Turn Your Weekly To-Do List Into a 3–5 Item Priority Map

You clock in on Monday morning to a deluge of emails, notifications pinging, and a to-do list a mile long. Your coffee grows cold before you even open the first message, and you feel stuck under a mountain of tasks that all seem urgent. You know you can’t do it all. I used to be the same—first at Intel, then in kickoff meetings at startups. Then I learned to treat each week like a mini project.

Each Sunday, I slip into my home office, close out the distractions, and ask: "What three things really matter this week?" Maybe it’s hitting a revenue target, mentoring a team member, or finally writing that critical report. I keep it to three. I write them on a single sticky pad by my laptop—the only notes I keep.

Next, I break each one down into five simple milestones. That can look like drafting a sales email before Wednesday, syncing with two partners by Friday, and scheduling feedback with my direct report on Thursday morning. Once my handful of milestones is written down, I breathe easier. Everything else goes into a “later” folder or gets assigned to someone else.

By Wednesday afternoon, I’ve usually hit two objectives and am halfway through the third. Instead of drifting or procrastinating, my focus is laser-sharp. I feel in control because I’m clear on exactly what matters. And come next Sunday, I repeat the cycle, accomplishing more with less chaos.

This isn’t just busywork; it mirrors Andy Grove’s advice that less is more and his insistence on ruthless focus. By locking in three objectives and five milestones each week, you channel your energy into achievement, not exhaustion.

Each Sunday evening, you’ll pause and choose just three high-impact goals for the week, writing them on a single sticky note. Then you’ll unpack each goal into up to five concrete milestones—no more, no less—and park the rest for later or hand it off. As you go through your workweek, you’ll see your sticky note as your compass—no more wandering in the weeds, but deep in the heart of what truly matters. Give it a try this Sunday.