How many OKRs should I create?

In This Answer

How Many OKRs Should I Create?

When teams first adopt the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework, one of the most common questions is:
How many OKRs are too many — or too few?

The answer might surprise you.
Success with OKRs isn’t about setting more goals — it’s about setting the right amount of focused, strategic objectives your team can realistically achieve.

In this article, we’ll cover best practices for determining the right number of OKRs at every level.

Quality Over Quantity

Let’s start with the most important principle:
More OKRs ≠ More success.

When you overload your team with too many objectives, you create confusion, burnout, and scattered progress. OKRs are a tool for focus, not a to-do list.

The fewer OKRs you have, the more clarity and alignment you create — and the higher the chances of achieving what matters most.

The Golden Rule: 1–3 Objectives

For most teams and individuals, 1 to 3 Objectives per cycle is the sweet spot.

This allows for:

A clear strategic focus
Manageable tracking and updates
Meaningful alignment across departments

Each objective should be ambitious but achievable, and worth pursuing over a 6- to 12-week cycle (or a full quarter, depending on your cadence).

If you're creating more than three, ask:

Are we diluting our focus?
Could some of these be merged or reframed as Key Results or initiatives?

2–5 Key Results Per Objective

Each objective should have 2 to 5 Key Results — measurable outcomes that indicate progress.

Key Results should:

Be outcome-focused, not tasks
Use concrete metrics (e.g., % increase, $ revenue, # customers)
Represent clear signals of success

Fewer than two key results often means you’re not measuring enough.
More than five? You may be measuring too many things — or trying to do too much under one objective.

Team-Level vs. Company-Level OKRs

How many OKRs you set also depends on the scope:

Company-Level OKRs: Usually just 3–5 company-wide objectives per quarter.
Team-Level OKRs: Each team should pick 1–3 objectives that directly align with company goals.
Individual OKRs (if used): Stick to 1 objective with a few key results — especially if you’re new to OKRs.

The goal is alignment and clarity, not volume.

The Dangers of Too Many OKRs

Setting too many OKRs can:

Overwhelm your team
Spread resources too thin
Create low accountability
Lead to inconsistent tracking and check-ins

If everything is a priority, nothing is.

OKRs work best when they drive focused execution — when every team member knows what matters and why it matters now.

How to Trim Your OKR List

Not sure what to cut? Try these methods:

Strategic alignment: Which OKRs directly support the company’s top priorities?
Impact–effort scoring: Which OKRs bring the highest impact for the lowest effort?
Dependencies: Are you creating OKRs that overlap with or duplicate other teams’ work?

Trim ruthlessly. Less is more.

Final Thoughts

When in doubt, set fewer OKRs.

Start with just 1–2 high-impact objectives and build your OKR muscle from there.
Track progress regularly, reflect on what’s working, and adjust in the next cycle.

OKRs are a system for focus, clarity, and alignment — not a race to create the longest list.