Lenten Challenge 2022

FINISHED! Congratulations to those that stayed the course

This year’s Lenten Challenge starts on Wednesday 2nd March and ends on Thursday 14th April, both dates inclusive.

The challenge is to keep to the same time management system for the whole period. You can enter the challenge by nominating which system you are going to follow in the Comments below. The system does not have to be one of mine. You can change your entry up until the start date (your local time).

This is not intended to imply, include or exclude any religious belief whatever.

Entries:

Eiron Page - Productivity Bingo +

Mrs Move Forward - DIT

Brenda - Autofocus 1

Michael von Feld - Autofocus 1

John R - DIT

Adam T - FVP

Aaron Hsu - Time Surfing

Alan Baljeu - GAP (Mark II)

JulieBulie - AF

Will - FVP

Seraphim - AF4R Experiments

tomcal - AF4R Experiments

vegheadjones - FVP

Fintan - DIT

Christoper - Autofocus 1

Brent - Adventure Mode

Paul MacNeil - Simple Scanning

avrum - Choose the Next Task

Caibre65 - Anchored AF2/FIFO Combination

Diana - FVP

Colin - Make Time - Highlight, Laser, Energise, Reflect

Virix - Weighted Randomizer

Sitkeys - AF4R

Mike Brown - Carl Pullein’s 8+2 prioritization and Time Sector system, implemented in Teux Deux

Margaret1 - CHECKLISTS

Eugenia - Simple Scanning

Austin - DMB

Belacqua - Superfocus

Brandon - How to Make Your Dreams Come True

Will - FVP (on MS To Do App)

Paul B from Canada - Spinning Plates

Cameron - Getting Things Done (late entry 7th March)

Mark Forster - Flexible Autofocus

Comments

[Paul MacNeil]

I'm out, going back to a combination of random and 5t.

[Sitkeys]

Superfocus worked so well for me when I was in school, so reading through all of http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/1421758 evoked a lot of memories and wanting to try it again. But it's the Lenten Challenge and this year I am dedicated to making it! AF4R it stays, while I collect ideas for how great SF can be when you combine it with AF4R... we shall see after easter! Good luck for you all who are still going with their chosen system!

[Aaron Hsu]

Well, unfortunately, I'm also out. I've decided to go back to using GTD.

[Seraphim]

I'm still muddling through with AF4R -- I posted a more detailed update here:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2787870#post2788761

[Seraphim]

Today I started going in a different direction -- a reconceptualization of AF4R with page types based on the Change Matrix rather than New / Old / Unfinished / Recurring. This has gone pretty far afield from the variant of AF4R that I was using, so I think this means I have failed the Lenten Challenge. :-)

[Michael vom Feld]

I‘m out.

[Eiron Page]

I am out. This is not because my system does not ordinarily work for me, but because there are a good many extenuating factors preventing life from being ordinary right now.

[Brandon]

I am out. Unfortunately, I caught Covid (flu-like symptoms for the better part of two weeks, mainly bedridden) followed by two weeks of going to bed as soon as possible after work with exhaustion. I had started using "Dreams", refreshed my journaling, to-do lists, and commenced Self-coaching - but it fell apart during the illness. I am recovered now; indeed I have just completed an excellent self-coaching session! But the momentum of a daily commitment is lost. Best wishes to everyone else and I will check in on other people's Lenten experiences. Next year I hope to be back!

[Virix]

I was thinking of sticking to the end, but I realised I really hadn't been using the weighted randomiser regularly over this period, so I'm out (as of 6 April).

Ultimately the randomiser gave me a feeling of working on too many things too slowly. And "difficult" things were often presented to me when I was in no mood (or low energy etc.) to do them, in which case I generally did a negligible amount of work or simply ignored the selection. I guess manually choosing what to do still works best for me. I do like my easily sorted spreadsheet of tasks, so I'll be keeping that around.

I'm currently trying out NQ-FVP, since Mark Forster's been talking about it recently.

[Sitkeys]

For the last week, I got my list out about twice... so, failed now. Until then, AF4R worked like a charm. I might need to give it another serious try! As for the challenge, I tried hard, but didn't make it. Best of luck to everyone still sticking to their system (and everyone else too, of course)

[Brenda]

I’m out.

[Alan Baljeu]

Final Day! I am happy to report I am faithfully executing my LAPS every day. However LAPS is not what I started the Lent with. The initial system (GAS mark II) was not fully gelled and I found it necessary to reboot midway through March.

LAPS’ aim, progressing what matters, is the same as my Goal Achievment Sytem (and Mark II), but it’s much lighter. It’s design is layered, with an extremely simple core makes it easy to stick to. The layers on top can always be changed up, but I haven’t needed to; they seem just right. I’ll explain over time in the forums.

[Mike Brown]

I'm still using Teux Deux to hold my daily task list and finding it very helpful since I'm mostly digital these days. As it's web based, I can use it at work; as there's an iOS app (but very basic) I can add stuff via my phone or iPad.

At the end of each day, I map out the 10 or so tasks I want to accomplish the next day. I've also taken to adding in my appointments at the top of the day's list; so when I look ahead 2 weeks in my calendar, I'll port over significant appointments/birthdays, etc. Helps me reinforce what's coming up.

Depending on the day, I'll rearrange the tasks in the list so they're in an approximate order of execution, taking into account meetings, project work, etc. Or, for a new task, I'll put it on tomorrow's task list (DIT!) or in one of Carl Pullein's Time Sectors divisions, which exist as persistent lists at the bottom of the screen: This Week, Next Week, This Month, Next Month, Long-term. On the weekend, I will pull tasks from when I think they need doing into the daily lists; Long-term is basically the longlist.

Anyway, I'm rather surprised I stuck with Txdx so consistently. Ease of entry, ease of marking something done, ease of moving the tasks around, editing, linking with URLs, etc. all helped with making me remaining consistent. Also, having a workflow for the tasks so I don't have to make so many decisions in the moment.

[Mrs Move Forward]

I am a huge DIT fan, so this was not a difficult challenge for me. Throw in some SS, some GTD, some decluttering of physical space. That latter is important, send a birthday card can be actioned in 30s or 1hr 40 depending on your underlying level of physical organisation ! I don't differentiate between work and non work, it all needs doing, so its all valid and important even if having a card box and stamps (1st/2nd/Euro and air mail stickers) in the same place (**ALL THE TIME**) sounds trivial to some.

I still have my backlog which feels overwhelming to me at times, and is a result of poor systems/no systems in earlier life. Still there are only 2 large-ish boxes and a small box on top, surely 10/15 mins a day will chip away at it. Its not like those houses we see on reality TV where people cant even walk into a room.. I put a bunny on the top of it today to make it seem less overwhelming! smiley face

So I cannot contemplate changing my system, in fact, I cling to it. I rule my diary now, and its not the other way round. Maybe next year I will feel embedded enough in DIT to try something new, but right now the thought of pages and pages of A4 scoring and un-scoring and dotting and what not would fry my brain, but I am delighted if its working for you.

I am setting my own "Non Lenten Challenge" - I hope to get rid of the 3 boxes which weigh so heavily on my mind, check in next March '23 for an update !

Then maybe next Lenten challenge I will change to a new system. But not till then.

thanks Mark