How to prioritize your to-do list: 5 simple methods
Knowing how to prioritize your to-do list is the difference between a busy day and a productive one. The trick is not a longer list or a louder reminder — it is deciding, before you start, which few things actually matter. Here are five simple methods that work, and how to make one of them automatic.
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1. The ABC method
Label every task A (must-do, real consequences today), B (should-do), or C (nice-to-do), and always work your A tasks first. It is the fastest way to cut a scary list down to the two or three things that count. This is the method Don't Forget is built around — see the full ABC task prioritization method guide.
2. The Eisenhower matrix
Sort tasks into four boxes by urgent vs important: do the urgent-and-important now, schedule the important-but-not-urgent, delegate the urgent-but-not-important, and delete the rest. It is a great way to catch the "busywork" that feels urgent but changes nothing. It is a staple of time management.
3. The 1-3-5 rule
Plan each day as exactly one big task, three medium tasks, and five small ones. The fixed shape stops you from overcommitting — nine slots, no more — and forces you to decide what your one big thing is before the day runs away with you.
4. Most Important Tasks (MITs)
Each morning, name your one to three Most Important Tasks — the ones that would make the day a win even if nothing else got done — and do them before email, before meetings, before the noise. Protecting your first hour for your MITs is the single highest-leverage habit on this list.
5. Let an app prioritize for you
The catch with every method above is that you have to keep doing it. That is where most systems quietly fail. Don't Forget runs the ABC method automatically: label a task and it sorts to the top or bottom, escalates whatever you keep avoiding, and reminds you before things slip — so the prioritizing happens even on the days you forget to do it yourself. See how the reminder system works.
Frequently asked questions
How do you prioritize a to-do list?
List everything, rank each task by consequence and urgency with a method like ABC or the Eisenhower matrix, do your top three first, and re-rank daily.
What is the best method to prioritize tasks?
The one you will actually use every day. ABC, Eisenhower, 1-3-5, and MITs all work — pick a simple one and be consistent.
What if everything feels urgent?
Cap must-do tasks at three a day. If more feel urgent, ask which cause real consequences today. Don't Forget escalates a task as its deadline nears.
Is Don't Forget free?
Yes — free to start, with an optional Premium plan for unlimited history, analytics, and web-push reminders.