The Simplest Time Management Method
Monday, November 17, 2008 at 15:00 What is the simplest list-based time management method?
I can remember years ago listing all my tasks as they presented themselves and then doing them in the same order that I had listed them. In other words, I was doing my tasks in strict First In, First Out (FIFO) order.
What I found of course is that I got bogged down pretty quickly. I ground gradually to a halt while the list grew longer and longer. In theory it was a great method for ensuring that everything got done. In practice, slogging through a list that only got longer and longer was mind-numbingly dull, with very little sense of achievement or completion.
Some years later I tried a similar system. This time, instead of doing the items in the order I had written them down, I did them in any order I liked. This worked much better than the first system. It felt much less like hard slog, and I found I could get a lot done very quickly.
The trouble was that that although I was getting lots of work done, it was the relatively easy work. The more difficult items tended to stay on the list for ever. I could of course try various techniques like working for a short time on a task and then re-entering it, but nevertheless working in this way resulted in a lot of easy and trivial work, and not much challenging and productive work.
I did notice one advantage though: because there was no compulsion actually to do a task, I was quite prepared to write even the most difficult task on the list.
So is there a way of running a simple list which avoids the drawbacks of these two methods, but keeps their advantages?
Yes, there is! Here’s how.
I discovered that all I had to do once I’d drawn the list up was to draw a line at the end of it. Then I continued to add new items to the end of the list but didn’t allow myself to work on them until I had finished all the items up to the line. I could do those in any order I liked.
Once I’d finished the items above the line, I drew another line at the end of the new items and did the same again.
This has some huge advantages:
1) It’s complete. Everything I write down gets done.
2) I get the advantage of the principle that procrastination is relative. The easier items act as displacement activities for the more difficult ones, so working becomes much easier. Even when I have only two difficult items left, one is still easier than the other.
3) The last item left above the line may be difficult, but the reward I get for doing it is a huge sense of completion. I have finished everything above the line, and can now draw another line. There’s a wonderful feeling of making a fresh start.
4) When I draw the line under the new items, everything above that line represents all the due work that I have at that moment. This makes it easy for me to judge whether my workload matches my capacity. If it takes longer and longer each time to clear the list, then I know that I have more work coming in than I am able to process. If the time remains reasonably stable, then I know that my workload is correct. I try to keep the time from drawing one line to drawing the next at not more than one day. Any longer than that and my response time to emails, etc., is going to be too slow.
You may have realised by now that this system is virtually identical to the core components of “Do It Tomorrow” - just that it’s not tied quite so rigidly to one day. In fact I am finding that this added element of flexibility is making the system easier to work, and I shall be incorporating this modification into the DIT seminars I run in the future.
Reader Comments (47)
I like this idea as well! But the one thing I finding missing is the sense of a "day's end" to it. Before I tried DIT, I never felt I was done working for the day. Now I do, and my evenings and weekends are way less stressful.
So, as I said, to my work/mindset, this not-tied-to-a-day closed list could work exceptionally (e.g. during holidays), but I think I would not be able to use it day to day.
Anyway, I am sure it will work for a lot of people!
The idea is where possible to turn over at least one list per day. So although the end of the list no longer necessarily comes at the end of the working day, you should still get at least one "closure" during the day.
For instance today I finished a list at around 11 a.m. I still had four items left on the new list at the end of work, but am confident I will have them out of the way first thing tomorrow. So tomorrow I will probably start a new list earlier than 11 a.m.
It probably boils down to not taking on too many things at once. Which is sane no matter what.
If you happen to put a large task on that list, you might not draw your line for several days... And meanwhile, all your incoming new tasks are being neglected.
This has been my biggest trouble with DIT. I end up having a list of "current initiatives" to handle projects and tasks of long duration, and my regular "task list" for little things. When new one-off tasks arrive, I put them on my "task list" for tomorrow -- and that system works great. But it's harder to manage large, complex tasks.
Sometimes I hear that you should break the large tasks down into smaller tasks -- but that alone doesn't help me track how the smaller, component tasks tie to the larger projects. It also doesn't help balance priorities among the large tasks and various small tasks, and deciding when I should ignore my small task list and focus entirely on larger, complex tasks. Since it's so difficult to track these relationships, I always fall back to my two-list approach.
Having two lists (the "current initiative" list, and the one-off task list) usually works fairly well. But sometimes I get so wrapped up in my current initiative, that I neglect important and urgent one-offs. And sometimes the reverse happens.
Here is what I do with very large tasks -- schedule block time on your calendar to work only on those tasks. I keep these off of my will-do list by scheduling time for them. Yes, if you have to work on one or two major tasks that take almost all of your time, then the smaller tasks will accumulate. However, I know of no time management system that will help you with that reality. When this happens, I then schedule some time for me to work only on the smaller tasks. This frequently occurs in the evenings and into the night for me. But that is my professional life and I accept that with the level of responsibilities I have on my plate.
Best wishes,
-David
This modification is brilliant and provides the flexibility that I need in my professional life. I embrace this change wholeheartedly! Nice job!!
Best wishes,
-David
There was a book by Neil Fiore called Overcoming Procrastination. Although many rave about that book, it never worked for me. However, I did learn something useful from it. It's OK to not work. And it's especially OK to not work when you have that enormously satisfying feeling that you get after you've crossed off the hardest (and usually last) item from your will-do list (see Mark's advantage number 3, above).
Today I got my will-do list done early. After that I did a mixture of work and play. Although there were some things on my will-do list for tomorrow, I did not work on them today. I liked the glorious free feeling of working on whatever I felt like at the moment, not what was on my tomorrow list.
There's another thing. I make a very big deal out of completing today's will-do list. I track and graph how many successive days I have completed my list. I am quite proud of the fact that today made my 26th successive day of completing my list.
In this proposal, as I understand it, the day could end and I'd still be in the middle of my list. As we Americans are wont to say, "No problem!" I'll just work on it some more tomorrow morning. When I'm done tomorrow, I'll create a new list.
As far as I can see, this removes the urgency I feel when it's getting late in the day and I still have some very significant items left on my list. That's when I really bear down and start cranking. The beauty of the will-do list (for me, of course) is that it creates great urgency. Pre-DIT, I'd have a few hard items left to do. I might work on them, but without any sense of urgency, since there was always tomorrow.
The beauty of canonical DIT (for me) is that I can soberly decide today that tomorrow I should work on some goal which will have a significant impact on my long-term well-being. Tomorrow, when some short-term distraction seems much more tempting than my long-term good, I can't wriggle out of my commitment to my long-term good. If my list did not expire at the end of the day, I fear I would wriggle out.
I appreciate all you have said. However I've now completed two lists today, and have started on a third and my motivation is very high. I don't feel any obligation to keep on working. I just want to!
I suggest you try it and see how it works. If it doesn't do it for you, then you can go back to the method you know works.
Whether you've got one list or two lists you are still going to be doing a series of tasks throughout the day. The number of lists you have doesn't affect that.
There's a lot of material on this website about how to handle projects. I suggest you use the search box at the top of the left-hand margin to look at some of it.
I like the simplicity of this method. It is like planning your day in the sense that you choose what goes on the list. I could see where it also could be very motivating if for instance you draw the line and then later add something very urgent that must get done. Since you have to clear the list above, you will get all of the items above the list done, plus the urgent one below the line. Additionally, I like it because you can tear up the old list after writing the new one, which does not cause you to have all of the pages of a task diary with stuff you may not have done on your mind. So a simple legal pad is all one needs to implement this method.
Being committed to complete at least a list a day is nice, and I agree it also gives a sense of accomplishment. I might try it someday if I feel the urge to change things.
The problem, in my case, would be the nagging feeling after work that I should still try to do something else that day, after a list or two being completed. Just in case. Just to have more free time tomorrow. (It still happens with canonical DIT, and I sometimes try to do something off my tomorrow's list in the evening.) So, you know, I don't think I could try this just yet, without feeling tempted to work, work, work all the time. And I know the quality of my work drops when I just work, work, work. :)
Moises:
This at-least-a-list-a-day Mark explained afterwards makes more sense, don't you think? I would also procrastinate ad infinitum if the closed lists could be put off.
So, in the end, I need something that does not allow me to put off important stuff, but that also makes me fell free to enjoy my non-work time. That is why I found canonical DIT so liberating.
I didn't fully recognize that Mark was requiring at least one list/day until you stressed it. You and Mark are, of course, right. This is certainly worth a try. I will have to figure out how I will integrate my recurring daily tasks into the system. Thanks to both of you.
moises
this sounds interesting, but for me, some thoughts come to mind:
(1) Since this method seems to require a bit more self-control than 'orthodox' DIT, it may be better suited as an additional refinement for someone who is already used to working in standard DIT mode.
(2) In some way, it seems to interfere with the idea of 'calling a backlog' and making working on the backlog your current initiative.
(3) It might make it a little harder to implement the 'limits' principle.
--
Alex
1. Most of my important work consists of large projects. These of course get broken down into small actions, or repeated tasks, but its still a problem that when a new project comes in, it generates a large pulse of new actions to add to my list. I have tried using the current initiative idea from DIT for this, but cannot get it to work for me.
2. Some days, I will get a week's worth of new work coming in, other days, none.
I am thus constantly struggling how to smooth out my workflow. It is often not practical to create a list of all the actions that have arrived since the previous list was started, as such a list could take 3-4 days to clear. I approach this by trying to create a schedule of work, as suggested by the car mechanic example in DIT, but must confess this doesn't work very well for me, as ten ofthe temptation is to use scheduling as a way of putting things off.
I would welcome new ideas of how to deal with this.
As a final comment, the "declare a backlog" system was the real revelation and motivator for me when combined with the ability to make it into a current initiative, I have already made in-roads to it (email predominantly) and still kept on top of the new work. Thank You!
Unlike Mark, I never complete more than one batch in a day. But I am getting much more done in a day. In standard DIT, once I completed my list, all the pressure was off. In my mind, I was done for the day, and did not get much more done.
Furthermore, I had a strong tendency, when using standard DIT, to over-emphasize the "little and often" principle. I would tend to work for a shorter period of time on hard stuff, cross it off my list, complete my daily list, and declare victory.
Now, doing modified DIT, I tend to work for longer intervals on the harder stuff. If I have to spend an hour tomorrow morning finishing my list, I tell myself, I'll still complete the list.
In point of fact, I almost always get my list done in one day. But every now and then I have a small amount to do the next day. I am pleased when this happens, because it is usually the result of being especially focused on difficult tasks.
In the final analysis, I determine how much work to commit to. With standard DIT I would rush, rush, rush, worried that the day would end before I completed my list. That would give me an incentive to work less on the hard, time-consuming projects. With modified DIT, I still see that I have a lot to accomplish, but I feel that I am rushing somewhat less and I am more willing to devote concentrated and lengthier blocks of time to significant projects.
To summarize, I think that I am performing much better with modified DIT. Standard DIT raised my performance levels significantly above my pre-DIT levels. And modified DIT raised them yet again.
I would like to express to Mark my deeply felt gratitude and appreciation. He's helped me immensely. He's truly a titan when it comes to motivation.
It is not yet clear to me how I will accommodate the Task Diary into the system. With regard to current initiative, I am making the line between lists read "---Current Initiative---" instead of "------------". This ensures the Current Initiative is given regular attention.
call me obtuse, but I don't see this as any different than creating a regular to do list, and completing it. What am I missing?
learning as I go
The basic difference is the line you draw to close the list. A normal to do list remains open.
I never used an open list unless an emergency arose. I was taught by my dad to daily write a todo list (regular chores not included). ....and prioritize it *blush*....so in case an emergency or a rich opportunity arose, the important stuff was already done. Then I'd either do a little overtime to finish it or carry it forward depending on what was already planned for the next day (I'm a proponent of weekly reviews and weekly planning to create scaffolding for the week. The daily lists are focus tools)
I would guess that an open list isn't really a list at all but merely an options list. I need my aims clearly defined.....and my free time as well!
learning as I go
I know I'm going to get some flack about importance. If my day presents an occurance that derails some of my work (pain, rare important occurances,etc), the prioritizing helps me in that I can "wait" a few hours to do some things without much consequence, and other things might not be so forgiving. Example: calling my brother on his birthday vs clipping the dog's claws. Both are important but one has more flexibility timewise than the other. You have taught me how to incorporate the little and often rule to apply to things without due dates. I love that! I never thought to forward plan incremental units to projects without a specific due date. It's fun to strategize these timelines especially if it's something onerous like detailing my car. It never occurred to me that I could get the same result doing it in "doable" small segments rather than slogging it for 2 to 3 hours!
Thank you for that!
gsdsmiles
gsdsmiles
I'll be interested to see what you make of my latest ideas, once I've finished testing them out on myself.
I'm ready to go out the door, but....a RESOUNDING YES! to your query! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your various ideas! plus....this being the season for many unexpected opportunites.......this is a prime time to test out your system against "real life" ! LOL!
gsdsmiles
LOL! I'm dripping wet coming out of the shower.....I LOVE the holidays and all the unexpected fun and opportunites to help the less blessed people.....
I will state positively that I won't be disappointed. Even when I don't agree, I totally respect your thinking and reasoning behind your ideas. You are quite inspirational! I, too, love to "experiment" and improve. In the states, we're known as putterers! LOL!
gsdsmiles
Most of the ideas in "Do It Tomorrow" will still apply to the new system. It's just that it will make them much easier to apply. At least I hope it will :-)
I haven't visited this site for a while, and no, I haven't tried the simplified method yet. But I discovered that there is a whole new system coming, and I just signed up for "beta testing".
By the time I posted my above comment, I was trying to wrap my head around the concepts of the "Dreams" book, and I wasn't very successful at that.
Maybe the new approach helps to incorporate some of the benefits of the "Dreams" ideas into DIT.
--
Alex
What I've tried to do in the new approach is to get a better balance between the rational and intuitive parts of the mind. So yes, it does go a bit further towards the Dreams approach, but not using the same methods.
Drawing a line makes all the difference! I actually compete with myself by assigning time for each task, when I start doing it (similar to the method you've described in your book Get everything done). I tend to do it quicker and I don't forget extra details or tasks, as I carefully write them down below the line.
Thanks! I'm very grateful for this advice.
management as you obviously have. Making a list, doing
the things that you enjoy, drawing a line to add new items,
then complete your list even if you don't enjoy the remaining
items to be done, then start a new list from the items below
the line. I understand your time management system, but
what works best for me is making a list and choosing the
item with the nearest time priority. Should two items have
the same time line then I choose the most difficult one.
If I don't, then the thought of the job to be done will linger
on my mind. So, I need this type of order.
Thank you for introducing your system to me; perhaps
some day it may be of assistance to me.
1. My Schedule
2. Things-to-Do List
3. People-to-Call List
4. Conference Planner
I simply made a modification to this system. Instead of drawing a line and dividing the task as 'before the line' and 'above the line', I use a 'page' as a natural demarcator.
In other way, it becomes Autofocus per page.
I move to the next page only if ALL the tasks on the active page is done. By done, I mean
- done, i.e., completed
- deleted
- worked on a little and re-entered if there is still more work needs to be done
- deferred and hence re-entered to the last page, so I can get back
I think the last point on the list is very important. It is the resistance at play. My intuition says that I cannot do the task now or simply I don't want to do the task now. So I have pushed it to the last page, hopefully the resistance reducing and I will get to act on it in either of the 3 other modes, including deleting it if it is no more relevant.
Question: if something truly urgent comes in (something that I really do need to do that day) I assume I can add it to the "due" list?
Also, is the concept of a back-log relevant with this version?
Obviously, if something very urgent comes up, then it is not a task, it's just what you are doing right now, for as long as it takes. Nevertheless, you should always take a few moments to assess its urgency first. If it can wait until the next day, it must do so.
And if you have a (closed and fully assessed) backlog, I guess the re-enterable task "Make a dent in the backlog" can be repeated under every line just like in DIT.
I was not able to neglect the new tasks coming in.
I'm not sure how the system works when you need to prioritise a lot of the tasks, but it is perfectly acceptable to have a large backlog of stuff as that can wait weeks or even months.
That is just more to do with the way I work.
I might have 300+ work in progress tasks. It all works fine and I'm not actually overloaded. I just have a large amount of "work in progress".
Maybe this system only really works if you have a quick turnover of tasks, but not suited for a large backlog?
I wonder if this is really simpler than [Simple Scanning](http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2017/12/2/simple-scanning-the-rules.html).