Live Demo - 3 Task Method
Friday, November 5, 2010 at 0:18 I’ll be kicking off the live demo somewhere around 8.30 a.m. GMT on this post.
I will only be showing those tasks which are actually being worked on in the 3-Task system. The system is being fed by an AF4 list which will not be shown.
The two things I particularly want to achieve tomorrow are to go for a long walk and to write a plan for our church fund raising campaign. I would also like to remain on top of all routine matters (email, paper, housekeeping, etc) and to watch a movie on DVD at some stage. If I can, I would also like to plan the workshop I am giving in Leuven in two weeks time, and make progress on my income tax return.
All tasks contain three stages: Preparation, the Task itself, and Clearing Up. A task is not complete until all three of those stages have been carried out.
I’ll be starting the day with only two items on my list as one was completed yesterday.
Key: Bold type shows when a task is first introduced onto the 3-Task list. When a task is shown in strikeout it has been completed. Therefore if a task is in both bold and strikeout then it was completed in one go. If a task has been worked on but not struck out, it remains on the 3-Task list. My comments are in [square brackets]
0800 Re-number bins
0802 Computer housekeeping
0809 Re-number bins
0818 Email [bit of a delay here as Outlook has decided not to start properly]
0831 Comments
0838 Email
0841 Breakfast
0901 Check investments [after yesterday’s big rise in the stock market]
0910 Email [Outlook fixed at last]
0921 Breakfast [remember clearing up after a task is part of the task]
0933 Comments [note this is a recurring task - high level of comments expected today]
0943 Cash Flow Forecast
0948 Breakfast
0958 Check Diary
[I think some people are having difficulty in following what is happening, so to make it easier to follow I am changing the way the list is presented. Tasks will only be struck through when they are completed. I hope that will make it easier to see what tasks are on the list at any one time. I’ll also put tasks in bold when they come onto the 3-Task list for the first time]
1008 Download Camera
1023 Email
1031 Comments
1056 TweetDeck
1102 Paper
[I have now got to the end of the open list in AF4. So there should be weightier matters ahead!]
[A couple of general observations so far: 1) There is quite a considerable overhead involved in putting this all on the blog - so things are moving slower than normal; 2) The dynamic of AF4 is changed by using it with the 3-Task system because all re-entries onto the open list are “empty”, i.e. there is no outstanding work on them.]
1112 Walk
1119 Weed Handbooks File
1129 Walk [This is the bit of the task where I actually do the walking (and it will probably include a pub lunch too). So it’ll be several hours before I post again.]
1619 Leuven Presentation (first draft)
1631 Newsletter (first draft)
1658 Walk
1728 Leuven Presentation (first draft)
1738 Newsletter (first draft)
1812 Fundraising Plan (first draft)
1843 Income Tax Return (next section)
[Here I go back on the open list]
1853 Back Up Computer
1857 “Downton Abbey” [for the non-Brits among you, this is a TV series that has been enthralling the nation]
Income Tax Return (next section)
I ended after watching Downton Abbey. So how did I do? Looking back on what I said I would like to do during the day, I see I did all of it. The only thing I could have working on further was my income tax return, and I will carry on with that tomorrow.
I mentioned in one of my comments in square brackets that the 3-Task method changes the dynamics of AF4. If you look at my list of tasks above you will see that the unfinished tasks which I had more than one go at were:
Re-number bins
Email
Breakfast
Walk
Leuven Presentation
Newsletter
Income Tax Return
In ordinary AF4 all these would all have been moved to the open list and the concentration which I brought to them would have been dissipated. So all in all I am extremely pleased with my efforts today and convinced of the benefits of using the 3-Task method with AF4.
Reader Comments (51)
Another "Test Match Special" of task management kicks off. With you in spirit.
I'll be interested to see how things like "lunch" and "washing up" from the AF4 list fit in.
Of course a meal includes doing the dishes afterwards.
Is that right? I'd imagine that a Project that takes a lot time to complete would remain the odd one out in the closed part of the list, so it is best to re-enter it.
Haven't you seen the original AF4 live demo?
I actually find this surprisingly useful in quelling the "just a quick coffee" displacement activity. Though I'm not sure that'll work with the 3-task method.
Speaking of which, this is not on my 3-task list, so... bye for now
Meals take time, so they need managing. How you do that is up to you.
<< At the moment I think it would be better for understanding to see the AF4 list >>
Not really. This is a demo of the 3-Task Method. It can be fed tasks by any time management system (or none).
<< I remember a post where you say only recurring items are re-entered. An item like 'Project X' for example is not re-entered, just done to completion. >>
What I also said was that it is important to define completion. I gave the example of reading a book. Is your task to read the whole book, which will obviously take quite a while, or to read one chapter? You need to decide that before commencing the task.
So there is a difference between:
Read "Pride and Prejudice"
Read "Pride and Prejudice" chapter 12
Did this go onto the AF4 list and get picked up from there, or straight onto the 3-T?
I'm struggling to track when tasks are being closed and added, which seems to be fairly central to understanding .
No tasks go straight into 3-T. They all come from the AF4 list.
So what happened here is that I finished all the comments I intended to make, and crossed the item off the list. The task then re-occurred and I did all outstanding comments again. Each time all outstanding action on Comments was completed.
You can tell when a task is completed because I put it in italics. Those which are struck out but not in italics are not completed and remain on the 3-Items list.
It seems to make perfect sense as I watch it, but I'm struggling to recreate what was on the 3 list at any time.
For example, I simply take the first three tasks you worked on as the starting list, your would have started with Renumber bins, Computer housekeeping and Email
by 0809 you would have been on Renumber bins and Email
by 0818 you were down to Email and refilled with Comments and breakfast
by 0838 you were on breakfast and email
which stayed in progress until 0910 when Outlook was finally brought to order
But at 0901 you checked investments.
I should be able to come up with some alternative 3-T scheme, but it is trickier than you would think.
How did "Check investments" get onto the 3tasks? So far as I can see, Email and Breakfast were already in play, and we only enter new tasks when we are down to one.
I've re-done the presentation of tasks to make it clearer.
The key to your problem is that you missed the fact that I only started with two tasks as I said in the intro.
So after completing Computer Housekeeping (0802), I refilled with Email and Comments.
I completed Renumber Bins (0809) and (0831) and refilled with Breakfast and Check Investments.
I completed Comments (0831) and Check Investments (0901) and refilled with Comments and Cash Flow Forecast.
Rather than calling it "The next 3 tasks I have to work on" try "The next 3 things I spend time on" - this way you might remove psychological barriers (works for me at last)
615 Breakfast. comments. Get stuff for work.
630------------------ x Comments.------------------
645 x breakfast.------------------ ------------------
650 x shower------------------ ------------------
700.------------------ ----------- x Get stuff for work
I think I've got it now. Here's my summary up to elevenses (which I notice you disdain):
(shows what I think you have on the list at each timestamp, with active task in red and closure italic underlined)
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AooDHxUeJ4lydGNPeUFES3M0SUFKeFhtMzdxazJrbXc&hl=en_GB&authkey=CPr9rtwE
"Hm, did you take paper on your walk to the pub to work the presentation and newsletter?"
:oD
Mark, I remember with the original AF4 demo, you went through the list several times. How did today compare?
going back to my comment early about meal times (sorry for the air of sarcasm): actually by writing comments in brackets there is the opportunity for continuous improvement.
Although i'm not sure if it is the intention to just add comments for the benefit of this demo.
still, even something as 'everyday' like making a meal offers opportunity for improvement. i noticed today, for example that i have one too many chopping boards to wash...so i've stored one way!
Keep up the good demo!
<< Mark, I remember with the original AF4 demo, you went through the list several times. How did today compare? >>
See my comments at the end of the demo about how 3-Tasks changes the dynamics of AF4.
<< Although i'm not sure if it is the intention to just add comments for the benefit of this demo. >>
The comments were intended purely for the benefit of those watching the demo. But I do write the occasional comment on my list for my own benefit!
I suppose though when you finish Income Tax section 1 then you immediately write Income Tax section 2 into the AF4 open list. right?
Yes, I would. That's why it's important to define what finishing means for each task.
Could you write "French" on your main AF4 list? And then, when you move it to 3T, decide at that time what you want to accomplish, and enter "French Exercise p. 89" on 3T? Then, when "French Exercise p. 89" is completed, re-enter as "French" on the AF4 list?
Or would you always enter the "next thing to complete" on your AF4 list: "French Exercise p. 89". Then transfer it, exactly as written, to 3T. Then, when it's finished, think about the next action very precisely, and write that down on the AF4 open list.
The former way seems more in the spirit of AF -- you can enter things onto the AF4 list without having to think through exactly what the "next action" will be. The latter way seems more GTD-like, requiring you to define the next action very precisely before you even right it on the list.
I suppose you could do it either way, depending on the circumstances. Would you recommend one approach over the other?
I've always said that one of the advantages of Autofocus is that tasks can be entered in the way that is most helpful to you. I think that applies here too.
The only proviso is that I don't have a separate 3-T list. I do it in situ on the AF4 list. But there's no reason why one can't write in a bit more detail before one starts the task.
There is no question it must help a great deal with staying focussed and alleviating procrastination.
Just curious, where did you think of defining a task as completed when all 3 steps are done (prep, doing and clear-up)?
That's not something I invented. I can remember being taught it at school!
Obviously ;)
But often, people forget about it and don't take it into account when they... "evaluate" the time it will take to do something. I think it was a good thing to make a point of saying it!
[ In reply to comment: http://www.markforster.net/blog/2010/11/7/the-rules-by-which-i-ran-the-demo.html#comment10482591 ]
I have started trying the 3-task method with DWM (in fact DWM2, which is just a change in the format, but not in the rules). That is something I had noticed: although everything is running smoother than ever (no paper or e-mail backlogs, no burning the midnight oil to chase looming deadlines), I have not tackled everything that I should have.
For instance, my computer files. Although I have multiple backups in place, a server, good and running work directories, some of my personal files are running wild. My personal laptop is running out of space. Everything I have done was palliative, as I work very, very little on this task in any form of DIT--AF--DWM. What to do? I need a plan to *finish* a lot of things like this.
Most of such tasks are just dismissed with time, but once in a while something runs out of control (no more disk space!) and I put them on my list again, do some small thing to keep everything from breaking apart; but eventually task gets dismissed again because I just do not properly finish it.
So far (well, 1.5 day after processing my list with the 3-task method), I see how I focused more on finishing things. Now I have a plan for those projects that come and go and come back to the list and *have* to be dealt with.
Mark: When you commit to a task and something prevents it from being acted upon (as your "Email" above), how should one deal with it? Imagine your e-mail server is down for a whole day --- do you still keep that task on your 3-task list, occupying one of the slots? I am having trouble finding some of sort of rule or guidance that both allows me to deal with this type of situation and does not weaken my commitment to finish a chosen task.
If I knew my email was definitely down for a long period and there was nothing I could do about it except wait, then no, I wouldn't keep it on my 3-Task list.
If on the other hand there was something I could do about it (which was the case when my email went down at the start of the demo) then I would keep it on my list and my action to remedy the problem would fall under that heading.
Thanks for your answer! I am sure I will be able to gauge these situations myself in time, but I came across some of them yesterday and I am still afraid things will not work if I am not stricter with my 3-task list.
Re emails, same here, but life is a balance and I think the other things I have done instead have been more important, I just deal with the key correspondence. But I am working on strategies to ease the constant barrage of email I think we all get nowadays - Gmail's priority inbox, automatic filtering and so on.
Likewise re disk space etc, sometimes the right thing to do is work on infrastructure ("get and install new laptop", or "set up 25GB Skydrive account").
Dismissal rules, yes crucial, and DWM gives me a steady list size, more or less.
With all the AF systems, the list got inexorably longer and longer, and I don't see why things would be different with the triple task adaptation.
<< Would that depend on how much time it would take it to come back? >>
Yes, I think the basic question here is whether keeping it on your list is helping you get your work done or getting in its way.
<< I don't see why things would be different with the triple task adaptation. >>
One reason could be that 3-T helps you to tackle the more difficult tasks. That reduces the need to find displacement activities.
<One reason could be that 3-T helps you to tackle the more difficult tasks. That reduces the need to find displacement activities.>
Ah but who decides what is a "displacement activity"? If you leave that to the conscious mind, you reject the whimsical idea that would change your life. So I think the strong dismissal of DWM, and its link to the calendar, was inspired as a way to deal with the ever-growing list, and I follow (and applaud!!) your original idea of throwing everything at the list, which you still refer to at http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/ where the full instructions for Autofocus 1 begin thus:
Full Instructions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you think of new items, add them to the end of the list.
One of the characteristics of this system is that you can chuck anything at it. I recommend that you enter everything that comes to mind without trying to evaluate. The system itself will do the evaluation.
I think one gets into a different mindset when using 3-T or a similar system. I'm finding with my new version of AF1 that, although I haven't changed the rule about throwing everything at the list, nevertheless it is growing far more slowly than it did with the original AF1. I am not consciously rejecting displacement activities.
With AF1, thinking of things to do is usually far displaced from doing things. Also, doing things is very easy because you do a little bit, and the item disappears for a long time. Also, because you are doing such a variety of things, a similar variety of new ideas come up. So adding to the list is easy and fun, and there's no immediate negative consequence, so it happens lots.
The one thing that really curtails new ideas is to be narrowly preoccupied with one big thing.
It's worked very well today so far, but AF1 always requires a bit of time for the list to evolve.
So, while I'm pretty happy with DWM, I am watching enviously as all you 3T'ers are developing a compulsion to bring things to completion. I'm waiting for Mark's new idea to see if I can give it a try without disrupting my DWM lists too much, in case I need to fall back to them.
http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/