In a world obsessed with productivity hacks, apps, colour-coded calendars, and endless to-do lists, sometimes the simplest ideas still win. Enter: The Ivy Lee Method — a no-nonsense, six-step system from 1918 that might just help you finally get your day under control.

Yes, it’s over a hundred years old. Yes, it still works.

Here’s the backstory.

Charles Schwab (not the investment guy, the steel tycoon) wanted to boost efficiency at his company, Bethlehem Steel. So he brought in a productivity consultant named Ivy Lee. When Schwab asked how much his advice would cost, Lee said, “Try it for a few weeks. Then pay me what you think it’s worth.” (Spoiler: Schwab wrote him a cheque for $25,000 — that’s over $400,000 today.)

So what was this magical advice?

🧠 The Ivy Lee Method — 6 Steps to Sanity

  1. At the end of your workday, write down the six most important tasks you need to accomplish tomorrow.
  2. Rank those six tasks in order of importance.
  3. Start tomorrow by working on task #1.
  4. Stick with it until it’s done. Then move to task #2. Repeat.
  5. If you don’t finish all six, move the leftovers to the next day’s list.
  6. Do this every day. Without exception.

That’s it. No app required. Just a pen, some paper, and a commitment to getting real about what matters.

The magic of the Ivy Lee Method is in its ruthless simplicity. You’re forced to make decisions about what’s actually important before your day begins — not in the middle of the chaos. You don’t start your morning by reacting to texts or jumping into your inbox. You start by attacking your #1 priority, and you don’t stop until it’s done.

Multitasking? Not part of this method. You focus on one thing at a time — and yes, that may feel weird at first.

🏡 Why It Works (Especially in Real Estate & Coaching)

Whether you’re juggling listings, client calls, coaching sessions, or marketing your business, the Ivy Lee Method helps you cut through the noise.

Try this:

  • Follow up with three hot leads
  • Write tomorrow’s blog post
  • Record a 1-minute video tip for Instagram
  • Prep for Friday’s coaching session
  • Touch base with a past client
  • Update listing presentation deck

Boom. That’s your day. Six things. Prioritized. Executed.

Final Thought

Sometimes the best way forward isn’t another fancy system — it’s going back to basics. The Ivy Lee Method won’t buzz your phone, ding your inbox, or gamify your morning. But it will help you actually get stuff done.

And let’s be honest — isn’t that what we’re all after?

Sources

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