Many people find it challenging to stay productive and organised, especially when faced with multiple competing demands. Fortunately, there are several productivity frameworks that can help you stay on track and get more done. Here are five popular frameworks to consider:

The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple but powerful framework that helps you prioritise your tasks based on their importance and urgency. To use this framework, create a grid with four quadrants, as follows:

• Quadrant 1 (Do it now): Urgent and important tasks. These are tasks with a clear deadline that need to be completed first.

• Quadrant 2 (Schedule it): Important but not urgent tasks. These are the activities without a set deadline that bring you closer to your goals.

• Quadrant 3 (Do it later): Urgent but not important tasks. These are tasks that need to be done, but not immediately.

• Quadrant 4 (Whenever I have time): These activities can be distracting. No need to focus on them now as they are not important nor urgent.

Using this framework can help you stay focused on the most important tasks and avoid getting bogged down by less important ones. The tasks you place in Quadrant II are the ones that help you reach your goals, but they are also the ones we tend to procrastinate on.

Kanban

Kanban is a visual framework that helps you track your progress and stay organised. To use Kanban, create a board with three columns: "To Do," "Doing," and "Done." Each task is represented by a card that moves from left to right as it progresses.

This framework can help you visualise your work and stay motivated by seeing your progress in real time.

Eat the Frog

This framework encourages you to tackle your most challenging task first thing in the morning, before you get bogged down by other tasks.

By doing this, we can fight the distractions of emails and chat messages to focus on the tasks that bring us the most value. Additionally, by making daily progress on a meaningful task/project, you are likely to feel more motivated and engaged at work. Consequently, the momentum and motivation can help you progress through the rest of the day.

By "eating the frog" (i.e., doing the most difficult task first), you can build momentum and feel more productive throughout the day.

Now, decide on your frog and eat it!

Commitment Inventory

The Commitment Inventory framework helps you assess your current workload and commitments to determine if you're overcommitted or undercommitted.

To use this framework, list all of your current commitments and estimate the amount of time each one requires. Then, assess whether you have enough time and energy to complete all of your commitments.

This framework can help you identify areas where you may need to say no or delegate tasks to others.

1-3-5 List

The 1-3-5 List is a simple but effective way to prioritise your daily tasks. To use this framework, list one big task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks for each day. This can help you focus on the most important tasks while also making progress on smaller tasks.

In conclusion, using a productivity framework can help you stay organised, prioritise your work, and achieve your goals. Whether you prefer a visual framework like Kanban or a prioritisation framework like the Eisenhower Matrix, there's a productivity framework out there that can work for you. Experiment with different frameworks to find the one that works best for your needs and preferences.

Don’t know which framework to start with? Take this quiz to determine which productivity framework is right for you: https://todoist.com/it/productivity-methods