. Have you ever tried it out? It does have its benefits and works for some, but it also gives a fake sense of accomplishment to most people who follow this technique, whether they realize it or not. 

The ABCDE method is a refinement of this To-Do list method to help people get the most out of the technique. This method does follow the basic listing of tasks, and then check them off once you are done with them. But it is the extra step of refinement that the ABCDE method induces into this age-old practice, that makes all the difference. Let’s see how the to-do list method fails users, and why you should go for this method instead. 

Why Is The ABCDE Method Better Than To-Do Lists?

The reason why many of us are unable to break ground with a to-do list is that it can easily become biased towards doing easy tasks. Many (consciously or subconsciously) avoid taking up real challenges that are of importance and neglect them in favor of unimportant tasks, as long as we are filling up our lists. 

For instance, while making a to-do list, we tend to fill it up with 10 easy tasks that have no effect on our success and ignore the one challenging priority project. Completing these 10 tasks gives us the feeling of being productive when in reality, we continue procrastinating on the most important projects. This leads to what is known as Productive Procrastination. 

In this way to-do lists make it impossible for us to set our priorities right, stopping us from realizing and achieving our true goals. To overcome this, we need to prioritize that important tasks over and above others.

The ABCDE method tackles this very issue and draws our attention to projects that matter. It forces users to prioritize important work, pushing them to move in the right direction, towards achieving their goals.

How Does The ABCDE Method Work?

The whole idea behind the ABCDE method is to increase productivity by employing a priority-setting technique. This technique is extremely simple and effective, and some even refer to it as the ‘success list’. Think of it as a to-do list on steroids, helping you distinguish between priorities and distractions. 

To begin with, start by writing down the items that you want to get done today just like in a to-do list. Once you are done with that, the next step is of paramount importance to the successful implementation of the ABCDE method. In this step you assign ranks to the tasks on the list, by putting them under the heads- A, B, C, D, or E. Here is a brief explanation of the ranking system:

Items rated A are- Most Important

As is obvious, all the tasks that are of top priority are ranked A. These are tasks you need to complete and failure to do so can have serious consequences. List 1-3 tasks in this category, and if you have more than 3 tasks here, you should prioritize them strictly until you have only 3 left.

Remember to never procrastinate on an ‘A’ task as they truly bring you closer to achieving the most important goals. 

Items rated B have- Minor Consequences

A task that does have some value, but only has mild consequences must be labeled ‘B’. These tasks contribute to the achievement of your most important goals but aren’t as important as A-tasks. So make sure that you tackle your A-tasks before you move on to B-tasks.

Items ranked C have- No Consequences

Activities and tasks which don’t really contribute to the achievement of your goals are categorized as C-tasks. These are the tasks that many of us love to do since they are easy and quick to accomplish, for example, hobbies, stress busters, etc. 

The provision for such C-tasks creates space for things we are passionate about. Even though these tasks do not directly contribute to achieving our goals, they are integral to increasing our overall productivity. 

Items ranked D must be Delegated

Tasks that can be delegated to someone else who can do it for cheaper, better, or faster are ranked D. The ABCDE method to increase productivity encourages people to delegate tasks as it frees up their time to focus on A-tasks. 

Items ranked E must be Eliminated

We all have tasks that can be eliminated from our to-do pool, and these land up in the E category. These are tasks that are not necessary for you to complete and do not affects your goals at all. 

We hope this was productive! In essence, the ABCDE method helps its users realize that success is not about doing a lot of things together, but rather about doing those high-value tasks which give real results. Practicing the method may be difficult initially as we are tempted to work on our easy tasks. However, with a little practice, you will learn to focus on your priorities. 

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