SuperFocus Instructions (Third Revision)
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 14:20 As I have previously mentioned, I have been experimenting with some further changes to the SuperFocus rules. These have been performing extremely well, so I am releasing them now. Please note these do make some considerable changes to the system as follows:
1) Unfinished tasks are now re-entered in Column 2 of the following page and not the same page.
2) Column 2 must always be cleared before moving on to the next page.
3) Once Column 2 of a page is filled, everything remaining on that page must be cleared the next time it is worked on.
THE NEW RULES:
Normal AF1 rules, except:
1. There is a second column (Column 2) on each page. This is used for adding additional tasks to pages as follows:
a. Re-entering unfinished tasks. These are entered in Column 2 of the following page. If you are currently on the last page, then the following page is the first active page of the list.
b. Entering tasks which you want to do urgently. These are entered on the current page.
2. Column 2 is treated as a part of the page along with Column 1, with the difference that all tasks in Column 2 must be actioned before moving on to the next page. No unactioned tasks may be left in Column 2.
3. Unfinished tasks are always re-entered in Column 2, even on the last page.
4. Once Column 2 is full, no further tasks may be entered on that page.
5. The following page for re-entry purposes means the next page which has any room left in Column 2. When you are currently on the last page, the following page is the first active page of the list. Similarly when entering urgent tasks, if column 2 of the current page is full the tasks are entered on the next page with room.
6. If no tasks are done in Column 1 during a visit to a page, all remaining tasks in Column 1 are dismissed. This rule does not apply to the last page of the list.
7. When you visit a page which is full (i.e. has no space left in Column 2), all tasks on that page must be actioned or dismissed.
Signs and symbols
a. When a task has been actioned, it is crossed out with a horizontal line.
b. When a task is dismissed it is highlighted.
c. When a dismissed task is reviewed and either reinstated or removed altogether, it is crossed out as it is no longer subject to review.
d. A page which has no active tasks left on it is marked with a cross in the outside upper corner.
e. When there are no active tasks left on any previous pages, the cross is surrounded with a circle.
f. When there are no dismissed tasks still subject to review on any previous pages, the circle is highlighted.
Conclusion:
The aim of these rule changes is to increase the flow of the system by no longer re-entering unfinished tasks on the same page. At the same time additional pressure is brought to bear to keep working on unfinished tasks. Once a task has been entered in Column 2 it must remain in Column 2 on every page until it is finished.
The new rule about what happens when the page is full is intended to encourage sensible use of Column 2. It is vital to the whole procedure, that one is clear in one’s own mind when a task is finished, and this needs to be defined carefully.
I will be publishing consolidated rules for those not acquainted with previous versions shortly.
Reader Comments (109)
<< 1. Sometimes an urgent task in column 2 may become not urgent. How to deal with this situation? >>
This shouldn't happen too often as since the idea behind putting the task in Column 2 is that you will do it quickly - so it shouldn't have much time to become non-urgent in! But if for example your boss says "I don't need that report now until the end of next week", you can just cross out the task and re-enter it at the end of the list.
<< 2. Sometimes some tasks in column 1 become useless. But if it's not the time according to your instructions to dismiss them because I just finished one task in column 1, may I dismiss them anyway? Or should I wait to the step 6? >>
You can delete any task at any time if you decide you are not going to do it at all. This is not the same as dismissing a task, because a dismissed task is still up for review.
You wrote in response to Ephi:
>The answer is that if you've got column 2 full before column 1 is full, you have a serious problem.<
That isn't a very helpful answer. Could you elaborate?
I've read your instructions and I'm trying to envision whether or not to try it. I see two problems – one of which is the same problem that Ephi mentioned.
My first problem is that it involves a LOT of rewriting. That's going to be a burden for me to overcome.
Secondly, I have many urgent tasks and many unfinished tasks because of my liberal use of the little-and-often principle. My re-entered unfinished tasks outpace my entry of new tasks. And, when you add in the rewriting of already entered tasks that have now become urgent, then that is a lot of column 2 tasks.
So, knowing that to be true, I have the same concern as Ephi. I can envision the processing reaching the point he mentioned. Could you please address this concern?
Thanks.
Matt
<< If you've got column 2 full before column 1 is full, you have a serious problem. >>
You have a serious problem because the system won't work if that is the case.
<< My first problem is that it involves a LOT of rewriting. >>
It doesn't involve any more rewriting than any other version of DIT/AF/DWM etc.
<< My re-entered unfinished tasks outpace my entry of new tasks. >>
Does your re-entry of unfinished tasks outpace your entry of new tasks plus recurring tasks? If it does the system will only work for you if you adjust the number of unfinished and urgent tasks. You would have to adjust the number a lot, because to work the system properly you should be able to visit a page four or five times before Column 2 is full.
You can adjust the number of unfinished tasks by defining many of your tasks so that they can be finished in one go.
You can adjust the number of urgent tasks by redefining what you mean by urgent, i.e. instead of "a task I must do today" to "a task I must do in the next hour".
If you are not willing or able to do this, then SuperFocus is not for you.
> It doesn't involve any more rewriting than any other version of DIT/AF/DWM etc.<
I respectfully submit that it does, though perhaps not by much. Tasks already existing in the list have to be rewritten into column 2 when they become urgent. This is a new feature not found in other AFs.
I actually think this version is very clever. It really appears you have plugged a lot of the holes of your other AF versions. I commend you on it.
I think my multitude of self-directed work projects will prevent me from using this method, unless I separate out my project tasks and just identify the project name as a task. I can foresee a couple of problems with that, but I will defer mention of them until I try it. I think I will finish my experiment on my latest revision of AF1 that doesn't have any rewriting first.
Anyway, thanks for the answer.
Matt
What is the rule for starting the next day? Do you start on the same page you were on when you finished the prior day? Or, something else?
Matt
<< I respectfully submit that it does, though perhaps not by much. Tasks already existing in the list have to be rewritten into column 2 when they become urgent. >>
Yes, this is true. Though my experience is that this only happens quite rarely. Most genuinely urgent tasks get put directly into Column 2.
<< Do you start on the same page you were on when you finished the prior day? >>
Yes, you start again where you left off.
I am french and this is my 1st post.
I tried AF1, AF2, DWM, SAF and finally chose AF1.
I have been testing SF3 on both personal and professional lists for 3 days.
Flow is good, SF3 seems really promising and I have a question for you.
This afternoon I was working on my current page (as there was still unactionned items in column 2) but I had to action 7 urgent items in the following page. Thus I broke one rule. It is allowed?
You made this comment back in February that confused me a bit:
"But the way I actually dealt with my walking goal of at least three times a week was not to re-enter it at all, but to put it directly into Column 2 on those days on which I intended to take a walk. That way it had to get done! "
Did you mean that you would put it in pages ahead? This would imply that pages correlated to calendar days, which I hadn't seen mentioned in any of the "Focus" styled systems. DIT or DWM, yes but AFx or SF, no.
-OR- did you simply mean that on the day you intend to walk, you put that task in column 2 of whatever your current page happens to be... I think this is what you must have meant.
I have a strong affinity to your systems that include a time factor - what can get done in a day. Then my "to-do" list (or in DIT "will do" list) is also a sort of journal of "did-do"'s... This is useful in a review when I would ask myself a question like: "So what’s been better since we spoke yesterday?" ;)
Anyway, I was hoping you'd clear up that ambiguity about your daily walk entries and if you have any advice about 'dealing with the day', I'd be interested in hearing it.
Thanks,
Michael
I meant that on the day I intend to walk I put the task in Column 2 of whatever my current page happens to be.