The Top Hits Method: A Simple Daily Practice for Finishing What Actually Matters
Most productivity systems break down for one reason: they try to manage everything.
Every task.
Every idea.
Every calendar block.
Every tool.
Every color-coded category.
The result? You stay busy… but rarely finish what matters.
Most people are busy, but not effective.
Their day is full of motion… messages, meetings, checklists, apps… but they’re stuck at the same revenue, same stress level, and same growth plateau.
They feel like they’re working hard…
…but their work doesn’t compound.
And when they look back on the week?
It’s hard to point to anything that really moved the business forward.
The Top Hits Method is different. It’s not about doing more. It’s about getting clear, either by taking the time or some might say by force.
Prioritization is hard.
It gives you one clear target, a short list of supporting actions, and a finish line you can see from the start.
It’s a simple structure, but it changes how your day works.
TOP HITS Isn't Innovative
There’s nothing shiny about Top Hits.
I didn’t invent prioritization.
I just know it doesn’t help to pretend all tasks are equal.
I’ve seen what happens when a business owner gets addicted to digital productivity:
Task managers become guilt machines.
24 subtasks later, you’re still avoiding the real work.
The most important thing? Lost in a sea of “might as well” and “just in case.”
I respect other methods. And I’m not even saying TOP HITs is better. There’s already physical things like Analog. There’s already things that bring focus like The One Thing. There’s countless To-Do Methods, so why use Top Hits?
What Is the Top Hits Method?
The Top Hits Method is built on one idea:
Most days are won or lost based on one decision: what you invest your time in.
Here’s how it works:
Start each day by identifying your T.O.P. - The One Priority.
Schedule when the TOP gets done. (Don’t skip this)
Then you write down 1 to 4 H.I.Ts - High-Impact Tasks.
This isn’t a glorified to-do list. This is a decision-making tool. A constraint.
A commitment.
You don’t need to buy anything fancy. You don’t need a program. Or a key to understand a some system.
An Index Card, a pocket notebook or a single page of paper.
That’s it.
Because the truth is:
Progress isn’t about effort. It’s about focus.
Step One: Decide What’s Your “T.O.P.”
Your TOP is The One Priority, that if completed, would move the needle the most today. It would allow you to sleep tonight, soundly. It’s not always urgent. But it is essential.
It might be:
Following up with a ready-to-buy lead
Recording a key sales or onboarding video
Updating your pricing page
Solving the biggest bottleneck in your offer
It’s not something vague like “work on marketing” or “follow up.”
It’s specific. And you know exactly what it looks like when it’s done.
That’s the first mistake most people make: they choose a todos or projects that go on, that’s unclear or unfinishable. The day ends and they’re still “working on it.”
Write that answer down.
Step Two: Block the Time
Picking your TOP isn’t enough.
You have to schedule it. Not “fit it in.” Not “squeeze it somewhere.”
The day will get away from you. Things will pop up. Moles will need to be whacked. Fires will need to be put out.
Commit to a time when your TOP gets worked on. Put it on your calendar.
If your TOP matters, it earns protected time.
When my wife tells me what her TOP is and when she wants to work on it, I know that means shes unavailable. I can’t interrupt her. I’m watching the kids. That is her sacred time.
Whether it’s 30 minutes or 90, it needs a home. Ideally before the chaos of the day begins. For many, that’s first thing in the morning. For others, it’s mid-morning or after a workout. Doesn’t matter, just make sure it’s yours.
No calendar block = no real commitment.
Step Three: Write Down Your HITS
After you schedule your TOP, you pick 1 to 4 High-Impact Tasks, your HITS.
These are the supporting cast. The things that extend the momentum. They matter, but they come after the main event.
If your TOP is the hit single, your HITS are the rest of the album.
Example:
Send client onboarding doc
Review yesterday’s ad results
Update FAQs on the sales page
Email referral partners
You don’t need to schedule each one. But be careful about letting busy work, or urgent things fill up your time.
And the 1-4 is crucial here. Filling out a set number to just fill out isn’t helpful. Maybe some days you only need 1 HIT. Somedays it’s 4.
Step Four: Post It Where You’ll See It
Desk. Monitor. Wallet. Kitchen cabinet.
Keep it in front of your face. Not buried in an app.
You’ll be tempted to rearrange. To “just check this one thing first.” To answer the quick DM. But that’s how momentum dies — one decision at a time.
Your day doesn’t start until your TOP starts. And you don’t switch gears until it’s done.
That’s what makes this method powerful — it removes the ambiguity and excuses.
Step Five: Tell Someone Your TOP
Like I mentioned earlier, my wife tells me what and when.
If you don’t tell someone it’s easy to hide.
Hide your inaction.
Hide your lack of results.
Hide from accountability.
Why It Works
The Top Hits Method works because it forces you to choose.
No more hiding behind 20-item lists.
No more feeling productive without actually finishing.
No more staring at your screen, unsure where to start.
No more feeling stuck in the weeds
No more doing a lot but gaining nothing
No more letting the day decide what matters
No more drowning in “shoulds”
No more mistaking movement for progress
Instead, you know:
What matters.
When it’s happening.
What it looks like when it’s done.
And that’s what gives you leverage. Not the number of tasks you check off, but the clarity and consistency of what you finish.
Try It Tomorrow
Here’s all you need:
A blank card or page
A pen
Five minutes of honest decision-making
TOP: __________________________________
When: _________________________________
HITS:
1. ___________________________
2. ___________________________
3. ___________________________
4. ___________________________
And then follow it.
That’s it. No app. No system fatigue. No confusion.
Just one clear move that builds real momentum.
4 Things You Can Do Now, When You’re Ready…
1) Read the article Time Management for Solopreneurs: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity Without Burning Out - Click Here
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