Which is the Best System?
Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 19:23 Everyone will have their own answer to this question. This is my answer for me and is not intended to disrupt anyone who has already found a method which suits them well.
I have spent most of the lockdown comparing the different dynamics of the most popular systems which have been promulgated on this website or in my books. I haven’t made any attempt to compare them with methods published elsewhere.
The first question I asked myself was “Which is best, No List, Day List, Long List or no time management system at all?
The vast majority of people in the world get on perfectly well without any time management system at all or with perhaps a few reminders at best. So the next question I had to ask myself was “Would I get on better with no system at all?”. In my case that is not a difficult question to answer. Long experience has taught me that without some form of system I very quickly descend into chaos. In fact that’s why I started investigating time management systems in the first place. For me, any system is better than no system.
So having established that I am much more effective with a system than without one, the next question was which type of system is best? No list, day list or long list?
I won’t go into all the ins and outs of my comparisons. Enough to say that long list was the clear winner, provided that:
- The list is comprehensive (which doesn’t mean it can’t be built up over a period)
- There is no chopping and changing of systems. By their very nature, long list systems need time to mature.
- The list is worked intuitively.
So the next question was naturally “Which is the best long list system for me”?
The most basic is Simple Scanning. I have in the past considered this to be the best as well as the simplest system. But it does have some disadvantages:
- It’s boring. This may sound a rather frivolous reason but one of the characteristics of a good system is that it maintains interest and motivation. Just going round and round a list gets to be a bit mind-numbing.
- There’s not enough encouragement to get moving on tasks which have been on the list for a long time.
- There’s also not enough encouragement to keep moving on tasks or projects which have been started
I don’t intend to review all the many long-list methods on this site. So I’ll move straight on to the winner, which is The Final Version Perfected (FVP). Why do I consider that to be better (a lot better) than Simple Scanning?
- It’s not boring. The way the list is processed keeps interest alive and encourages engagement with the individual tasks on the list as well as the list as a whole.
- The sorting method is designed so that every task on the list will get dealt with. The progress towards the early tasks on the list is inevitable. The algorithm used ensures this. So indefinite skipping over tasks is not possible.
- Once a task starts moving, the pressure is kept up on it until it is completed. This applies whether it is a new or an old task. It will deal equally well with small routine tasks and major projects. What’s more there is no need to differentiate between these when working the list.
One can get through an immense amount of work using this method.
I have found that the best and quickest way to use the list is not to use a question, but simply to use “standing out”. If you work it consistently the list will find its own balance.
N.B. I’ve been having problems getting the blog editor to open which has resulted in my not being able to add links to this post. I’ll add links as and when the glitch clears. Meanwhile you are advised to use the search box in the right margin to find the meaning of any terms you don’t understand.
Reader Comments (73)
Have you tried writing your notes and random thoughts directly into your FVP list?
After reading this post and learning more about FVP
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/8/the-perfect-time-management-system.html
I started doing this and taking meeting notes directly into my list. Afterwards I process my notes and cross them off as I either better define the action items, do the actions, or type out the notes I truly want to keep.
Thanks for your suggestion -- I will have a look at that.
At the moment Im feeling very comfortable in using a spiral A4 sized lined notebook (left page for rough notes and drawings and right page for FVP). I've also got the option of using and removing a page near the back if needing to make more extensive notes, e.g. meeting minutes. The key thing for me is to write the date in, helps for evidencing notes etc.
<< But as far as my favorite system - I just love AF1. I do use FVP and miss AF1. >>
The real question here is not which is the best system in the abstract, but which is the best system for you.
Which system makes you most productive?
I am putting everything I am committed to into it, including tasks that have been delegated to others and which I am monitoring. As such, I have a mixture of short, quick tasks and more focused work that requires uninterrupted time. A mix of busy-work and focused work, all of which need to be tackled.
Today, I put my focused work into a separate list, the idea being to divide up my day consciously between focused time and general time. I found that I am often getting swept up by the busy-work. I aim to put enough attention to the more focused list by going into focus-mode with the list and avoiding picking up tasks from the other general list when scanning.
Would love to hear from anyone with comments on this approach.
I have been doing that as well. Listing my focused time tasks on an index card for the day which I see throughout the day. It is a goose to my intuition to select some of those tasks on some passes.
<< Today, I put my focused work into a separate list, the idea being to divide up my day consciously between focused time and general time. >>
If this works well for you then stick to it. But personally I prefer to have everything on one list because I don't make the distinction between focused work and non-focused work. All my work is focused work. And my leisure stuff is focused too.
When focused work is broken down into "short, quick tasks", does that make it "busy work"? Or can you think of anything you need to have more focus for than how to get to the next level in your current favourite computer game?
Here's my index card system. It's been working very well for me.
http://www.moehrbetter.com/uploads/8/9/0/3/890360/index_card_system.pdf
I also have a small notebook that I use FVP-style. The cards serve as project placeholders, and also are where I keep specific project tasks. The notebook is both the master control and place for one-off tasks. For example, the notebook would say "Firepower", which, if selected and dotted, would lead me to the project index card for the next steps.
1) What do you use your sticky notes for?
2) How do you use that cool homemade die?
I am so excited to dive into your desk! thanks so much for sharing.
https://blog.cabreraresearch.org/solving-st
Also, why I still use a hybrid of paper and digital...
http://www.moehrbetter.com/blog/systems-mapping-using-physical-objects
As for your questions:
1) I now keep a stack of blank index cards on top of my sticky notes. I don't use stickies much anymore, and I'm much happier. I found I was putting things on stickies to remind me of things that were on my lists, lol. So, when something new comes in where I would have reached for a sticky, I now see the index cards. It broke the pattern. Instead of a random sticky, I now either make a new project card, or add the new task/info to an existing card, or add it to my FVP notebook. Funnel things towards you, instead of continually spreading out, right? :)
2) The die has six sides (obviously). Whichever side is up is what I'm working on now. It's about being more intentional. The sides I have are:
- Billable (freelance)
- Project (personal, but building something tangible)
- Connect (reach out to actual people, to maintain or build relationships)
- Daily mese-en-place ("everything in it's place", so cleaning up, or working on systems)
- Wandering (conscious serendipity, but choosing to actually do it, and then stop)
- Rest & Recharge (I flip it to that side at the end of the day, and it "closes the shop")
I have fallen in love with using physical objects to help manage my work. I've used so many digital tools, and still do, but there is something about writing and doodling by hand, and moving objects around. It really engages me with the work, and reduces the resistance to almost nil. For task management, I like paper. For collecting reference and doing serious writing, it's digital.
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Another topic, have you thought about setting up a zoom call. I am sure it will be interesting to have a discussion about fvp and time management in general. I am more than willing to help to set it up if you require.
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Nico, if you or anyone else were willing to set up a call, I'd join it enthusiastically (I don't feel up to organizing such a thing myself).
It would be great to put a face and/or voice to some of the names on this forum - including some I've been seeing for years.
Chris
How long should I spend on each item before moving on?
I have the Get Everything Done book which discusses bursts and cycling through time periods (e.g. 5 minutes, then 10, etc). Is this approach suitable for use in combination with FVP?
Thanks
http://markforster.squarespace.com/final-version-faqs/basic-system/what-does-little-and-often-mean.html
It depends on your task of course. You can choose to spend a long time on one task but usually not.
I have found FV / FVP to be incredibly fast systems which gives me a palpable sense of extreme productivity whenever I'm using them. So much so, that I spent some time thinking about why.
For me, the key is resistance, which I tent to feel very strongly. By separating the "choosing" from the "doing" so discretely, FV pretty much eliminates resistance for me, After all, when I'm just scanning the list and dotting tasks, I'm not really contemplating doing them right now - I'm just comparing them in a more abstract way. Dotting a task does not mean I'm just about to do it, because other tasks may join the chain later in the scanning process, so who cares? The scanning process is fun and does not generate any resistance all.
Once I'm working the list, I tend to feel minimal resistance as well. If I am using FV I just do the tasks in order - a previous me has done the decision making so I don't need to engage in any "contemplation" of the tasks before doing them. Finish one, cross it out, re-enter if necessary then start on the next.
This separation is behind why I generally prefer FV to FVP. In FVP, I have to engage with the list each time I complete a task, so the doing and choosing processes are more closely linked in my mind and resistance has a chance to surface. If I'm feeling relaxed already, I may switch to FVP because it does produce a more "optimal" path through the list, but in general if I feel my FV chain isn't optimal I can always do a small amount of work on tasks in the chain to allow the "choosing" process to restart.
Resistance, for me, isn't something that just stops me doing things. It's an unpleasant and disempowering feeling in its own right. Having a system which all but removes the feeling from my daily life hasn't just made me more productive (a LOT more productive), it has also given me greater peace of mind in general which, dare a say it, has made me a better person overall.
Thanks Mark.
You're making some very good points about resistance, and I agree with you that overcoming resistance is the key factor in time management.
What you are doing sounds very much like a system which I often use called Fast FVP. I think it's been described at some stage back in the past on this blog, but the way I use currently is as follows:
I use FV, but any time I want to I can scan from the task I have just done as in FVP.
To do this is simply a matter of looking at the next FV task to be done, and if I don't want to do it straight away for any reason I switch to FVP scanning instead. Once I have added the further dots I go back to FV.
I think it needs a new name because "Fast FVP" suggests that the emphasis is on FVP, while in fact it's on FV and FVP is only used when necessary. Suggestions anyone?
>> To do this is simply a matter of looking at the next FV task to be done, and if I don't want to do it straight away for any reason I switch to FVP scanning instead. Once I have added the further dots I go back to FV. <<
What do you do if nothing stands out to be done after the next marked task that you don't want to do straight away, in order to maintain the integrity of the order of the selection? (I suppose the question pertains whether you're doing FV or FVP)
I can't answer for Mark, but I do the smallest amount possible on the next marked task, then re-enter and move on.
Adam
>>
I think it needs a new name because "Fast FVP" suggests that the emphasis is on FVP, ...
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Also, "Fast FVP" is already the name of another version of FVP:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2016/12/21/fast-fvp.html
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2018/1/6/change-to-fast-fvp.html
"Flexible FV" seems prretty good.
Chris
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2017/4/29/no-question-fvp.html
If so, maybe it would help some newcomers like me to link to it?
I didn't link to it for the reason given at the end of the post, i.e. my browser for some reason at the time wasn't allowing me to open the editor to make links. In any case the article you reference is not necessary for understanding what I was saying.