The Bottom Line
Every task you do either solves a problem once or solves it forever. Compounding tasks sustain themselves after you’re done—you do the work once, and it keeps paying off. Fill your day with these and your output multiplies over time.
Why This Matters
Most people solve the same problems over and over. They answer the same question, fix the same error, handle the same complaint. Each time takes the same effort as the first time. That’s a treadmill, not progress.
Compounding tasks break this cycle. One hour of work today saves you hundreds of hours over the next year. Skip this, and you’re always busy but never building.
The Framework
Compounding vs. Regular Tasks:
| Regular Task | Compounding Task |
|---|---|
| Answer a question in Slack | Write it up in documentation, send the link |
| Fix an error manually | Add a checklist item to the template |
| Post on Twitter (lost in feed) | Write quality website content (ranks over time) |
| Solve a problem once | Create a system that prevents it |
The test: Will this task still be delivering value next month without additional effort from me?
How to Do It
Step 1: Recognize the Difference
Before you start any task, ask: “Am I solving this once, or am I solving this forever?”
Examples of regular tasks:
- Answering the same question directly
- Manually fixing a recurring error
- Social media posts that disappear in a feed
Examples of compounding tasks:
- Writing the answer in your knowledge base
- Adding a checklist item to prevent the error
- Creating evergreen content that ranks in search
Watch for: Tasks that feel productive but don’t build anything permanent. You’re busy, but nothing compounds.
Step 2: Convert Before You Execute
The biggest mistake: solving a problem the regular way when you could have made it compound.
Before you do a task, ask: “Is there another way to do this where I’m compounding the value?”
Example: Someone asks you a question.
- Regular way: Answer it directly in Slack or email
- Compounding way: Write the answer in your documentation, send them the link
You did the same work. But now that answer is searchable, permanent, and you’ll never have to write it again.
Watch for: The temptation to “just answer quickly.” Those quick answers add up to hours of repeated work.
Step 3: Build Systems, Not Solutions
When problems keep recurring, don’t just solve them—prevent them.
- Add a line to your template
- Create a checklist that catches the issue
- Document the edge case so others don’t hit it
Each system you build is a compounding task. It runs without you.
Watch for: Solving the immediate problem without asking “why did this happen?” The root cause is where the compound value lives.
Common Mistakes
-
Solving without converting: You do the work, but you do it in a way that doesn’t compound. Same effort, fraction of the value.
-
Choosing speed over leverage: “It’s faster to just answer” is true today. But you’ll answer it again tomorrow, and next week, and next month.
-
Ignoring small wins: Adding one checklist item doesn’t feel impactful. But 50 checklist items over a year? That’s a system that runs itself.
Your Next Move
Do this now: The next time someone asks you a question, write the answer in your documentation first, then send them the link. One task, converted from regular to compounding.
Go Deeper
- How to Write a Procedure That Works — Turn knowledge into reusable documentation
- Building Effective Business Systems — The larger framework for compounding work