Wellness goals can feel like nothing but a never-ending to-do list: eat more protein, cut back on alcohol, get more steps in, keep track of finances, manage stress, foster social connections, and become your best self. Maybe you’re the type of person who checks off the most dreaded task first or the one who puts it on the perpetual back burner (same). However you go about tackling your goals, distractions find their way to you—GRWMs, the pile of laundry that somehow grew higher since you last left it, your co-worker giving you the lowdown on her Hinge date—and you’re left wondering where the day went and how you can once and for all enter your “most efficient self” era to fulfill your intentions. But rather than creating a long, daunting list of what you want to accomplish and putting them on the back burner in favor of more pressing tasks, why not focus on one single goal at a time?
Enter: The 90/90/1 rule, which people are claiming is the secret to realizing any major idea or dream. Ahead, the 411 on the 90-90-1 rule, including how it works and how to start implementing it now to crush your goals.
What is the 90/90/1 Rule?
Created by Robin Sharma, best known as the author of bestsellers such as The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and The 5AM Club, the 90/90/1 method is one of his 10 core rituals of legendary performers. Turns out it could also be the secret to achieving any resolution or goal you want to achieve this year. The aim: For the next 90 days, the first 90 minutes of every day, focus solely on your most valuable project or goal—whether it’s launching a business or running a marathon—or what Sharma calls “your game-changing move.” He attests that using the 90/90/1 method will “create exponential productivity,” giving you a huge competitive advantage to accomplish any goal.
How Does It Work?
Why is 90 the magic number? 90 days is not too long or too short. Resolutions made on January 1 may not be relevant come December or even July, for that matter. And December 31 feels so far away that you can easily fall into the “I’ll start tomorrow” trap (and we know how that plays out). 90 days is far enough in the future to give yourself time to realistically attain your one objective, and it’s long enough to build up a habit. For example, if your goal is to read more and you read every morning, by the time 90 days is up, it will naturally be a part of your routine. Plus, breaking up the year into 90-day increments means you can realistically go all in, one goal at a time.
As for the 90 minutes, the length of time is said to be the limit for focusing intensely on any given task before you lose steam. Known as the ultradian rhythm, a cycle that’s present in both your sleeping and waking lives, you alternate between periods of high-frequency brain activity (about 90 minutes) followed by lower-frequency brain activity (about 20 minutes). Within about an hour and a half of starting your day, you reach the apex of your productivity, entering what’s known as an “ultradian performance peak.” After that, your productivity and performance start to decline as your body enters what’s known as an “ultradian trough,” an energetic low point.
Sharma refers to 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. as your “platinum hours” or “highest value hours,” emphasizing that the success of the 90/90/1 method hinges on making the most of the first 90 minutes of your day. Studies back this up: Researchers at the University of Nottingham and the National Institute of Education in Singapore reviewed 83 different studies on self-control and discovered that shortly after waking up, self-control (defined as the ability to avoid distractions and actually accomplish tasks) is at its peak, and then slowly depletes during the day. While it’s tempting to sleep in until the last second possible, if the result is rushing to start your day and not dedicating the most effective time in your day to work toward your greatest goals or highest purpose, the 90/90/1 rule won’t be effective.
How To Try It
Set aside time in your calendar and use tools to help you stay focused
The first order of business is to block off time in your calendar and set a timer for 90 minutes for the next 90 days (or take any approach that works for you to hold yourself accountable), and treat it like any work meeting, doctor’s appointment, or Pilates class: Prepare in advance and actually show up. Eliminate everything that can prevent you from making those first few hours of the day count. Turn off your phone, change your Slack status to “Need to Focus,” put on noise-canceling headphones, set an intention, take a few deep breaths—anything you need to do to get in a distraction-free mode. Finally, track your progress by using a journal or app or assigning a reward to mark each milestone (the small wins deserve celebration too!).
Plan how you’ll spend the 90 minutes
Exactly how you spend those 90 minutes is up to you. Some goals may be obvious. For example, if your goal is to read more books that will inspire you to make positive changes toward your future and you want to get through five in 90 days, you may set your alarm 20 minutes earlier than usual so you can immerse yourself in your current novel before you have to get ready for work. However, you don’t always have to spend 90 minutes doing the same thing; the purpose is to spend them working toward your goal, whatever that looks like. If getting your dream job is your goal, some days you’ll use the time to connect with people on LinkedIn who work at the company you want to be a part of or to find a mentor or career expert to help guide you on the right trajectory. Or maybe you want to start your own business, in which case some days you may be doing administrative work while other days may be used to brainstorm. If you want to run a marathon, some days will be spent running and doing the physical training, but other days will be spent setting you up for success in other ways, such as stretching, cold water therapy, making hype playlists for the week, meal prepping food to fuel you, etc.
Consider working toward an intention rather than a goal
If no concrete goals come to mind for you this year, or you’re ditching traditional resolutions, consider applying the 90/90/1 method to intentions or emotions rather than goals. For example, a worthwhile goal for anyone (any time of year) is to boost happiness. Spend 90 days prioritizing happiness for the first 90 minutes of your day: wake up early to fit in your favorite hobby, listen to a happiness meditation instead of scrolling through your phone, or call your best friend who makes you laugh before diving into emails. Looking to manifest your best self this year? Spend 90 minutes a day for the first 30 days vision boarding or journaling different aspects of her—what she’s doing for work, where she’s living, how she spends her free time. Then spend the remaining 60 days taking actionable steps that will propel you to become her, whether that’s doing a life edit, setting healthy boundaries, or surrounding yourself with people who bring out the best in you.
Be flexible about what feels best for you
If the number 90 sounds too intimidating, start with 15-15-1 and build your way up to 30-30-1, then 45-45-1, until you reach 90-90-1. You could even do five minutes every day for a week. In a study in the book How to Change, author Katy Milkman and her research collaborator, economist John Beshears of the Harvard School of Business, split 2,500 employees into two groups: one that received a reward if they worked out every day at the same time for a month and another that received a reward for working out every day, no matter the time of day. Forty weeks later, people in the group that had more flexibility with their workout routines were still exercising more often than those in the group with rigid parameters.
In other words, if you’re not a morning person or your schedule doesn’t allow you to dedicate an uninterrupted 90 minutes in the A.M. to your dream, choose a different time of day that works for you on most days. For example, if you want to turn your side hustle into your bread and butter, but you still have to devote the first 90 minutes of your day to your current job, set aside time during your lunch hour or after you’ve had dinner. Bottom line: Don’t get fixated on the numbers or the logistics. Instead, be consistent yet flexible as you chip away at your one goal, and don’t lose sight of it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through studies, articles, and is always first in line to try them firsthand.
