Yes it is. That’s the short answer. Yes. It. Is. But I tweak it personally. So here is a slightly longer answer to the question, is Carl Pullein’s 2+8 priority system effective.
The 2+8 System
Let’s open with the problem. We expect to be able to do too much. We plan to do too much. I have said before that when we think of everything we hope to achieve, we often expect to be Superman and get green lights all the way. You plan your day as if what you set out to do will be the only things that cross your plate that day. No interruptions, no distractions. We expect that every task we attempt, will be completed in the minimum amount of time possible. And, we over estimate our own capability and so we under estimate how long things would take, even if they were to take the minimum amount of time. That’s problem one.
Problem two is that we are not always naturally good as deciding what is important. Did you know that technically, the word priority is singular. Only one thing can be your priority. As the old saying goes, if everything is important, then nothing is. Without a plan, we tend to focus our attention on whatever is shouting at us the most loudly in the moment. So, we do not establish a priority for our time and our attention and we treat everything as important.
In steps the 2+8 system. In brief, this cuts through all of that mess. You set 2 objective tasks for the day. These 2 tasks are the only things that you must do, no matter what.
In addition to this, you set 8 focus tasks, normally 4 for the morning and 4 for the afternoon. These are the important tasks you will tackle if time and reality allows it.
Why the 2+8 System is so effective.
In short, it is effective because it does cut through all of the mess of our poor instinctive approaches. It establishes a clear priority. The main power of this system lies in the fact that it gets you to think, and establish objectives, ahead of time.
These two tasks are more important than anything else. Having them pre determined is excellent as it keeps you proactive and intentional in your use of time and not merely reacting to every crisis. Limiting it to 2 allows ample space for the reality that our best plans are made with limited insight into what will actually happen today.
The system is also powerful because it is realistic. Having just 10 tasks that you aim to focus on through the day, whilst it may seem a small amount, it is normally achievable under the normal circumstances of an average day with all its many distractions.
This system is effective as well because of its flexibility. Carl is a realist and so, in any of the videos and blog posts on this system, there will normally be mention of the fact that he will adjust the numbers based on his calendar. If he has a full day of meetings or is on a conference, then he will not likely plan in the full number of 10 tasks as he won’t have the time to do them. He is also the first person to say that any system he advocates, invents or uses, is merely just a starting point for individuals to tailor to their own needs.
How do I tweak the system for me?
Firstly, in my line of work, I have always found a lot of my tasks to be smaller affairs that take less time individually but there are a lot more of them. So, I opt for 3+12. I have often thought of limiting the objectives to just 2 but in reality with a full time job and content creation as well as my personal and family commitments, I find having 2 objectives for work and one for everything else (normally for the evenings) works really well for me. Having 12 focus tasks is also a more accurate reflection of how long my tasks take.
Second, Carl allocates his tasks to morning and afternoon. I allocate mine to morning, afternoon and evening.
And so, I would advocate you look at this system. Is Carl Pullein’s 2+8 Priority system effective? Yes. Yes it is.
