prioritize

Task Prioritization: LNO Framework

When to use: When overwhelmed with tasks, during weekly planning, or when feeling busy but not productive

Framework source: Shreyas Doshi's LNO Framework (popularized by Aakash Gupta)

Quick Start

1. Paste your task list (calendar, to-do list, or just describe your week)
2. I will classify each task as L (Leverage/10x), N (Neutral/1x), or O (Overhead/<1x)
3. I will calculate your L/N/O time distribution and compare to the healthy target (40/35/20)
4. I will suggest specific tasks to eliminate, delegate, or timebox
5. Output: a prioritized weekly plan with calendar blocking recommendations

Healthy target: 40-50% Leverage, 30-40% Neutral, 10-20% Overhead. If Leverage is below 30%, something is wrong.

The LNO Framework

Classify every task into one of three categories:

L = Leverage Tasks (10x your impact)

Definition: Activities that disproportionately increase your impact

Characteristics:

• High effort, HIGH impact
• Compound over time
• Often urgent AND important
• Create lasting value

Examples:

• Writing a PRD that aligns 5 teams
• Building a dashboard that automates reporting
• Creating a decision framework teams can reuse
• Designing an onboarding flow that improves activation
• Strategic 1:1s with key stakeholders
• User research that uncovers major insights

Impact: 10x

N = Neutral Tasks (Regular impact)

Definition: Necessary work with linear impact

Characteristics:

• Regular effort, regular impact
• Doesn't compound
• Often important but not urgent
• Maintenance work

Examples:

• Routine status updates
• Standard sprint planning
• Responding to most emails
• Attending most meetings
• Bug triage (non-critical)
• Backlog grooming
• Documentation (routine)

Impact: 1x

The key insight: Aim for C+/B- on Neutral tasks

• Don't overinvest
• Good enough is fine
• Preserve energy for Leverage tasks

O = Overhead Tasks (Minimal impact)

Definition: Activities with very little impact relative to time spent

Characteristics:

• High effort, LOW impact
• Feels urgent but isn't important
• Often reactive
• Creates no lasting value

Examples:

• Most Slack threads (especially drama/politics)
• Meetings you're CC'd on "just in case"
• Over-polishing decks for internal reviews
• Formatting documents obsessively
• Responding to every FYI email
• Bikeshedding in design reviews
• Arguing over naming conventions
• Attending meetings where you have no input

Impact: Near zero

Goal: Minimize, delegate, automate, or eliminate

How to Use This Framework

Step 1: Audit Your Current Week

List everything you did last week:

Use /prioritize

Here's everything I did last week:
[paste your calendar/task list]

Help me classify each task as L, N, or O.
Then calculate:
- % time spent on Leverage tasks
- % time spent on Neutral tasks
- % time spent on Overhead tasks

Healthy distribution for senior PMs:

• Leverage: 40-50%
• Neutral: 30-40%
• Overhead: 10-20%

If you're below 30% Leverage, something's wrong.

Step 2: Classify Tasks Before Doing Them

Before you work on something, ask:

Is this Leverage?

• Will this create disproportionate impact?
• Will this compound over time?
• If yes → Do it yourself, invest deeply

Is this Neutral?

• Is this necessary but not game-changing?
• Can I do "good enough" instead of perfect?
• If yes → Timebox it, aim for B- quality

Is this Overhead?

• Could I not do this and nothing bad happens?
• Am I doing this out of obligation, not impact?
• If yes → Delegate, automate, or skip

Step 3: Protect Your Leverage Time

Block calendar time for Leverage work:

• Monday morning: 3-hour strategy block
• Wednesday afternoon: 2-hour deep work
• Friday morning: 2-hour planning/thinking time

Treat it like a meeting:

• Decline conflicting invitations
• Turn off Slack
• Close email

Specific Tactics by Category

Tactics for Leverage Tasks:

1. Do them FIRST

• Morning energy > afternoon energy
• Don't wait until "everything else is done"

2. Invest disproportionately

• Spend 8 hours on a 10x task
• Don't spend 1 hour on 8 different 1x tasks

3. Seek multipliers

• Build frameworks others can reuse
• Create templates that scale
• Automate repetitive decisions

4. Example weekly planning:

Monday AM: Write high-impact PRD (Leverage)
Monday PM: Routine meetings (Neutral)
Tuesday AM: User research synthesis (Leverage)
Tuesday PM: Sprint planning (Neutral)
Wednesday AM: Strategic 1:1s with stakeholders (Leverage)
Wednesday PM: Bug triage (Neutral)
Thursday AM: Build metrics dashboard (Leverage)
Thursday PM: Status updates (Neutral)
Friday AM: Reflect & plan next week (Leverage)
Friday PM: Clear Slack backlog (Overhead - timeboxed)

Tactics for Neutral Tasks:

1. Timebox ruthlessly

• Sprint planning: 60 minutes MAX
• Status updates: 30 minutes
• Email: 2x/day for 20 minutes each

2. Use templates

• Status update template
• Meeting notes template
• Decision log template
• Don't reinvent each time

3. Batch similar tasks

• All status updates on Friday
• All 1:1s on Tuesday/Thursday
• All email at 9am and 3pm

4. Aim for B- quality

• Status update doesn't need perfect prose
• Meeting notes don't need perfect formatting
• Backlog grooming doesn't need perfect prioritization

The mantra: "Good enough is great for Neutral tasks"

Tactics for Overhead Tasks:

1. Eliminate

• Decline meetings where you're optional
• Unsubscribe from FYI email threads
• Leave Slack channels you don't contribute to

2. Delegate

• Can an APM or intern handle this?
• Can engineering lead own this decision?
• Can designer lead the review?

3. Automate

• Set up Slack status: "Focus time 9-12, async responses only"
• Create email filters and auto-responses
• Build dashboards instead of manual reports

4. Say no

• "I don't think I can add value to this meeting"
• "Can you send me the notes instead?"
• "Let's async this in a doc rather than meet"

Example overhead elimination:

• 10 meetings/week → 6 meetings (saved 4 hours)
• 2 hours Slack → 30 min (saved 1.5 hours)
• 1 hour manual reporting → automated (saved 1 hour)
• Total reclaimed: 6.5 hours/week for Leverage work

Weekly Planning Template

Use this every Sunday or Friday:

1. Leverage Tasks This Week (Aim for 3-5)

• [ ] Task 1: ___________ (Time: ____ hours)
• [ ] Task 2: ___________ (Time: ____ hours)
• [ ] Task 3: ___________ (Time: ____ hours)

Total Leverage hours: _____ / 40 hours (Target: 40%+)

2. Neutral Tasks (Necessary)

• [ ] Task 1: ___________ (Timeboxed: ____ min)
• [ ] Task 2: ___________ (Timeboxed: ____ min)
• [ ] Task 3: ___________ (Timeboxed: ____ min)

3. Overhead to Eliminate/Delegate

• ~~Task 1~~ → Declined/delegated to _____
• ~~Task 2~~ → Automated with _____
• ~~Task 3~~ → Skipping (no impact)

4. Calendar Blocks

• [ ] Monday 9-12: Leverage block (no meetings)
• [ ] Wednesday 2-4: Leverage block (no meetings)
• [ ] Friday 9-11: Reflect & plan

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Writing a PRD

Leverage approach:

• Spend 8 hours writing a comprehensive PRD
• Get input from engineering, design, data
• Create clear alignment across 5 teams
• Result: Smooth execution, no mid-sprint confusion
• ROI: 10x (saves 80 hours of misalignment downstream)

Neutral approach:

• Spend 2 hours on quick spec
• Just enough to start building
• Some gaps, but good enough
• Result: Team can start, questions arise later
• ROI: 1x (regular productivity)

Overhead approach:

• Spend 8 hours making the PRD perfect
• Obsess over formatting and edge cases
• No one reads the 20-page doc anyway
• Result: Time wasted, no added value
• ROI: <1x (negative productivity)

Example 2: Stakeholder Update

Leverage approach:

• Create reusable dashboard that auto-update