Unlocking productivity with the LNO prioritisation framework
You have control over two very important resources: your time and attention. Where you decide to invest and focus them, can make a big difference.
In our quest to be better, faster and more impactful, I want to share with you a prioritisation framework that has helped me think about and act on my daily tasks. This framework, known as LNO, consists of classifying tasks in three buckets: Leverage, Neutral, and Overhead. Classifying a task by applying the LNO framework, can help you invest your time, energy and attention better. Let's delve into the framework and explore some examples to better grasp how to use it.
TL;DR
I think sharing this framework in writing is a leverage task. It’s going to take longer and more work but it will let you read it at your own pace, come back to it at a later time and share it with colleagues in the future.
I could have made this task a neutral task by sharing it verbally in a meetings. It would have taken me 5 to 15 minutes and then I’d be sure most of my colleagues heard it at least one. But I’ll have to share it again when a new colleague joins and every time someone has a clarifying question.
Lastly, if I don’t invest enough time in making this article interesting and entertaining, e.g. I execute poorly and this article sucks more than a vacuum cleaner at a confetti factory - then this could become an overhead task. Its was a waste of my precious life, electricity and photons. Even worse, I might have wasted your precious time and prevented a stroll through a productivity app like Tinder and Threads.
This framework is simple, but not easy. If you are ready to get focused, make sure your phone is on silent mode and take the pizza out of the oven. I did not make this framework up, but learned it from a product leader in Lenny’s podcast.
Leverage (L): Tasks that Make Your Future Better
First up, we have the mighty L for Leverage. These tasks are like supercharged power-ups that propel us towards greatness. They are the key to unlocking your potential and becoming a beam of impact.?
L-tasks are those that have a lasting impact on your business, your team and your work (which translated means: they make you a star in your team). “Lasting” means it makes today better, tomorrow better and many days after that. These tasks lay the foundation for a better future (translated means: lower costs and increase revenue). They involve activities that enable us to work smarter, not harder. Examples of leverage tasks include:
1. Developing reusable code libraries: By investing time in creating robust, reusable code components, we can decouple work and teams, accelerating future development cycles and increase our efficiency.
2. Building automation tools: Automating repetitive or time-consuming tasks frees up valuable resources and allows us to focus on more strategic and intellectually stimulating work. Identifying areas where automation can bring efficiency gains becomes a leverage task in itself.
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Neutral (N): Tasks that Yield Proportional Results
Next, we have the trusty N for Neutral. These tasks may not send us soaring to new heights, but they keep our world in balance. N-tasks provide outcomes proportional to the effort we put into them. Examples of neutral tasks include:
1. Meetings: Meetings can contribute to communication and collaboration. While they consume our time, they provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, align priorities, and foster team cohesion. By being mindful of meeting efficiency and purpose, we can strike a balance between their value and their impact on our productivity.
2. Fixing an incident at 3:00 am: Waking up in the middle of the night to access a customers system and fix a problem is tough. Fixing a problem for one customer helps that customer at that moment. But if you don’t fix the root cause or add a test to make sure that problem never happens again, you are likely to wake up at 3:00 am in the future. Fixing the root cause can upgrade this task to the L level.
3. Responding to routine emails: While responding to emails is necessary for communication, it is crucial to differentiate between urgent and non-urgent messages, important and non-important messages. Prioritising emails that require immediate attention can help manage this neutral task more efficiently. For example, I have 41 emails where my email address is in carbon copy (CC). I interpret this to mean that someone wants me to know about something, but no action from my part is required. Neutral and perhaps even overhead.?
Overhead (O): Tasks that (hopefully) Bring Value to Others but are Pure Overhead for You
O-tasks, though sometimes valuable to others, do not make the future better, at least for you. If I have to do something quick & dirty, that’s the O-task (now you know why my email had lots of typos). They are not going to earn me an Oscar, but they need to get done. Examples of overhead tasks include:
1. Administrative paperwork: Filling out forms, updating spreadsheets, or generating reports are important for maintaining records, keeping us tidy and staying on course.
2. Following up on non-critical issues: Not every problem requires a lightning-fast response. We'll use our super-senses to differentiate between urgent and non-urgent matters. By striking a balance between responsiveness and focusing on our core responsibilities, we'll save the day without burning out.
How can you start??
By applying the LNO framework, you can make better decisions and allocate your fabulous energy, attention and time more effectively. Remember, the goal is not necessarily to eliminate overhead or neutral tasks entirely (I wish!) but to identify how to invest yourself into a task.?
Do L-Tasks when you are energised and fresh. If you need to spend some more time, do it. L-tasks pay you back 10x over. Do O-tasks in a time box with the motto “better done than perfect”.?
One first step is to take a look at your calendar and reflect on how you are spending your time.
Your time and attention are limited and are valuable. Use them effectively consistently and you’ll stay a rising star.