The scoring formula (simple, transparent, adjustable)

Each item gets five slider ratings from 1 to 10. Higher is “more” of that factor, but not all factors increase priority. Effort and Risk are inverted because higher effort and higher risk typically reduce priority when you’re trying to pick the best “next move.”

• Convert sliders to five internal scores: Impact, Urgency, Alignment, plus Ease = 11 − Effort, and Safety = 11 − Risk.
• Compute a weighted average on a 1–10 scale.
• Scale that to a 0–100 priority score so it’s easy to compare.

Different contexts reward different trade‑offs. The “mode” simply changes weights so you get rankings that feel more realistic.

• Personal: Impact 22%, Urgency 18%, Alignment 26%, Ease 20%, Safety 14%
• Work: Impact 28%, Urgency 22%, Alignment 18%, Ease 20%, Safety 12%
• Startup: Impact 30%, Urgency 18%, Alignment 14%, Ease 18%, Safety 20%

• They prevent “urgent but low impact” tasks from hijacking your week.
• They protect you from “high impact but impossible right now” fantasies (effort matters).
• They make your values visible, so you can notice when you’re drifting.

From ranking → doing

A ranking only helps if it changes behavior. This advisor turns your top results into a simple plan:

• Top 1: Do first. Timebox it and define a “first step.”
• Top 2–3: Do next, but only after you’ve shipped progress on #1.
• Bottom: Park it. If it’s still important later, it will survive in a list.

If your top two scores are close, choose the one with higher Ease (lower effort) to build momentum, then re‑rank. If an item scores low on Alignment, consider deleting it entirely.

Three quick examples (so the sliders feel obvious)

Below are examples of how the sliders translate into a ranking. You do not need “perfect” numbers — you need a consistent way to compare items.

• Finish client proposal: Impact 8, Urgency 9, Effort 6, Alignment 8, Risk 3 → likely top priority (high urgency + strong impact).
• Refactor internal code: Impact 6, Urgency 3, Effort 8, Alignment 7, Risk 4 → often mid/low (important, but heavy effort and not urgent).
• Update website copy: Impact 5, Urgency 5, Effort 4, Alignment 6, Risk 2 → can rank higher than expected (decent impact, easy, low risk).

• Book doctor appointment: Impact 7, Urgency 8, Effort 2, Alignment 8, Risk 2 → very high (easy + urgent + aligned).
• Plan a vacation: Impact 8, Urgency 4, Effort 6, Alignment 7, Risk 2 → medium‑high (high impact but not urgent).
• Start a new hobby: Impact 6, Urgency 3, Effort 5, Alignment 8, Risk 2 → medium (great alignment, less urgent).

• Ship onboarding improvements: Impact 9, Urgency 7, Effort 5, Alignment 8, Risk 4 → high (impact + urgency + alignment).
• New feature bet: Impact 10, Urgency 4, Effort 9, Alignment 6, Risk 8 → can drop (huge impact but high effort + high risk).
• Pricing page test: Impact 7, Urgency 6, Effort 3, Alignment 7, Risk 3 → often rises (fast learning, lower risk).

Notice the pattern: the “winner” is rarely the most exciting idea — it’s the best combination of meaningful upside plus doable execution in the chosen timeframe.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this “scientific”?

  It’s a structured decision aid, not a clinical or academic assessment. The value is in making trade‑offs explicit, comparing options consistently, and reducing decision fatigue.

• What if I’m unsure how to rate something?

  Use relative judgments. Ask: “Compared to the other items, is this more urgent?” You can also rate quickly, then re‑rank after 24 hours. Consistency matters more than precision.

• Why invert effort and risk?

  Because if two items have the same impact, the easier and safer one usually deserves earlier attention. Inverting creates a “ease” and “safety” score that aligns with prioritization.

• Can a high‑effort project ever be #1?

  Yes — if impact and urgency are high enough, or if alignment is crucial. High effort doesn’t mean “don’t do”; it means “plan it.” If it ranks #1, break it into smaller deliverables and re‑score the first milestone.

• How many items should I rank?

  3–7 works well. Above that, you often need a different approach (themes, categories, or multiple lists). You can also rank 5 items per category (work, health, relationships) instead of one mega list.

• What should I do with low‑score items?

  Park them in a “Later” list with a reminder date. If you still care later, re‑rank. If you don’t, delete. Low scores are a gift: they reduce guilt.

Use rankings responsibly

A ranking is a snapshot. Life changes. New information appears. The goal is to reduce overwhelm and make trade‑offs explicit, not to lock you into a plan forever.

• Re‑rank when the context changes (deadline moves, energy shifts, new constraints).
• If “risk” is high, write a mitigation step before committing.
• If “effort” is high, split it into milestones and rank the first milestone.
• If your list grows beyond 7 items, make multiple lists (work, health, money) and rank within each.