Do One Task Per Day. Non-Negotiable.

The cover image will make sense later :)

I've been experimenting with different productivity frameworks for the past few years. As responsibilities pile up and the list of things to remember grows longer, I find myself increasingly anxious about things slipping through the cracks.

Setting up a new productivity framework is always exciting at first. But once the novelty fades, all it takes is one challenge to shake your confidence in the system.

I’m still using the PARA method for my personal note-keeping. At work, I’ve taken a completely different approach, which I'll share soon.

However, I’ve applied the PARA methodology to my personal task management as well. Even though my tasks are neatly organized into sections, I’ve found that things still don’t get done.

I tried adding urgency labels to my tasks, but that didn’t help either. Seeing five urgent tasks and seven important ones doesn’t motivate me to tackle any of them.

Then one day, I had a thought: What if I just focus on doing one thing on my list each day?

If I could only do one thing, what would it be?

Here’s the catch—it’s non-negotiable. Once I select a task, it must be completed by the end of the day.

Another important rule: The task must be fully completed. No half-measures or slight progress allowed—those belong to projects. Pick a specific task from a project and get it done.

Once you’ve finished that task, you can either enjoy the rest of your day or, if you’re feeling ambitious, pick another task to complete by day’s end.

But what happens when life gets in the way? When can you postpone a task? Honestly, I haven’t set any rules for this. And by not giving myself an easy way out, I’m less likely to spend time thinking of ways to avoid the commitment. Instead, I might as well use that time to just get the task done.

Of course, if an unavoidable situation arises, you’ll know it. And yes, this approach requires a bit of discipline.

For a while now, this method has worked well for me. Each morning, I review my list of tasks for the day, pick one, and tag it as a “📌 Must do” (or whatever label your task app allows). I’ve also filtered my phone’s lock screen tasks widget to show only the "Must do" task.

It’s much harder to ignore a single task staring you in the face than five tasks buried in a list.

Today, my “Must do” task was: Boil stock. And guess what? I’m finally boiling a fresh batch of beef stock (hence the cover image)—a task I’ve postponed for over six months.

I know this isn’t a groundbreaking system or framework. But sometimes, you have to come full circle and return to the basics. One step at a time. So far, it’s working.