As the school year rolls around again, I would like to explore a favorite habit hacker of mine, Ivy Lee. I have used the Ivy Lee Method consistently since COVID-19 and I truly credit this method for my ultra efficient work ethic and my ability to “get shit done” extremely quickly! But first, some serious history.

Ivy Lee (July 16, 1877 – November 9, 1934) was an American public relations executive often considered one of the pioneers of modern public relations. He was born in Cedartown, Georgia, USA.

Lee is best known for his work in shaping the field of public relations and introducing a more ethical and transparent approach to communications between companies and the public. In the early 1900s, he became one of the first practitioners to counsel businesses on managing their public image and reputation.

One of Ivy Lee’s most notable accomplishments was his work with the Rockefeller family. In 1914, he was hired by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to help address the negative public perception of the Rockefeller family and their business practices. Lee advised the Rockefellers to open up their operations to the press and be more transparent about their activities. He believed in providing accurate information to the public and the media, even in times of crisis, to build trust and improve public relations.

Although he is best known for his work with the Rockefellers for his emphasis on the importance of truthfulness, honesty, and ethical communication in dealing with the public, Ivy Lee advised numerous other corporations on their productivity and organizational skills.

Ivy Lee played a crucial role in helping Charles M. Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, with a unique and successful approach to improve efficiency and productivity at the company. In 1918, Charles Schwab sought Ivy Lee’s counsel to address a common challenge faced by many executives: how to improve the productivity and effectiveness of his management team and workforce. Lee proposed a simple and effective strategy that became famously known as the “Ivy Lee Method.”

The Ivy Lee Method consisted of the following steps:

Meetings with Executives: Ivy Lee met with Charles Schwab and his top executives, asking them to set aside 15 minutes at the end of each workday to implement this method. [Non-negotiable meaning that this had to be done.]

Write Down Six Most Important Tasks: At the end of each day, each executive was to write down the six most important tasks they needed to accomplish the next day, prioritizing them in order of importance. [Notice the golden number 6? Anything more than 6 tends to lead to lagging tasks. Ordering them avoids any decision fatigue or beginner’s anxiety.]

Focus on Priority: The next day, the executives were to focus solely on the first task on their list until it was completed before moving on to the next task. [Out with multitasking, single focused to-do lists get more accomplished]

Repeat Daily: At the end of each day, any unfinished tasks from the list would be transferred to the next day’s list, and the process would continue. [Momentum is key, doing more and more each day for days on end increases workflow output.]

The method is simple, yet it emphasized prioritization and focus on essential tasks, helping the executives manage their time more effectively and avoid getting overwhelmed by various responsibilities. By adopting this method, Charles Schwab and his team experienced a significant improvement in their productivity and efficiency.

Schwab was so impressed with the results that he reportedly paid Ivy Lee $25,000 for this advice (equivalent to $503,521 today in 2023), recognizing the tremendous value the method brought to his company.

The Ivy Lee Method is still popular and relevant today as a time management and productivity technique – it’s a lot like time blocking. Its simplicity and focus on prioritization have made it a timeless approach to enhance personal and professional effectiveness.

• The reason I like The Ivy Lee Method is that it’s so simple, all you need is a pen and paper or to open your tasks/reminders/notes app on your phone.
• You don’t overwhelm yourself with 18 things on your agenda, you keep your to-do list to 6 things. Of course, you can always go back and add more if by noon you’re finished.
• It takes the groundwork of guessing where to start your day out of it – that’s the beginner’s anxiety getting in the way.
• You get to wake up and go! It’s a single task, single focus energy. You maximize your potential instead of being in 40 places at once.
• Lastly, It helps create a healthier work life integration especially for those entrepreneurs that work from home or from their cars.

Lee’s principles and approaches laid the groundwork for the development of modern public relations practices but also habit hacking, calendar integrity and demonstrated how multitasking is a sure way to get nothing done. His work helped shift the focus from manipulating public opinion to building genuine relationships with the public and has helped hundreds of business men, women and students prioritize their to-do lists to actually maximize their efforts.