One simple habit has saved me thousands of hours.
I’m not even exaggerating.
This rule is something I swear by.
And I make it a point to never ignore it.
It’s called The Rule of Threes.
This approach has given me so much time back over the years.
And I know it can do the same for you…
Because I’m so excited, we’re just going to get into it, right here.
📝 The Rule of Threes
The Rule of Threes helps you spot repeat work, question it, and turn it into a repeatable system.
Key Facts
- 💸 Savings – Organizations can see 10-50% cost savings when they replace repeat work with scripts or workflows.
- 🔁 Practical – Roughly 40-45% of our daily actions run on habit, which makes them prime automation targets.
- 🕒 Time suck – We lose on average about 4.5 hours each week on work that software can handle.
💡 How the Rule of Threes Works
Go about your day. Normal things.
Email, tasks, random tasks that come up.
Then the next time you are doing a task that you feel there may be the slightest hint it could happen again, follow this exact framework.
Step 1: Do It Once
Execute the task to understand it.
No scripts, no automations, no workflows yet. You’re learning the edges and exceptions.
This is where you notice things like “I check two sources, I verify column C makes sense, then I paste a number into the sheet.”
You’re mapping the territory.
Then move on.
—
The next time that same task comes up?
Step 2: Do It Again, But Ask Why
This is where the magic starts.
Is the task still needed?
Could something upstream make it unnecessary?
Why does this have to happen again?
Ask “why” a few times.
Maybe that weekly report only exists because someone asked for it two years ago and nobody reads it anymore.
Or if they do, do they need all of it or you to do it by hand?
Kill it.
Trim it.
Or change how often you send it.
The important thing at step two is to understand how this task is repeatable but still accomplish your goal.
Then finally, the next time that same task shows its face…
Step 3: Don’t Do It, Rather, Build a System to Do It For You.
Now you’re ready to codify the steps.
That could be a script, a scheduled workflow, a checklist anyone can follow, or a simple SOP stored where your team works.
The goal is simple: the task runs with minimal involvement. You step in only when something unusual happens.
This follows the YAGNI principle (You Aren’t Gonna Need It).
Recap: You wait until the task proves itself by showing up twice, then you build the smallest thing that solves it well.
Don’t repeat yourself.
Stop copying steps over and over.
Put the logic in one reliable place.
I repeat:
- Do it once.
- Do it again and ask why.
- See it a third time and automate.
The reason this is so important?
Because we continue to get stuck in the minutia of repetition.
Free yourself from those constant time-sucks and things become more fun, more effortless, and more elegant along the way.
🔢 The Numbers Behind Why This Works
McKinsey studied thousands of jobs and found that about 45% of work activities could be automated with tools we already have.
And that stat was from 2015.
Think about what’s possible now… 10+ years later.
And I’m not talking about whole jobs disappearing.
There are huge chunks of repetitive work that AI can handle while you focus on the parts that need human judgment.
Look at your operations and find the first 30% that’s repetitive, follows clear rules, and happens every week.
📌 Start there.
That slice pays you back fast and builds confidence for bigger improvements & future projects.
📣 The Benefits
- More headspace – when redundant tasks disappear, creative work expands.
- Fewer slip-ups – AI doesn’t forget the 8th step in a checklist.
- Hours reclaimed – 10 mins saved daily becomes a full workweek each year. (That’s basically a vacation 😎)
- Happier teams – people are generally more satisfied when their work challenges their mind and allows them to make an impact.
♟️ Practical Plays
- Marketing – schedule a daily social report, then let GPT write the summary.
- E-commerce – trigger label creation the moment an order clears payment.
- Non-profit – pipe volunteer sign-ups straight into your CRM and calendar in one shot.
🎲 Get Rolling
- Track any task that repeats. This doesn’t need to be complicated. A sticky note works.
- Decide whether the task even needs to live on. (Is it unnecessary? Delete what you can.)
- For what survives, build a quick Zap or script and log the time you win back.
⛽ Use this Prompt to Speed Up Your First System
If you want to move fast, try this.
Take your step-by-step process and give it to an AI with this prompt:
"Rewrite this challenge I'm facing as a clear standard operating procedure with specific roles, triggers, steps, and outputs. Then propose a Zapier or Make workflow with the exact trigger and actions for each step. Flag any steps that should be deleted because they don't add value. [insert task or challenge]"
For bonus points, add: "Draft a 5 bullet summary email that the system can send after it runs."
👉 Looking for a quick way to have AI start to do this for you?
Check out the Claude Chrome Extension (from last week’s newsletter) 🔗 It clicks, fills forms, summarizes pages, and handles repeat web tasks for you.
✌️ Your Turn
If you build one small system this week, I want to hear about it.
Tell me what you picked. And if you get stuck on step three, don’t stress and use the tools you have to help out.
I also coach my CTRL + ALT + BUILD members of my private AI community through automations and systems when they need my support.
Not a Builder in the community yet? You should be in there.
Remember…
The difference between busy and productive often comes down to this: busy people do the same things over and over.
Productive people do things twice, then build systems.
Which one are you?
P.S. We filled all the lifetime spots for QuickSign & you can still try it totally for free
P.P.S. I’ve opened two VIP day spots for February
