For all of you who wonder at the start of your day: "What is the essential thing to do today?" – a simple to-do list might be a bit overwhelming, and that's where the "Must-Should-Want" method comes in, with its simple priority-setting for daily tasks.
Other than being productive, we need to focus on our goals and personal growth to attain proper balance in our lives – and that's precisely what this method helps us with.
Created by blogger Jay Shirley in 2014, this method comes with a simple goal – make days more productive and enjoyable. So how do we do this? Well, this habit is straightforward – ask yourself these three questions:
"Must" focuses on essential tasks that create the most impact. "Should" revolves around tasks that help you build towards achieving long-term goals. Tasks with the "want" label are all about enjoying the day and taking time off from our work goals.
The main idea behind the Must-Should-Want method is to establish a productive day and still allow you to enjoy the things that help you flourish. Being productive is good, but sometimes we make it hard on ourselves, and it takes a toll on our relationships, goals, and well-being. When you integrate this productivity method into your life, you'll also be reminded of tasks that don't exclusively focus on work.
How does this method help you with your day-to-day life? Here are some of the most notable benefits:
Now that you know of some clear benefits of this method – here is a step-by-step process of its implementation.
Eric is a financial manager at a highly reputable business. He is a very productive person but struggles with work-life balance. Also, he is passionate about his fitness and would love to hang out with his friends more.
He feels that his work is taking away too much from him, so Eric, on one fine morning, decided to create a Must-Should-Want list for his day. Here's how it looked:
Once listed, Eric use a time blocking app like Routine to set his schedule.
By clearly setting his work-life priorities for the day, Eric was finally able to feel more motivated to get out of his bed the next day, and over time, he started accomplishing both his work and personal goals consistently while becoming more satisfied in the process.
Most of us suffer from poor prioritisation of daily tasks – maybe it's all in the approach we take? Creating to-do lists is sometimes tricky, but it doesn't have to be. The Must-Should-Want method is perhaps the best for all who focus on daily progress but want to keep personal and long-term goals in mind.