We make 3 Tasks, one of the ways to keep a 3-task list described here. Paper works just as well for the method; the research below is about planning, not about any app.
What the research says
- What predicts putting things off. Piers Steel's meta-analysis of 691 correlations (Psychological Bulletin, 2007) found the strongest, most consistent predictors were how unpleasant the task feels, how far away its reward or deadline is, low confidence that you can do it, and impulsiveness.
- If-then plans help people act. Gollwitzer and Sheeran's meta-analysis of 94 independent tests (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006) found that plans of the form "when situation X happens, I will do Y", called implementation intentions, had a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals (d = 0.65) compared with intentions alone.
- A plan quiets the open loop. In Masicampo and Baumeister's experiments (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011), unfinished goals caused intrusive thoughts during other work; letting people write a specific plan for them removed that interference.
What no study shows is that three is a magic number. Ivy Lee's 1918 method used six items, and the "Rule of 3" is a rule of thumb (we cover both in the 3-task method). The short list matters because it forces a choice; the if-then plan is what the evidence is about.
This page is about everyday procrastination. If putting things off is hurting your work, studies or health, talk to a professional.
What we checked in 3 Tasks' code
We read the reminder code of the version on sale today (1.3.0). Its morning reminder, off until you turn it on, fires at a time you choose (9:00 unless you change it) with the title "Your 3 tasks for today" and the question "What are the 3 things that matter most today?". In the terms of the research, that fixed time is the "when" of the plan. Each task can also get a time limit of 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes that sends a notification when it is reached, even with the app closed.
Step by step
- Pick the time you will choose. Same time every day, linked to something you already do: "after the first coffee" or "when I sit down at my desk". A reminder at that time helps.
- Write three tasks, not more. Ask what would make today count if only three things got done. Everything else goes on a separate list for later.
- Put the one you are avoiding first. Steel's review links procrastination to unpleasant tasks; doing that one before the easy two stops it sliding to tomorrow.
- Make each task a first physical step. "Open the report and write the first paragraph", not "report". Low confidence predicts delay; a small first step is one you know you can do.
- Add an if-then plan to each. "When it is 9:30, I will call the bank." "If I open social media, I will close it and start the timer." Write the situation and the action.
- Start a timer and work on one task only. A timer makes the start concrete. Stop when it ends or when the task is done, whichever comes first.
- Write tomorrow's three before you stop. Masicampo and Baumeister found that writing a specific plan for an unfinished goal reduced intrusive thoughts about it. Unfinished tasks move to tomorrow's list or get dropped.
Ways to keep the list
- Paper or a sticky note: nothing to install, nothing to distract you.
- Reminders or Notes on iPhone: make a list called Today and keep it to three items yourself.
- A general to-do app such as Todoist or Things, with a "today" filter you limit by hand.
- 3 Tasks: built around exactly three tasks a day, with a start/pause timer on each that keeps counting with the screen locked, the optional time limit and morning reminder above, Repeat Daily, and a Home Screen widget that shows the three. It has no subtasks, projects or due dates, and no way to add a fourth task; if you need those, a general to-do app fits better. More on the 3 Tasks page.
We compared apps built around three tasks in the best 3-task to-do apps for iPhone.
Sources
- Steel P. The nature of procrastination: a meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin 2007;133(1):65-94.
- Gollwitzer PM, Sheeran P. Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 2006;38:69-119.
- Masicampo EJ, Baumeister RF. Consider it done! Plan making can eliminate the cognitive effects of unfulfilled goals. J Pers Soc Psychol 2011;101(4):667-83.
- 3 Tasks 1.3.0 source code (reminders), read 23 October 2026.
Questions people ask
Does a 3-task list really help with procrastination?
No study tests the number three. What the research supports is planning: specific if-then plans had a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals in a meta-analysis of 94 tests. A short list makes those plans easy to write.
What is an implementation intention?
A plan of the form "when situation X happens, I will do Y", for example "when I sit down after lunch, I will write the first paragraph". Gollwitzer and Sheeran's 2006 meta-analysis found it works better than a goal alone.
Why do I put off some tasks and not others?
Steel's 2007 meta-analysis found task aversiveness, a distant reward or deadline, low confidence and impulsiveness to be the strongest predictors.
Which task should go first?
The one you are most likely to avoid, broken down to its first physical step.
Can 3 Tasks remind me to pick my three tasks?
Yes. Its morning reminder fires at a time you choose, 9:00 by default, once you turn it on.