↓Skip to main content

The GRRR Method: A Simple Day Planning System

Harmony Efficiency

I used to be big on productivity stuff - finding the right app, the right flow, the right system.

I’ve tried GTD, Agile Results, Kanban, and even PARA; Wunderlist, Todoist, TickTick, Microsoft ToDo, Notion, Obsidian, and others.

As it often happens, I came to the conclusion that all the “right” stuff has to be deduced by oneself. Maybe you build on others’ ideas, but ultimately it comes down to trial, error, and observation of your habits and patterns. Your system has to be created by you, not a productivity blogger.

In this post, I’ll cover one part of my system - how I plan and structure my day.

First, let’s define my acceptance criteria for a day planning/structuring method:

  • Low maintenance (I don’t want to spend too much time keeping my system in order)
  • Some kind of motivation, or at least no demotivation (the system should be a helping hand and a guiding star, not a supervisor)
  • Not too rigid (see previous points)
  • Not too loose (so that I have some kind of order to keep me going)
  • Rest is a task, too (I have a tendency to dive too greedily and too deep into interesting projects, and burn out)

So, how do I plan and structure my day? Enter the GRRR method.

It’s really simple. Each daily to-do list has 4 sections (be it on paper or in an app):

  • Goals
  • Responsibilities
  • Recharge
  • Rituals

When I plan my day (usually the night before), I make sure I have something in each section:

  • Goals - I want to work on moving towards my goals. For me, these are learning, career, and whatever else is on my goal list this year/quarter/week.
  • Responsibilities - this list always fills as if by itself. Basically, these are the tasks that are not related to my goals - day job, chores, etc.
  • Recharge - this is where I make sure I have enough energy. If I feel my energy dwindling, I put some rest in there. Hobbies and fun projects go there, too.
  • Rituals - these are my good habits and regular tasks that help me keep going, like meditation, planning, note review, etc.

Responsibilities and Rituals usually are packed, so it all comes down to:

  • Making sure I work on my goals
  • Making sure I get some rest

It sounds easy - and it is! I find that easy systems are easy to stick with. And while GRRR method is what works for me, I hope you come up with an idea or two to make your life easier. Cheers!