Day Zero Project

One of the readers of this blog has drawn my attention to the Day Zero Project. The idea is to identify 101 things to do within 1001 days. Sounds fun!

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year’s resolutions or a ‘Bucket List’. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

Comments

[Sir Kevin]

This looks like an interesting site. I hope to get away from procrastinating and I think that 101 things to accomplish in a bit less than three years is more doable than something on a shorter term.

[Mark Forster]

Sir Kevin:

<< I hope to get away from procrastinating ... 101 things to accomplish in a bit less than three years is more doable than something on a shorter term. >>

Might there be a slight contradiction here?

[Alison Reeves]

I've seen this around the internet a lot as well. Many people seem to use it to encourage them to achieve things they would not normally achieve. It's a wonderful project idea - you make your list of 101 things and then try and schedule them in. I'm quite tempted!

[Michael Green]

Thanks for the mention Mark. I've enjoyed reading your blog. I'm always looking for ways to improve my own systems of both capture and action for tasks.
Regarding the Day Zero site - I have a lot of ideas for different types of challenges and lists to be added over the next few months.
Best regards.
Michael
dayzeroproject.com

[silviastraka]

I'm using it only for fun and self-development activities, which tend to be under-represented in my AF free-form notebook list. I'll include "101 Things" in AF.

it took me a 3-day weekend to actually come up with 101 things to do in those categories. I made sure that some of them were small fun things. As a social work academic, my life is pre-occupied with working out ways to resolve issues such as violence, poverty, racism, addictions, and the like, which means I need to consciously find ways to lighten up, balance my life, and do self-care.

I also included numerous 30 day (or less) trials of better lifestyle and behaviours, because these are important aspects of self-care.

I plan to include these 101 Things in my daily dialogues with my Future Self.

Thanks for the heads up on this web site, Mark!

[Alan Baljeu]

101 seems like a lot! Do you enter them all in AutoFocus? If not, how do you manage progress on them all?

[Seraphim]

Alan - I was thinking of handling this like Mark often recommends the handling of projects.

For example, start building the list. The list could be kept on a sheet of paper stuck on the refrigerator with a magnet -- or wherever. You could have an entry in your AF book: "Build 101 list".

At some point, when you feel ready to start acting on the list, you could put this into AF: "101 list - what's next?"

Whenever that task stands out, you can spend some time reading over your 101 list. Whatever tasks are generated out of that reading and reflection would then go onto your AF list.

[Mark Forster]

Alan:

<< 101 seems like a lot! Do you enter them all in AutoFocus? >>

Definitely not. As Seraphim suggests, first build the list then select a few at a time to work on. You've got 2.75 years!

[Mark Forster]

Seraphim:

<< Whatever tasks are generated out of that reading and reflection would then go onto your AF list. >>

An alternative way of doing it would be to read through the list regularly and do something on any which stood out. Once you'd actually done something on a task, it would be entered into your AF/SF/Whatever system. That way you wouldn't be tempted to dump too many into the system at once.

[michael]

I wonder if there is scope for a smaller version: 11 things in 101 days?

[Mark Forster]

michael:

Or even one thing in ten days?

[Bernie]

One thing in ten days? That's more like it!!

[Jupiter]

seems for me totally idealistic. May be for huge goals. Any way for me tasks must be done in 90 days. The onlything I like in the idea is to number task one by one. Even if it means nothing it always has helped me to do things. And the someday may be list is a good idea coming from GTD.

[Laurent]

Mark :

<<Or even one thing in ten days?>>

Repeat this 101 times, and you get 101 things in 1010 days. Close enough :)