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03: Why “Just Pick Your Top 3 Priorities” Is Very Annoying Productivity Advice
I don’t know about you, but I’m a mom, I work a nine-to-five, I run a business, and I manage a household while my husband works wild military hours. Three tasks a day? That’s adorable—and completely unrealistic. In this episode, I’m breaking down why that advice doesn’t work for most of us and what to do instead.
If you’ve ever tried to simplify your to-do list only to end up feeling behind, this one’s for you. I share the system I use (and teach my clients) to create to-do lists that are actually doable, energy-aware, and built for real life.
You’ll hear:
- Why “top three priorities” advice doesn’t fit for women juggling work, family, and business.
- How to shift your focus from task management to energy management—the real key to getting things done.
- The difference between a brain dump and a to-do list, and why you need both to stay clear and grounded.
- Why your to-do list should have five to seven hyper-specific tasks, not 20 vague ones.
- How to structure your list based on your energy—whether you ramp up slowly or dive straight into the hard stuff.
- How to know when rewriting your to-do list is productive versus pure procrastination.
- Why I ignore “don’t check email first thing” advice and focus on what’s realistic for my job and energy.
My Philosophy on Productivity
For me, productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about working on the right thing, at the right time, in a way that aligns with your goals and energy. Whether you’re managing a full-time job, motherhood, a business, or all three, you need a system that flexes with you.
That means creating to-do lists that serve your life, not shame you for not being a robot.
Key Takeaways- Productivity is personal—your to-do list should reflect your energy, not someone else’s ideal.
- A brain dump helps you clear your head; your to-do list helps you take action.
- Five to seven hyper-specific tasks per day = clarity and momentum.
- Rank tasks by energy and context, not unrealistic “shoulds.”
- Flexibility and grace matter more than perfect planning.
Follow me on Instagram @chelseyncoaching for behind-the-scenes experiments, cosmic insights, and honest conversations about building a life that works with your energy—not against it.
💫 Grab your free Time Freedom Experiment to start redesigning your days, one aligned experiment at a time →
The Aligned Routine Experiment Log: If you’ve ever copied a routine from Instagram, a podcast, or that one influencer who swears by 5 AM wake-ups… and then wondered why give up after two days and feel like an undisciplined failure, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why I created the Aligned Routine Experiment Log—a “lab notebook” to help you stop guessing and start running your own personalized productivity experiment to create personalized routines that work for you.
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By Chelsey NewmyerI don’t know about you, but I’m a mom, I work a nine-to-five, I run a business, and I manage a household while my husband works wild military hours. Three tasks a day? That’s adorable—and completely unrealistic. In this episode, I’m breaking down why that advice doesn’t work for most of us and what to do instead.
If you’ve ever tried to simplify your to-do list only to end up feeling behind, this one’s for you. I share the system I use (and teach my clients) to create to-do lists that are actually doable, energy-aware, and built for real life.
You’ll hear:
- Why “top three priorities” advice doesn’t fit for women juggling work, family, and business.
- How to shift your focus from task management to energy management—the real key to getting things done.
- The difference between a brain dump and a to-do list, and why you need both to stay clear and grounded.
- Why your to-do list should have five to seven hyper-specific tasks, not 20 vague ones.
- How to structure your list based on your energy—whether you ramp up slowly or dive straight into the hard stuff.
- How to know when rewriting your to-do list is productive versus pure procrastination.
- Why I ignore “don’t check email first thing” advice and focus on what’s realistic for my job and energy.
My Philosophy on Productivity
For me, productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about working on the right thing, at the right time, in a way that aligns with your goals and energy. Whether you’re managing a full-time job, motherhood, a business, or all three, you need a system that flexes with you.
That means creating to-do lists that serve your life, not shame you for not being a robot.
Key Takeaways- Productivity is personal—your to-do list should reflect your energy, not someone else’s ideal.
- A brain dump helps you clear your head; your to-do list helps you take action.
- Five to seven hyper-specific tasks per day = clarity and momentum.
- Rank tasks by energy and context, not unrealistic “shoulds.”
- Flexibility and grace matter more than perfect planning.
Follow me on Instagram @chelseyncoaching for behind-the-scenes experiments, cosmic insights, and honest conversations about building a life that works with your energy—not against it.
💫 Grab your free Time Freedom Experiment to start redesigning your days, one aligned experiment at a time →
The Aligned Routine Experiment Log: If you’ve ever copied a routine from Instagram, a podcast, or that one influencer who swears by 5 AM wake-ups… and then wondered why give up after two days and feel like an undisciplined failure, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why I created the Aligned Routine Experiment Log—a “lab notebook” to help you stop guessing and start running your own personalized productivity experiment to create personalized routines that work for you.