Establish

Before touching the work, fix three numbers: how much you'll do, how long you'll spend, and what help or aid you'll use. Make the dose small enough that failing costs almost nothing. Restating named the task; this sizes it.

Before touching the work, fix three numbers: how much you'll do, how long you'll spend, and what help or aid you'll use. Make the dose small enough that failing costs almost nothing. Restating named the task; this sizes it.

Example

For the 74-message inbox you write it down: five emails, 10 minutes on a timer, replies only, no new threads, drafts run past a template you keep open. Anything longer or wider than that is tomorrow's dose, not today's.