The Action Method Helps Creative Entrepreneurs Excel

Action Method
Action Method

Productivity is at the core of any entrepreneur's survival. Managing day-to-day tasks while keeping an eye on the big picture and of course not letting any important tasks slip are key considerations for any successful implementation of a productivity framework or system. We're looking at popular productivity systems and why entrepreneurs favor them in this series. In this installment, we explore the Action Method.

The Action Method was created by Scott Belsky as an outgrowth of his company geared toward creative professionals, Behance, and his book, Making Ideas Happen. Belsky has interviewed numerous of the creative profession's most productive people, and through that process, discovered a set of "best practices" that became the heart of the Action Method, a productivity framework that users access through the web and a mobile app.

How it Works

"The Action Method begins with a simple premise: everything is a project," writes Belsky. Within a project, it's important to separate action steps and references. Action steps are the clear set of tasks you need to complete to finish a project. They should start with a verb like "write," "call," or "email." References are things that do not require action but are nonetheless important to giving a project context. References can also include "backburner" items that you'd like to get to but don't have the bandwidth for now.

The Action Method app allows you to track projects, action steps, and references. You can also put certain action steps into a "focus area," but the app limits 5 items in the focus area. Any more than that and you are likely to be less effective in completing tasks.

The Action Method system encompasses specially made paper notebooks, a desktop and mobile version which are available from the website for a monthly fee.

Why People Swear By It

The Action Method helps you stay on top of both personal and professional goals - it doesn't matter whether you're planning a vacation or trying to launch a startup. Both are "projects" that have "action steps" you must complete. As such, the Action Method will help you track them.

It's a little more geared toward creative people than other frameworks. The interface is very "design-y" and because the framework is fairly open-ended (and yet still focused on action) it's a natural fit for creative professionals.

How to Get Started

Sign up for a free trial of Action Method app. Group your to-do list into projects and break it down further into "action steps." Learn to get in the habit of reviewing and processing action steps on a daily basis.