For founders and CTOs, managing time isn’t just about crossing tasks off a list it’s about building momentum across multiple areas of the business. With daily context switching between strategy, product, team, and operations, the structure of a ToDo list becomes less about organisation and more about survival. The video “15 Years, 1 System” outlines a proven method that has helped one founder thrive for over a decade. This blog unpacks the same structure and shows how it can be applied by other CEOs and CTOs to stay focused, prioritised, and consistently productive.
Why Founders Need a Unique Structure for ToDo Lists
Unlike traditional roles, founders and CTOs deal with high cognitive load. Tasks range from deep work like writing code or defining product specs, to shallow tasks like replying to quick DMs. The reason most ToDo lists fail? They treat all tasks equally.
The system shared in the video prioritises what matters most and avoids burnout. It’s built not just for ticking boxes, but for building clarity and sustainable momentum.
The Core Framework Behind the 15-Year System
The video walks through a foundational principle: the daily list is not a backlog it’s a front line. Everything that lands on it must be intentional. The structure involves:
- One master list, used as a brain dump
- A separate Today List, focused only on high-leverage items
- A weekly planning cadence that aligns execution with business goals
This framework keeps execution aligned with priorities, not just urgency. For CTOs and CEOs juggling engineering and vision, this clarity saves hours every week.
Structuring the Master List for Visibility and Control
The Master List is a structured space where everything lands ideas, bugs, feature requests, strategy thoughts, and personal admin. The key is not to filter prematurely. Instead, this list becomes a dynamic inventory of commitments and possibilities.
For example, during founder 1:1s or product ideation, items are captured quickly here. Once per week, this list is reviewed and triaged into categories like: urgent, delegate, revisit later, or never.
This gives founders full visibility into everything in motion, without getting lost in the chaos.
The Daily List: Where Focus Lives
This is where execution happens. The video emphasises that this list should never have more than 3 to 5 items. Why? Because overloading a day leads to cognitive fatigue and discouragement.
Items on the Daily List must be high-leverage things that move key objectives forward. For a CTO, this might mean approving architecture plans, reviewing strategic hires, or prepping for a board update. Each task is chosen intentionally, based on energy levels, available time, and strategic alignment.
This structured discipline turns the ToDo list from a guilt trip into a success ritual.
Weekly Reviews: The Strategic Layer Most Founders Skip
The 15-Year System revolves around one ritual: the Weekly Review. It’s where the structure meets strategy. Every week, the founder takes time to:
- Review what was completed
- Reassess pending items
- Reset the focus for the coming week
This cycle isn’t just admin it’s reflection, adjustment, and momentum recalibration. It allows founders to shift between high-urgency sprints and long-term moves, without losing the thread.
For CTOs, this review also connects team-level initiatives to personal responsibilities, ensuring alignment across engineering, product, and growth.
How This System Empowers Better Leadership
In the video, the founder shares how structuring the ToDo list helped scale the business, not just personal output. It became a leadership tool a way to model prioritisation, pace, and clarity for the entire team.
By managing visibility and capacity with intention, it’s easier to avoid reactive leadership. Teams see a consistent decision-making style. They understand what matters. And most importantly, founders stay in control of their energy.
Final Thoughts: Building a Founder’s Edge Through Structure
15 years of results don’t lie. The system shown in the video isn’t about being productive for the sake of productivity it’s about staying focused on what matters as a founder or CTO. Structuring a ToDo list with this level of discipline and flexibility turns chaos into clarity.
To summarise:
- Use a master list to capture everything
- Structure a daily list with only high-leverage tasks
- Build a weekly review to stay aligned
This is a system designed not for perfection, but for sustainability. For any founder, CTO, or CEO trying to lead, build, and grow without burning out this method is worth adopting.
FAQ
Question: Why do most to-do lists fail for startup founders?
Answer: Many to-do lists fail because they’re overloaded, lack prioritisation, and don’t align with real founder responsibilities. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we help founders focus on actionable, structured lists that move the business forward. Learn more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What is the “3-zone productivity framework” for founders?
Answer: The blog introduces a 3-zone structure: Execution, Planning, and Thinking. This method helps founders separate urgent tasks from strategy and creative work. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we help leaders implement productivity systems that scale. Read more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: How should founders prioritise tasks on their to-do lists?
Answer: Founders should focus on tasks that directly impact growth, revenue, or product development. Dev Centre House Ireland encourages using frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix or ICE scoring for prioritisation. Details at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What types of tasks should founders delegate?
Answer: Routine, repeatable, or non-core tasks should be delegated to free up time for strategic thinking. Dev Centre House Ireland often supports founders with technical delegation through expert product teams. Learn how at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: How can structuring a to-do list reduce founder burnout?
Answer: By distinguishing between execution and thinking zones, founders avoid overloading themselves. Dev Centre House Ireland promotes healthy founder workflows through proper structure and task management. More at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What tools help founders structure their to-do lists effectively?
Answer: Tools like Notion, Trello, Todoist, or Google Sheets work well if paired with the right strategy. Dev Centre House Ireland helps founders build productivity habits regardless of platform. Explore methods at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Why is “Thinking time” important on a founder’s to-do list?
Answer: Founders need space for strategic reflection and vision. “Thinking tasks” like reviewing product direction or funding strategy are vital. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we often guide founders through structured ideation. Read how at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Should founders track task completion or outcomes?
Answer: Outcomes matter more than busywork. Founders should track impact, not just crossed-off checkboxes. Dev Centre House Ireland advises using OKRs or KPIs to stay results-driven. Learn more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What does a high-performance to-do list look like?
Answer: It’s lean, focused, and outcome-oriented. Each task is connected to growth, clarity, or execution. Dev Centre House Ireland helps founders build lean systems that actually ship results. See more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: How often should founders review and revise their task list?
Answer: Daily reviews with weekly re-prioritisation work best. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we recommend structured time blocks for reviewing goals and adjusting priorities. Visit devcentrehouse.eu/en to learn how.
Question: Can founders use to-do lists for team management too?
Answer: Yes, if structured well, they can fuel communication and accountability. Dev Centre House Ireland helps startups align founder and team priorities using shared planning tools. More info at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What role does energy management play in structuring to-do lists?
Answer: Founders should schedule critical tasks during their peak productivity hours. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we coach leaders to align tasks with energy rhythms for optimal performance. Explore this at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Why is context-switching dangerous for founder productivity?
Answer: Frequent switching between planning, coding, calls, and decisions drains mental energy. Dev Centre House Ireland promotes time-blocking to reduce cognitive fatigue. Learn to work smarter at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Should founders include personal tasks on their startup to-do list?
Answer: It depends; if integrated well, it helps manage life balance. At Dev Centre House Ireland, we help founders maintain a sustainable pace with holistic planning strategies. More tips at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: How can founders avoid over-planning their to-do lists?
Answer: Keep lists short and prioritise ruthlessly. Founders should aim for 3–5 impactful tasks per day. Dev Centre House Ireland uses this rule across client projects. Start applying it at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What’s the benefit of separating thinking, planning, and execution tasks?
Answer: It clarifies what requires deep work vs. quick action. This separation prevents decision fatigue and builds mental clarity. Dev Centre House Ireland integrates this method into founder coaching and team strategy. Read more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Can to-do list structures help founders raise funding?
Answer: Yes, structured thinking and prioritisation signal discipline to investors. Dev Centre House Ireland often supports founders preparing for pitch decks and VC meetings using structured planning. Learn more at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: What is the “80/20” rule in the context of founder productivity?
Answer: 20% of tasks produce 80% of results. Founders must identify these core actions. Dev Centre House Ireland helps prioritise high-leverage work for faster growth. Explore our approach at devcentrehouse.eu/en.
Question: Can Dev Centre House Ireland help founders with workflow tools and setup?
Answer: Yes, we help implement systems like Notion, Jira, Trello, or Airtable, depending on need. Dev Centre House Ireland supports tech and non-tech founders across Europe. Start building better systems at devcentrehouse.eu/en.