The Author

Mark Forster is the author of three books about time management and personal organisation. The most recent, Do It Tomorrow, was published by Hodder in 2006.

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Monday
25Feb

Getting Going Again: Day 6 Update

My declared aim today was to complete the clearance of my paper backlog. I took each item in the backlog strictly in order and worked on it steadily and methodically as if it were the only thing I had to do all day. The result was that the backlog was cleared by 9.45 a.m. (I had started work at 8.30). That was much quicker than I had anticipated, which just goes to show how fast things will move if you really get stuck into them.

The rest of the day felt much lighter once the backlog had been cleared, so I finished work by 3.30 p.m.

Tomorrow I will have completed a week back with the system, so I will do a summary of what I have achieved during the week. Another task for tomorrow is starting a new Current Initiative. My standard advice on the Current Intiative is that after clearing backlogs the highest priority is to sort out systems. So following my own advice, I am going to do a thorough sort-out of my office and its systems. That will make working a lot quicker and easier.

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Reader Comments (5)

Hi, Mark
I hope you had a lovely Sunday! I, too, use your rationale about honing in on an important target and guiltless allowing a few things on the daily checklist to wait until tomorrow. My rationale is that since I don't control the flow of the post, phone or emails, this amount could occur on it's own. It's built into the system and also.....I'd rather be lead by my own aims than allow myself to be totally tyrannized and subjugated by the trivial and mundane! (Perfectionism has it's own ghosts! LOL!)
vickie
February 25, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterlearning as I go
ps.

plus, I much prefer my work that has a project format. For some reason, the fun of strategizing a scheme to accomplish a targeted aim actually revs up my enthusiasm! LOL!

Conversely, I love the days when I can check-off my Round-Up days and project-related target dates on my weekly master list, and simply check it off as done because I implemented the little and often methodology.

I truly love this DIT system you created! It truly is a gem!

vickie
February 25, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterlearning as I go
p.s.s.
I feel compelled to remove any ambiguity from the initial post. I hope you assume that DIT's tomorrow is actually two days hence according to the sensibilities of non-DIT'ers! LOL! Today I'm going to be done before noon (I had a boring/painful amount of time in the evening to fill, so I crunched down some of my work because the weather report said SUNNY and 48 degrees! I AIM to be outside as much as possible today! YIPPEE!
vickie
February 25, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterlearning as I go
I need help understanding what an office system is, and how they get sorted out. Hope Mark and others can give examples.

Christine in Italy
February 25, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterChristine in Italy
Hi, Christine
Office systems are simply things like the filing system, invoicing system, storage system and so on. It can also include the lay-out of the office so that it is ergonomically sound.
February 26, 2008 | Registered CommenterMark Forster

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