ABCDE Priority Method
Categorize every task by consequence level before you start working
The ABCDE Priority Method is a simple but powerful technique for organizing your task list by consequence level before you begin working. Instead of working through tasks in random order or tackling whatever feels easiest, you assign every item a letter grade that reflects the real-world impact of doing or not doing that task.
The system uses five categories. An A task is something you must do that has serious positive or negative consequences. A B task is something you should do with only mild consequences. A C task is something nice to do with no consequences at all. A D task is something you can delegate. An E task is something you can eliminate entirely. Within the A category, you further rank items as A-1, A-2, A-3 to identify your absolute top priority.
The discipline of the method is that you never work on a B task when an A task remains undone, and you never touch a C task while B tasks are waiting. This strict hierarchy prevents the common trap of spending your day on pleasant but inconsequential activities while your most important work sits untouched.
- The value of a task is determined by its consequences, not by how busy it makes you feel or how easy it is to complete.
- Never do a B task when an A task is left undone. Never be distracted by a tadpole when a big frog is waiting to be eaten.
- Every task you continue doing out of habit rather than consequence is stealing time from work that could change your outcomes.
- Your A-1 task is your biggest, ugliest frog. Discipline yourself to start on it immediately and stay with it until it is complete.
- Write your complete task listBefore you begin working, write down everything you have to do for the coming day. Think on paper. Get every task, responsibility, and commitment out of your head and onto the list so you can see the full picture.Pro tipDo this the night before so your subconscious mind can process the list while you sleep and you wake up ready to act.
- Assign an A, B, C, D, or E to each itemGo through every item on your list and assign a letter based on consequence. A items have serious consequences for doing or not doing them. B items have mild consequences. C items have no consequences. D items can be delegated. E items can be eliminated entirely.Pro tipBe ruthlessly honest about C and E items. Many tasks people treat as B-level are actually C-level activities with no real impact on their work or career.WarningDo not upgrade a task's rating because you enjoy it or because it makes you feel productive. Rate strictly by consequence.
- Rank your A items by priorityIf you have multiple A tasks, number them A-1, A-2, A-3, and so on. Your A-1 task is the single most important thing you could do. This is your biggest frog.Pro tipAsk yourself: which of these A tasks would have the most serious negative consequence if I did not complete it today?
- Start on your A-1 task immediatelyDiscipline yourself to begin your A-1 task first and stay with it until it is 100 percent complete. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into B, C, D, or E activities while any A task remains unfinished.Pro tipUse your willpower at the start of the day when it is strongest. Willpower is like a muscle that fatigues with use.
- Delegate D items and eliminate E itemsFor every D task, identify who else can handle it and hand it off. For every E task, simply cross it off your list and stop doing it. Every minute spent on an E task is time stolen from an A task.Pro tipThe rule for delegation is to delegate everything that someone else can do so you can free up more time for the A tasks that only you can do.
- Practice daily for one monthApply the ABCDE Method to every work or project list before you begin work, every single day. After approximately one month of consistent practice, you will have developed the habit of automatically setting and working on your highest-priority tasks.WarningSkipping even one day can break the habit formation cycle. Treat this as a non-negotiable daily practice.
A salesperson starts each day with a list of fifteen tasks. After applying the ABCDE method, she identifies visiting a key customer as A-1 and finishing a report for her boss as A-2. Returning phone calls to casual contacts is rated B. Having lunch with a coworker is rated C. Data entry that an assistant could handle is rated D. Reviewing an outdated mailing list is rated E and eliminated.
A project manager feels overwhelmed by 20 tasks competing for attention. He applies the ABCDE Method and discovers that only three items are genuine A-level tasks with serious consequences. Seven items are D-level tasks he can delegate to team members, and four are E-level tasks that no one needs to do at all.
Brian Tracy developed the ABCDE Method as a refinement of basic priority-setting techniques he learned from studying the works of time management experts including Peter Drucker, Alan Lakein, and Stephen Covey over more than forty years. Tracy observed that the difference between high performers and average workers was not talent or effort but what they chose to work on. The ABCDE system formalized the consequence-based thinking that successful people use intuitively, making it accessible as a daily practice anyone could adopt.