The daily E.T.H.I.C. is a personal task management framework I use to accomplish things on a daily basis and ensure focus on things that truly matter.
E.T.H.I.C. is expanded as follows. These cover important buckets of the kind of tasks that need to stay on top of my mind every day.
Experiments
Tangibles
Habits
Intellectual
Communication
Experiments: Driven by curiosity, these tasks are the ones that fuel growth and help to discover new things and push the boundaries of what I do as an entrepreneur and innovator. They range from exploring new approaches to facing resistance head-on. Through experiments, I discover, test hypotheses, broaden my awareness, evaluate risks and bring more insights into the projects I am working on.
Tangibles: Tasks that result in something tangible—write-ups, designs, code. Every day involves creating, contributing, and leaving a mark.
Habits: The bedrock of growth. Consistent, recurring tasks across various life domains—health, fitness, reading, and skill-building. Habits compound into improvement.
Intellectual: Tasks that demand deep thinking, ideation, introspection, analysis, or planning. Intellectual tasks push the mind to be imaginative and in problem-solving mode.
Communication: Outreach, networking, emails, meetings. Connecting with others across life's spectrum. Communication is key for progress.
Breaking down tasks into these categories brings focus and intentionality to my days. The key? Not too many tasks, but prioritising the most crucial ones. Aim for at least one focus task in each category, up to a maximum of three. This ensures concentration on high-priority items, making each day purposeful.
In a world filled with multiple priorities, and reactionary work, having a personal E.T.H.I.C. brings focus to our lives.