Predicting the Day: Follow Up II

Today is the eighth day running in which I have successfully done every item on my predictive to do list. It’s still working like a dream. If you haven’t tried it out yet, then you might find it well worth the effort. See the instructions at my posting Predicting Your Day and its follow-up.

Comments

[Gill]

Dear Mark,

So far, this seems to be working better for me, too. I think it is the combination of being realistic and honest about what I know can be done in the time and energy I have.
However, there are still all those other things on the 'to do' list and new work still comes in............. How to reconcile that with the prediction method? I am at the stage where I am not putting too much on prediction list - there is much more chance that I'll complete it and have the satisfaction of achievement, and of course I am doing other stuff as well, so perhaps the longer list is just getting chipped away at the same time.
But is this just another way of daily prioritising?

Gill

[Mark Forster]

My own personal experience is that I am doing more this way than before, which means that everything which would be on my Will Do list is getting done.

I suggest you will gain confidence in what you think you will really do as you continue with the method.

[Casey]

Thank you Mark! I’m looking at my to do list in a completely different light. It really makes a difference when you make a ‘list of things you think you can do today’ instead of an unrealistic to do list.
In reply to Gill, I have found that using Google Calendar helps you portion out time for important tasks and keeps you focused. The calendar also allows you rearrange your tasks as new ones come in.

[Will]

Here's a nice simple tool for keeping a list out of sight.

http://www.nowdothis.com/

[Edmund]

Mark,

I like this latest idea.

This sounds like an evolution of the Will Do List, with less of the will involved. It somehow bypasses that part of the brain that is resistant to doing the things we know we should do. Instead of resistance there is flow, there is action instead of faffing. Now where have I head of that aim before?
But you do need another list to capture tasks as they come in so you don't forget to do them. I know some people use a book for this, and they capture everything in the book (which is a lot harder to loose than scraps of paper). You then have to review the book regularly to see what needs to be done.
Another idea is that we should develop a form to capture the details we need for each task in a more structured way, this avoids coming back to an incomplete note which has something vital missing.

Feel free to edit down!
Edmund