--- title: "STYLE Savvy: The Big Three" description: Lisa Hess proves that more isn't necessarily better with her Big 3 system for planning her days. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/02/15/style-savvy-big-three#) # STYLE Savvy: The Big Three Feb 15, 2017 11:30:13 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) About a month ago, I started using a strategy I'm calling [the Big 3](http://orgbystyle.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-big-3.html). Each day, I decide which three things are my top priorities for the day, and then I *write them down.* * *And you know what? This one's a keeper. If you're like me, you've tried any number of strategies when it comes to organization and time management, only to abandon some of them even before the ink was dry on the note you wrote to yourself. Some are too complicated, others too time-consuming. And then, of course, there's the biggest flaw of all. The plan doesn't fit your styles. [tweet "Does your time-management system fail? Maybe the plan doesn't fit your style. By @L2Hess"] ![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/STYLE-6.jpg?width=300&height=250&name=STYLE-6.jpg)I started the Big 3 because I have a tendency to never be satisfied with what I accomplish. I focus too much on what I've left undone, and not enough on what I've accomplished. Or, I swing from one extreme to the other, overdoing it one day and crashing the next. I needed a strategy that would even things out, helping me to establish a steady flow of successes. Successes are, after all, the foundation of STYLE. I'm happy to report that, one month in, the Big 3 is working quite well. Some days, I've even been tempted to expand it to the Big 5, because, after all, if 3 is good, isn't 5 better? Um, no. No, it's not. The purpose of the Big 3 was to increase the likelihood that I'd not only accomplish what I set out to do, but also that I'd have time to do other things -- maybe even fun things -- as well. When something is working, don't stretch it to the breaking point. Adapt, if you must, but don't ruin a perfectly good strategy by pushing it beyond its limits -- or pushing yourself beyond your limits. Like so many strategies, the Big 3 arose over time, in response to a problem I identified in my own life. Consequently, I set it up so it would fit me and my needs. Could the Big 3 work for you? Maybe. But adapting someone else's idea wholesale isn't always the best plan. I love this idea, but maybe you won't. You might prefer a different number, or, you might like writing down the most important thing, and planning your day around it. You might like focusing on just two things -- one for early in the day and one for later in the day. Perhaps you're more of a [backwards to-do list](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-ways-i-know-its-backwards-to-do-list.html) person, or, conversely,  you survive on one big, long list that includes everything you need to accomplish for the foreseeable future. Whatever plan you set up, remember to be realistic. Writing focused goals is helpful, but it doesn't add more hours to the day or more spring to your step. If you're not in the mood to put something on the top of the list today and it doesn't have an immediate deadline, save it for tomorrow. Finally, don't forget to put the fun stuff on your list from time to time. I have a stack of to-be-read books that never seems to shrink because I don't make reading a priority. Yesterday, I listed reading as one of my Big 3, giving me an excuse to walk right past other tasks so I could curl up with my book. Whatever you do, let your styles be your guide. *Copyright 2017 Lisa Hess* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F02%2F15%2Fstyle-savvy-big-three%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F02%2F15%2Fstyle-savvy-big-three%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F02%2F15%2Fstyle-savvy-big-three%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20The%20Big%20Three) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F02%2F15%2Fstyle-savvy-big-three%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F02%2F15%2Fstyle-savvy-big-three%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ Pin the Prayer on the Catholic? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/06/05/pin-the-prayer-on-the-catholic) [ STYLE Savvy: A Novel Approach to Cleaning the Bookshelves Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-a-novel-approach-to-cleaning-the-bookshelves) [ STYLE Savvy: Mustering Motivation Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/09/14/style-savvy-mustering-motivation) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.