Future Developments

I’ve been officially retired since November 24th, my 65th birthday and am already bored with the whole idea! As a distraction I decided to see if I could develop a new time management system which would remove some of the constraints involved in implementing the “Do It Tomorrow” system.

In particular I wanted to achieve the following:

• Keep the advantages of using closed lists, especially in the way they help one to draw impetus from “structured procrastination”;
• Introduce the advantages of open lists, which include fast processing of minor tasks, repetitive tasks  and urgent items;
• The ability to throw everything at the system without its collapsing under the weight;
• Everything gets treated the same, instead of having to treat different degrees of urgency in different ways;
• Even simpler to implement than DIT;
• Responds flexibly to all situations;
• “Auto-focus”: the system itself automatically adjusts so the important stuff gets done and distractions get left to one side.

Sounds impossible? Well, it’s early days yet, but I think I may have achieved it.

Watch out for more details soon!

Comments

[Andy]

wow... will look foreward to more lucid thinking

[Janine Adams]

Mark,that's certainly tantalizing! Can't wait to read more.

[Mark Forster]

I'll probably post a progess report tomorrow - no promises though!

[David Drake]

Hi Mark,

This sounds fantastic! I cannot wait to see your new system!

All best wishes,
-David

[Taragh]

Good to hear you are taking on this challenge and I look forward to the results. Have a good Christmas break. Best wishes. T

[Frank]

Like the others here, I can't wait either.

As a former GTD-er, I'm finding "The Simplest Time Management Method" blog posting absolutely mind-boggling so far in its simplicity of implementation, effectiveness of REALLY getting things done, and directness in making clear when you're overloaded. If the new approach improves on that, it should be truly amazing.

[Mark Forster]

Taragh:

Thanks for the good wishes. I'll email you in the next few days to catch up.

Frank:

I hope it will improve on the Simplest Method - but I need to give it a real good testing before I unloose it on the world at large!

[Cammy]

This sounds interesting! Happy Un-Retirement!

[TK]

Awesome I can't wait for this!

[Leon]

Hi Mark,

This sounds very exciting and I look forward to seeing the results of your experiments! I have to take my hat off to you. All the best for 2009.

[Mark Forster]

Thanks, Leon. I will be posting an update soon.

[David Drake]

Hi Mark,

I am looking forward to your update. And...if you would like a Beta-tester to try out your new system, please let me know. As you know from my many postings, my work as a professor consumes me and I have so many projects and incoming work that I might be a good field tester. :)

Best wishes, Mark!

-David

[Mark Forster]

David:

I *will* be looking for beta testers in the near future - provided of course that the gamma tester (me) gives a favourable report!

[Anthony]

I'd love to beta test too. I've been struggling off and on to get into using DIT, I think partly because of my GTD history (started GTD way back in 2001, and haven't been overly successful with it). I'd love to leave the stress of having too much "system" and not enough motivation/completion.

[Mark Forster]

Anthony:

So far it's giving me a lot of motivation and a lot of completion with the minimum of system. I will keep reporting on progress until I am ready to call for testers.

[Mary]

Mark,

You're offering us quite the tease, here. As a reader of your previous works, I must say I've gained great benefit each of them but I think the concepts from DIT, were most creative, refreshing, and refreshingly simple to implement and practice. Looking forward to your new work and certainly would love to be counted as among the state-side beta crew --

Regards,
and All the best to you!

Mary

[Mark Forster]

Thank you, Mary. I hope it will be worth waiting for.

[River]

RE: "I've been officially retired since November 24th, my 65th birthday and am already bored with the whole idea!"

I'm 60 and I've been "officially" retired (twice) for 10 years, and I've never been busier/having more fun. I can't imagine actually "retiring" in the traditional sense. The idea of spending the rest of my life doing nothing but trout fishing (which I currently enjoy some of the time) or sitting on the porch in a rocking chair in the sun with an old dog at my feet is complete anathema to me. I'm so busy now I don't know how I ever fit a full-time job into my life before!

I'm really looking forward to your new system (I'm signed up as a beta tester). The more juice you can squeeze out of every day, the better as far as I'm concerned.