Overview
The Burner List is a simple to-do list designed to force prioritization and is intentionally limited—and therefore focused. It was designed by Jake Knapp, Google Ventures design partner and author of Sprint and Make Time.
Creator
Jake Knapp is a fellow at Ideo and the former design director of Google Ventures who codified the concept of a design sprint. He designed this method to force prioritization of one project at a time, which he likens to a chef whose concentration is primarily on the dish in front of him.
How It Works
The Setup
You use one sheet of blank paper (printer paper is perfect), dividing it into two columns:
Front Burner (Left Column)
- One Priority Project Only: Your most important project goes here
- Full Column Space: Takes up the entire left side
- To-Dos Listed: All tasks related to this project are listed underneath
- Primary Focus: This is where most of your attention should go
Back Burner (Right Column - Top Half)
- Second Priority: Your second-most important project
- Limited Space: Takes up only half the right column
- Fewer Tasks: Less room means fewer to-dos
- Secondary Focus: Gets attention when front burner is complete or blocked
Kitchen Sink (Right Column - Bottom Half)
- Miscellaneous Tasks: Everything else that doesn't fit projects 1 or 2
- Quick Wins: Small, unrelated tasks
- Admin Items: Errands, emails, calls
- Catch-All: Prevents other tasks from derailing main projects
Key Principles
Forced Prioritization
- Only two active projects at once
- Everything else goes to kitchen sink
- Physical space limitation enforces focus
- Must finish or pause to add new projects
Simplicity
- Paper-based system
- No apps or tools required
- Quick to set up (under 1 minute)
- Easy to modify
- Portable
Visual Hierarchy
- Front burner gets most space = most important
- Back burner gets half space = half the attention
- Kitchen sink gets remainder = minimal focus
- Physical layout reinforces mental prioritization
Benefits
Increased Focus
- Eliminates decision fatigue
- Clear priority at all times
- Reduces context switching
- Maintains momentum on important work
Reduced Overwhelm
- Limited active projects reduce stress
- Kitchen sink contains other tasks
- Physical constraint prevents overcommitment
- Simple enough to maintain consistently
Better Completion Rates
- Focus on finishing over starting
- Less work-in-progress
- Clear path through tasks
- Satisfying to complete and restart
Implementation Tips
Daily Practice
- Create new list each day or week
- Transfer incomplete items
- Promote back burner to front when ready
- Add new tasks to appropriate sections
Project Selection
- Front burner: Most urgent and important
- Back burner: Important but can wait
- Kitchen sink: Everything else
- Be ruthless about prioritization
Maintenance
- Review and recreate regularly
- Don't let kitchen sink overflow
- Complete front burner before adding new
- Archive old lists for reference
Who It's For
Best Suited For:
- People overwhelmed by long to-do lists
- Those who struggle with prioritization
- Project-based workers
- Fans of analog productivity systems
- Anyone wanting simpler task management
Less Ideal For:
- Those managing 10+ simultaneous projects
- Teams needing shared task management
- Users requiring digital integration
- Complex project dependencies
Comparison to Other Methods
- vs. GTD: Simpler, less comprehensive
- vs. Kanban: Paper-based, personal focus
- vs. Digital Tools: No features, just focus
- vs. Traditional To-Do Lists: Enforced prioritization
Philosophy
The Burner List embraces constraints as a feature, not a bug. By intentionally limiting options, it makes focus easier and reduces the cognitive load of managing tasks.
