The LNO Framework

"The mistake is that we treat all tasks as created equal. They are not." — Shreyas Doshi

What It Is

Categorize tasks into Leverage (L), Neutral (N), and Overhead (O). Strive for perfection only on L tasks (10x-100x impact). For N and O tasks, "good enough" is the goal.

When To Use

• Daily prioritization decisions
• When feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists
• To escape the trap of treating all tasks as equally important
• When you notice perfectionism is burning time on low-value work

Core Principles

Task Classification Matrix

Key Insights

1. Identify L Tasks — These are high leverage with 10x impact. Apply all your perfectionism here.

2. Speed Through N/O Tasks — Neutral and Overhead tasks (1x or <1x impact) should be done strictly "good enough" or delegated.

3. Placebo Productivity — Use N/O tasks to build momentum before tackling a scary L task.

How To Apply

STEP 1: List Today's Tasks

STEP 2: Tag Each Task
└── L = Will this 10x something important?
└── N = Needs to be done, but standard work
└── O = Administrative / no direct impact

STEP 3: Allocate Time
└── L tasks: Block 2-3 hours of deep work
└── N tasks: Batch into 30-min windows
└── O tasks: Automate, delegate, or do in 5 min

STEP 4: Resist Perfectionism on N/O
└── Set timer limits
└── "What's the minimum acceptable here?"

Common Mistakes

❌ Applying perfectionism to O tasks (spending hours on expense reports)

❌ Defaulting to N/O tasks because they feel productive and safe

❌ Not recognizing that the same task type can shift categories based on context

Real-World Example

Writing a bug report can be an L task (if it's a critical, complex failure) or an O task (standard minor bug), and should be treated differently.

Source: Shreyas Doshi, Lenny's Podcast