Discussion Forum > My System: Context Autofocus (CAF)
+JMJ+
DISCUSSION AND TIPS
Many of us who have tried Mark's systems will agree that AF1 is one of the most brilliant task management systems that has ever been devised. It is simple, effective, efficient, and easy to use. It can be almost addictive, in fact. Yet all who have used it for sometime will note that it has major flaws. Mark Forster himself summarized these flaws in http://www.markforster.net/blog/2011/1/24/review-of-the-systems-autofocus-1.html as
1) "a strong tendency for easy tasks to be done at the expense of more difficult ones"
2) "poor at handling urgent tasks"
3) "[poor at handling] tasks which needed to be done in a particular order"
Now as I had originally mentioned, CAF was originally conceived as an emulation of SF into a "one-column" format, but when Jupiter noted that the initial form of the system was giving her procrastination issues, I realized that trying to tie in the system into SF was limiting its development. I then realized that slowly and surely the system's development was directly answering the weaknesses of AF1, and therefore I pushed the development to that direction. I will now discuss how these issues are being addressed by CAF
I. Urgent Items
The issue most obviously tackled by CAF is of course AF's weakness to process urgent tasks. The philosophy behind CAF's handling of urgent task is to acknowledge that AF1 can NEVER handle urgent tasks adequately. Therefore, urgent tasks are now handled by a system that can handle urgent tasks efficiently and effectively: AF2.
However, from my experience, AF2 can NEVER handle anything aside from urgent items effectively and efficiently. Therefore, AF2 mode now handles urgent items only by making sure we have marked urgent items for AF2's use.
An unintended benefit of how CAF handles urgent items is that it brings home one fundamental rule about urgent items: urgent tasks most of the time disrupt meaningful work. On one hand, going to AF2 mode draws you away from processing the list AF1 style, and the more you mark as urgent, the longer you stay away from AF1 mode, so the system gives one some psychological resistance to going to AF2 mode. On the other hand, because of the efficiency and effectiveness of how it processes urgent items, once you DO have to work on urgent items, you tackle those urgent items with confidence.
Moreover, there are more unexpected advantages with using AF2 mode, and we will discuss those later.
II. Difficult Items
One of the main reasons why SFv.3 is so successful is that one is FORCED to handle difficult tasks because of the rule that C2 items must be done before going to the next page. This forces little and often which is the major tenet of all AF. However, some have noted that resistance builds up in using SF as time goes by. I think a main reason is because of this "forcing": it is too urgent, unfinished tasks are resented to the user again and again upon going to the next page. That can cause burn-out. Another reason that I had also mentioned is the disruption of the "closed list effect":
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1512937
How CAF handles Unfinished tasks is a more mellow way of handling difficult tasks but still does not excuse the user from not doing them, since you cannot get to the next pages without doing them.
1) It takes longer for the user to get to the Unfinished tasks, removing some of the pressure.
2) Doing the Unfinished tasks reduces the number of tasks present in the current page, unlike in SF where this is not guaranteed.
3) Not requiring the user to do all the unfinished items at the page of the end of the list further relieves pressure while at the same time presents the user opportunities to reduce his/her unfinished tasks before it become compulsory.
III. Contexts
There are of course other effective ways to reduce resistance in doing difficult work. The long-time staple for this is planning and project making. Another is Alan Baljeu's "Micro Goals" idea:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1302019
Another is Erik's "Chaining/Bucketing" idea found in his videos:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1198224
Another is the use of checklists:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1253799
Unfortunately, these cannot be adequately be done in AF1 because THIS is the third of AF1's weaknesses, "[poor at handling] tasks which needed to be done in a particular order." In other words, AF1 cannot handle <contexts>, because different items in a certain context, like for example different items in a project, can be scattered across the list. In fact, NONE of Mark's systems, in my opinion, can adequately handle this.
However, early in my use of it, I realized that CAF can address this weakness PRECISELY because of AF2 mode. If you have studied the steps of CAF closely, you might notice that while AF1 mode is limited to one page at a time, AF2 has NO such limitation. Therefore, if upon entering your tasks you have identified their contexts (like, for example, entering them as "Project/Context: Task"), then you just have to look for those tasks with the same contexts and mark some of them as Urgent, then work on them in AF2 mode.
I have posted an example of this here: http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1511935
Now, with CAF, I have no separate checklists for recurrent tasks, yet I still do them at the correct time. I still have project files but they contain only information and overviews; the tasks are all in my CAF list. And indeed, these project files are just written at the back of my notebook! My errands lists are incorporated into the list: I do not need a separate shopping list. I do not need to have separate AF lists for work and home, they are incorporated into one list. I use Alan's Micro Goals idea frequently with this, allowing me to plow through previously difficult tasks.
Because of all of these, one major effect of this unique ability to handle contexts is that all that I need to know to do things for today are in one place, and I thus feel what Gerry observed when you have everything written in one place: confidence, efficiency, and stability.
This unique ability of the system is the reason I have named it Context Autofocus (I do not like to use Context Focus, as the abbreviation CF reminds me too much of that horrible disease Cystic Fibrosis).
----
Anyways, that is all I can think of saying about CAF.
Now that's over with, I can now study the newest craze in Mf's forums: How to Make Your Dreams Come True ^___^
God bless.
DISCUSSION AND TIPS
Many of us who have tried Mark's systems will agree that AF1 is one of the most brilliant task management systems that has ever been devised. It is simple, effective, efficient, and easy to use. It can be almost addictive, in fact. Yet all who have used it for sometime will note that it has major flaws. Mark Forster himself summarized these flaws in http://www.markforster.net/blog/2011/1/24/review-of-the-systems-autofocus-1.html as
1) "a strong tendency for easy tasks to be done at the expense of more difficult ones"
2) "poor at handling urgent tasks"
3) "[poor at handling] tasks which needed to be done in a particular order"
Now as I had originally mentioned, CAF was originally conceived as an emulation of SF into a "one-column" format, but when Jupiter noted that the initial form of the system was giving her procrastination issues, I realized that trying to tie in the system into SF was limiting its development. I then realized that slowly and surely the system's development was directly answering the weaknesses of AF1, and therefore I pushed the development to that direction. I will now discuss how these issues are being addressed by CAF
I. Urgent Items
The issue most obviously tackled by CAF is of course AF's weakness to process urgent tasks. The philosophy behind CAF's handling of urgent task is to acknowledge that AF1 can NEVER handle urgent tasks adequately. Therefore, urgent tasks are now handled by a system that can handle urgent tasks efficiently and effectively: AF2.
However, from my experience, AF2 can NEVER handle anything aside from urgent items effectively and efficiently. Therefore, AF2 mode now handles urgent items only by making sure we have marked urgent items for AF2's use.
An unintended benefit of how CAF handles urgent items is that it brings home one fundamental rule about urgent items: urgent tasks most of the time disrupt meaningful work. On one hand, going to AF2 mode draws you away from processing the list AF1 style, and the more you mark as urgent, the longer you stay away from AF1 mode, so the system gives one some psychological resistance to going to AF2 mode. On the other hand, because of the efficiency and effectiveness of how it processes urgent items, once you DO have to work on urgent items, you tackle those urgent items with confidence.
Moreover, there are more unexpected advantages with using AF2 mode, and we will discuss those later.
II. Difficult Items
One of the main reasons why SFv.3 is so successful is that one is FORCED to handle difficult tasks because of the rule that C2 items must be done before going to the next page. This forces little and often which is the major tenet of all AF. However, some have noted that resistance builds up in using SF as time goes by. I think a main reason is because of this "forcing": it is too urgent, unfinished tasks are resented to the user again and again upon going to the next page. That can cause burn-out. Another reason that I had also mentioned is the disruption of the "closed list effect":
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1512937
How CAF handles Unfinished tasks is a more mellow way of handling difficult tasks but still does not excuse the user from not doing them, since you cannot get to the next pages without doing them.
1) It takes longer for the user to get to the Unfinished tasks, removing some of the pressure.
2) Doing the Unfinished tasks reduces the number of tasks present in the current page, unlike in SF where this is not guaranteed.
3) Not requiring the user to do all the unfinished items at the page of the end of the list further relieves pressure while at the same time presents the user opportunities to reduce his/her unfinished tasks before it become compulsory.
III. Contexts
There are of course other effective ways to reduce resistance in doing difficult work. The long-time staple for this is planning and project making. Another is Alan Baljeu's "Micro Goals" idea:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1302019
Another is Erik's "Chaining/Bucketing" idea found in his videos:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1198224
Another is the use of checklists:
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1253799
Unfortunately, these cannot be adequately be done in AF1 because THIS is the third of AF1's weaknesses, "[poor at handling] tasks which needed to be done in a particular order." In other words, AF1 cannot handle <contexts>, because different items in a certain context, like for example different items in a project, can be scattered across the list. In fact, NONE of Mark's systems, in my opinion, can adequately handle this.
However, early in my use of it, I realized that CAF can address this weakness PRECISELY because of AF2 mode. If you have studied the steps of CAF closely, you might notice that while AF1 mode is limited to one page at a time, AF2 has NO such limitation. Therefore, if upon entering your tasks you have identified their contexts (like, for example, entering them as "Project/Context: Task"), then you just have to look for those tasks with the same contexts and mark some of them as Urgent, then work on them in AF2 mode.
I have posted an example of this here: http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1511935
Now, with CAF, I have no separate checklists for recurrent tasks, yet I still do them at the correct time. I still have project files but they contain only information and overviews; the tasks are all in my CAF list. And indeed, these project files are just written at the back of my notebook! My errands lists are incorporated into the list: I do not need a separate shopping list. I do not need to have separate AF lists for work and home, they are incorporated into one list. I use Alan's Micro Goals idea frequently with this, allowing me to plow through previously difficult tasks.
Because of all of these, one major effect of this unique ability to handle contexts is that all that I need to know to do things for today are in one place, and I thus feel what Gerry observed when you have everything written in one place: confidence, efficiency, and stability.
This unique ability of the system is the reason I have named it Context Autofocus (I do not like to use Context Focus, as the abbreviation CF reminds me too much of that horrible disease Cystic Fibrosis).
----
Anyways, that is all I can think of saying about CAF.
Now that's over with, I can now study the newest craze in Mf's forums: How to Make Your Dreams Come True ^___^
God bless.
June 13, 2011 at 21:43 |
nuntym
nuntym
Thanks for sharing. This is a massive post, and it will take a while for me to provide complete feedback. One question so far. This is confusing me:
Under B. AF2 mode, you write:
1. If you have just arrived in AF1/Forward mode to your Current Page either from AF2/Backward mode or from a preceding page in AF1/Forward mode, then you cannot mark any item as urgent until either (1) you mark at least one item in your Current Page as Urgent, or (2) cross out at least one item in the Current Page, or (3) dismiss the Current Page.
Can you be more explicit about the situations when this applies?
Under B. AF2 mode, you write:
1. If you have just arrived in AF1/Forward mode to your Current Page either from AF2/Backward mode or from a preceding page in AF1/Forward mode, then you cannot mark any item as urgent until either (1) you mark at least one item in your Current Page as Urgent, or (2) cross out at least one item in the Current Page, or (3) dismiss the Current Page.
Can you be more explicit about the situations when this applies?
June 14, 2011 at 17:10 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
+JMJ+
Hi Alan,
<<Can you be more explicit about the situations when this applies? >>
This rule is one of two (the other being A. Forward/AF1 Mode Rule #9) that helps minimize temptation to invent "urgent" items so that one goes to AF2 mode all the time as a means to escape AF1 mode. I unfortunately found the hard way that Mark's observation on AF2 that "it was even more liable than AF1 to favour easy tasks over more difficult ones" is true. That could also have been the problem Jupiter had with her procrastination issues.
Anyways the effect of these two rules is that going to AF2 mode will have consequences that are conducive to getting things done rather than getting things fallow. You cannot go to AF2 mode repeatedly without either acting on at least one task your current page or dismissing the current page each time.
God bless.
Hi Alan,
<<Can you be more explicit about the situations when this applies? >>
This rule is one of two (the other being A. Forward/AF1 Mode Rule #9) that helps minimize temptation to invent "urgent" items so that one goes to AF2 mode all the time as a means to escape AF1 mode. I unfortunately found the hard way that Mark's observation on AF2 that "it was even more liable than AF1 to favour easy tasks over more difficult ones" is true. That could also have been the problem Jupiter had with her procrastination issues.
Anyways the effect of these two rules is that going to AF2 mode will have consequences that are conducive to getting things done rather than getting things fallow. You cannot go to AF2 mode repeatedly without either acting on at least one task your current page or dismissing the current page each time.
God bless.
June 14, 2011 at 17:33 |
nuntym
nuntym
"The mere presence of Urgent items is the trigger for going to AF2/Backward mode"
"4. Work backwards from the last Urgent item looking <at each Urgent task ONLY> in turn until an Urgent task “stands out”."
Um, so as soon as there is one urgent item, I go to the end and work on all the urgent items. But of course there is only one, and it's the last thing on the list.
This doesn't quite make sense to me.
"4. Work backwards from the last Urgent item looking <at each Urgent task ONLY> in turn until an Urgent task “stands out”."
Um, so as soon as there is one urgent item, I go to the end and work on all the urgent items. But of course there is only one, and it's the last thing on the list.
This doesn't quite make sense to me.
June 14, 2011 at 19:08 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
+JMJ+
Alan,
<<Um, so as soon as there is one urgent item, I go to the end and work on all the urgent items. But of course there is only one, and it's the last thing on the list.
This doesn't quite make sense to me. >>
Which illustrates the point that I had made in the discussion: "urgent tasks most of the time disrupt meaningful work."
An urgent task is a task that you have to do right this instant, which means you have to drop whatever you are doing to do it. Therefore, urgent tasks can disrupt your concentration at work. The premise of the whole set-up of CAF is to minimize the intrusion of urgent tasks into your work by making it a hassle for you to leave AF1 mode in the first place, and yet if the task is urgent and important enough to warrant breaking from AF1, then it will help you to tag even more urgent tasks if needed so you can get all of them at one go, finish those urgent tasks efficiently and effectively, and then return you to your previous working groove.
AND YET, the system is still set up to be conducive to using AF2 mode for breaking through hard tasks using techniques like project handling, bucketing/chaining, and micro-goals.
I hope that makes more sense ^___^
God bless.
Alan,
<<Um, so as soon as there is one urgent item, I go to the end and work on all the urgent items. But of course there is only one, and it's the last thing on the list.
This doesn't quite make sense to me. >>
Which illustrates the point that I had made in the discussion: "urgent tasks most of the time disrupt meaningful work."
An urgent task is a task that you have to do right this instant, which means you have to drop whatever you are doing to do it. Therefore, urgent tasks can disrupt your concentration at work. The premise of the whole set-up of CAF is to minimize the intrusion of urgent tasks into your work by making it a hassle for you to leave AF1 mode in the first place, and yet if the task is urgent and important enough to warrant breaking from AF1, then it will help you to tag even more urgent tasks if needed so you can get all of them at one go, finish those urgent tasks efficiently and effectively, and then return you to your previous working groove.
AND YET, the system is still set up to be conducive to using AF2 mode for breaking through hard tasks using techniques like project handling, bucketing/chaining, and micro-goals.
I hope that makes more sense ^___^
God bless.
June 14, 2011 at 19:28 |
nuntym
nuntym
"it will help you to tag even more urgent tasks if needed " I missed that part. How does it do this?
June 14, 2011 at 19:52 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
+JMJ+
Alan,
If you get to the last part of the second post, "III. Contexts," I advocate listing tasks in the format "Context/Project: Task" so that tagging items as Urgent in a context will be easier later.
As a common example for me, I realize that my favorite pen has run out and I have to buy new ones, so I write "• E: pens" at the end of my CAF list, with the heavy dot before it signifying that I am going out to buy it now. Now, "E" is my context tag for "errands" so I scan my list and look for other tasks tagged with "E" before them, decide whether I need to buy them or not, and if I do I place a heavy dot before each, closing the Urgent items list with a double dot to the item furthest from the end of the CAF list. I now have a shopping list embedded in my CAF list, and off I go.
I hope that example made it clearer.
Hmm, maybe I should have added that to my instructions.
God bless.
Alan,
If you get to the last part of the second post, "III. Contexts," I advocate listing tasks in the format "Context/Project: Task" so that tagging items as Urgent in a context will be easier later.
As a common example for me, I realize that my favorite pen has run out and I have to buy new ones, so I write "• E: pens" at the end of my CAF list, with the heavy dot before it signifying that I am going out to buy it now. Now, "E" is my context tag for "errands" so I scan my list and look for other tasks tagged with "E" before them, decide whether I need to buy them or not, and if I do I place a heavy dot before each, closing the Urgent items list with a double dot to the item furthest from the end of the CAF list. I now have a shopping list embedded in my CAF list, and off I go.
I hope that example made it clearer.
Hmm, maybe I should have added that to my instructions.
God bless.
June 14, 2011 at 20:16 |
nuntym
nuntym
Thanks for sharing this, nuntym.
I always tend to drift back to electronic approaches because I work with computers all day (I'm using ToodleDo right now) and this system, because of the single-column-per-page AF1 approach, seems well suited to that.
I've been trying the system out this morning and I'm liking it so far. Will let you know how it goes.
I especially like this idea of switching into a Context when you have to do an urgent task anyway.
For example, if I have to stop working in my office to urgently do something in the kitchen then I'm finding that knocking off a few other kitchen tasks while I am there is really quite efficient.
I always tend to drift back to electronic approaches because I work with computers all day (I'm using ToodleDo right now) and this system, because of the single-column-per-page AF1 approach, seems well suited to that.
I've been trying the system out this morning and I'm liking it so far. Will let you know how it goes.
I especially like this idea of switching into a Context when you have to do an urgent task anyway.
For example, if I have to stop working in my office to urgently do something in the kitchen then I'm finding that knocking off a few other kitchen tasks while I am there is really quite efficient.
June 15, 2011 at 13:22 |
Frank
Frank
Lately I have been trying a variation derived from SuperFocus by first splitting the C2 into a separate list, second Switching between the lists, and third altering the rules of both lists. The Practical effect resembles nuntym's approach and I'm drawing inspiration from it. In one example, when something is identified as urgent, I scan forward the C1 list for that thing and simultaneously pick up other ready items for the C2 list.
There's more to this of course, and I wouldn't recommend anyone try that as it only makes sense after several other rule changes.
There's more to this of course, and I wouldn't recommend anyone try that as it only makes sense after several other rule changes.
June 15, 2011 at 13:44 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I will read this thread again tomorrow.
Thank you, nuntym.
Thank you, nuntym.
June 15, 2011 at 18:36 |
IL
IL
Nuntym: I think I read your instructions about 5 to 7 times, before the rules sank in. To the newbie, there is some system overhead that needs to be deployed and used daily before it becomes a habit. Thank you very much for the immense effort and generosity in sharing your system and tweaks.
I must say I like it, but like Alan, I find it a real pain to do that single urgent task at the end of the list. But that is the intended effect, as you say. And makes you think what else you can knock off while you're there. For example, doing an online money transfer, you could easily knock off that quick email from Gmail in another browser tab. So maybe a tag line "online" to tasks of that nature might work.
But I still don't see how you could have home and work tasks in a single notebook. Do you have a special tag to separate the two? What if an entire page is made up of home tasks you couldn't possibly do at work. That's a technical glitch in the system, no?
In any event, thanks again! I'm giving it a whirl for a while. I like the change of pace when switching. You can breathe again after the urgent stuff gets done, and get on with your closed lists and unfinished's.
I must say I like it, but like Alan, I find it a real pain to do that single urgent task at the end of the list. But that is the intended effect, as you say. And makes you think what else you can knock off while you're there. For example, doing an online money transfer, you could easily knock off that quick email from Gmail in another browser tab. So maybe a tag line "online" to tasks of that nature might work.
But I still don't see how you could have home and work tasks in a single notebook. Do you have a special tag to separate the two? What if an entire page is made up of home tasks you couldn't possibly do at work. That's a technical glitch in the system, no?
In any event, thanks again! I'm giving it a whirl for a while. I like the change of pace when switching. You can breathe again after the urgent stuff gets done, and get on with your closed lists and unfinished's.
June 16, 2011 at 15:56 |
JD
JD
@JD, Home and Work is just another set of contexts. But, I do understand if you do not want to go to AF2 just to finish work or home items. That would keep you on AF2 mode all the time.
>>>
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1511935
1) At work. The nature of my work does not need heavy planning, and by the time I clock out, all outstanding work must be finished. By placing "••Work Diligently Til Timed Out" to the end of my list, and entering all work related tasks with a heavy dot, all other tasks without a dot, and just working on all tasks with a heavy dot ONLY, I eliminated the need for a separate list each for work and home:
Non-urgent task
+ Unfinished task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
- Urgent task
- Unfinished task
- Urgent task
- Urgent task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
••Work Diligently Til Timed Out
• Work-related task
• Work-related task
Errand for later
• Work-related task
Home Task
• Work-related task
>>>
http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1511843#item1511935
1) At work. The nature of my work does not need heavy planning, and by the time I clock out, all outstanding work must be finished. By placing "••Work Diligently Til Timed Out" to the end of my list, and entering all work related tasks with a heavy dot, all other tasks without a dot, and just working on all tasks with a heavy dot ONLY, I eliminated the need for a separate list each for work and home:
Non-urgent task
+ Unfinished task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
- Urgent task
- Unfinished task
- Urgent task
- Urgent task
Non-urgent task
Non-urgent task
••Work Diligently Til Timed Out
• Work-related task
• Work-related task
Errand for later
• Work-related task
Home Task
• Work-related task
June 16, 2011 at 19:15 |
Greenchutney
Greenchutney
Alan wrote <Lately I have been trying a variation derived from SuperFocus by first splitting the C2 into a separate list, second Switching between the lists, and third altering the rules of both lists.>
I've doing something similar so I can use Tooodledo for Windows (notebook/desktop) with Ultimate To-Do (Android smartphone)
'.1' Folders contain the SF LH column, '.* are the RH Urgentntasks, eg 5.* and 5.1, 6.* and 6.1
I try keep the length of these electronic lists in Toodledo Windows to about 25 items with and END OF PAGE task to tell me to start a new page.
I've doing something similar so I can use Tooodledo for Windows (notebook/desktop) with Ultimate To-Do (Android smartphone)
'.1' Folders contain the SF LH column, '.* are the RH Urgentntasks, eg 5.* and 5.1, 6.* and 6.1
I try keep the length of these electronic lists in Toodledo Windows to about 25 items with and END OF PAGE task to tell me to start a new page.
June 17, 2011 at 11:01 |
Roger J
Roger J
The tweaks seem to have settled on a happy version which resembles My old System, and resembles AF4R too. The rules are amazingly concise:
1. Write pages like in AF1. All pages are closed but the last one which is for entering new or urgent items. Add a second open page for Unfinished items. As pages fill up, always move forward. The last page is Unfinished, and the second last is new or urgent. All others are closed.
2. Start with a bookmark on the last closed page.
3. Visit pages in this order:
a) Unfinished page b) New/Urgent page c) bookmarked page.
4. When visiting a page, process at least one item:
a) Work on it, b) file it with a project, c) delete it.
5. Move the bookmark up one page. If at the first, move to the last closed page.
6. Go to rule 3.
1. Write pages like in AF1. All pages are closed but the last one which is for entering new or urgent items. Add a second open page for Unfinished items. As pages fill up, always move forward. The last page is Unfinished, and the second last is new or urgent. All others are closed.
2. Start with a bookmark on the last closed page.
3. Visit pages in this order:
a) Unfinished page b) New/Urgent page c) bookmarked page.
4. When visiting a page, process at least one item:
a) Work on it, b) file it with a project, c) delete it.
5. Move the bookmark up one page. If at the first, move to the last closed page.
6. Go to rule 3.
June 17, 2011 at 20:37 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Interesting, Alan & nuntym.
I've been away from these forums for a while, enjoying the "Dreams" process. This morning, I began to wonder how to tailor AF/SF to create a flexible reminder list compatible with Dreams' Pull Mode. The list's purpose would be to aid memory and mark one's place amid interruptions, not to drive projects to completion.
So far, the basic idea is let C2 be its own list, named "Now," written from the front of the notebook, while C1 is named "Later" and written from the back of the notebook. "Now" reminds me of the handful of urgent/unfinished tasks I've started work on, while "Later" reminds me of things to consider doing next. They are completely decoupled AF lists, so I can consult either one any time I want to, more of a record than a process.
If this leads anywhere, I will start a separate thread to follow it up.
I've been away from these forums for a while, enjoying the "Dreams" process. This morning, I began to wonder how to tailor AF/SF to create a flexible reminder list compatible with Dreams' Pull Mode. The list's purpose would be to aid memory and mark one's place amid interruptions, not to drive projects to completion.
So far, the basic idea is let C2 be its own list, named "Now," written from the front of the notebook, while C1 is named "Later" and written from the back of the notebook. "Now" reminds me of the handful of urgent/unfinished tasks I've started work on, while "Later" reminds me of things to consider doing next. They are completely decoupled AF lists, so I can consult either one any time I want to, more of a record than a process.
If this leads anywhere, I will start a separate thread to follow it up.
June 18, 2011 at 9:56 |
Bernie
Bernie
+JMJ+
So may I know the experiences of those who have tried CAF? ^__^
@JD: Sorry for the late reply, but, yes, Greenchutney is correct when it comes to my handling of work items. As you can see, my work situation lends well to my handling of work as "Urgent". But of course, there is no stopping you in using two notenooks, one for home and one for work ^___^
God bless.
So may I know the experiences of those who have tried CAF? ^__^
@JD: Sorry for the late reply, but, yes, Greenchutney is correct when it comes to my handling of work items. As you can see, my work situation lends well to my handling of work as "Urgent". But of course, there is no stopping you in using two notenooks, one for home and one for work ^___^
God bless.
June 23, 2011 at 9:13 |
nuntym
nuntym
nuntym, your system looks appealing but I have not tried any more SF variations, because I have been giving the reins to the "Dreams" process. Reading about your CAF, it does seem to have that "best of both worlds" quality. I will be interested to see how it works out for others.
June 24, 2011 at 3:17 |
Bernie
Bernie
Alan Baljeu wrote:
<< The tweaks seem to have settled on a happy version which resembles My old System, and resembles AF4R too. >>
Do you consider your tweaked version more AF1 or more SF, Alan?
Do you allow the "new" page to leapfrog the "unfinished/last" page?
That is when a new page gets full, do you open a "new" page after the "unfinished" page? or do you close the not yet full "unfinished" page and open another as "unfinished/last" page?
I alos read your rules to mean you can have a "new/urgent" page to be separated by a few closed pages from the "unfinished/last" page. Correct?
I seem to like this tweak more as I try to understand it. I would want to try it when my one month moratorium is up with current SF implementation on iRT GTasks Oultliner. ;-)
<< The tweaks seem to have settled on a happy version which resembles My old System, and resembles AF4R too. >>
Do you consider your tweaked version more AF1 or more SF, Alan?
Do you allow the "new" page to leapfrog the "unfinished/last" page?
That is when a new page gets full, do you open a "new" page after the "unfinished" page? or do you close the not yet full "unfinished" page and open another as "unfinished/last" page?
I alos read your rules to mean you can have a "new/urgent" page to be separated by a few closed pages from the "unfinished/last" page. Correct?
I seem to like this tweak more as I try to understand it. I would want to try it when my one month moratorium is up with current SF implementation on iRT GTasks Oultliner. ;-)
June 24, 2011 at 10:44 |
sabre23t
sabre23t
Do you consider your tweaked version more AF1 or more SF, Alan? YES
<Do you allow the "new" page to leapfrog the "unfinished/last" page?> NO
I would make a new Unfinished page, and the old Unfinished would become New.
<I alos read your rules to mean you can have a "new/urgent" page to be separated by a few closed pages from the "unfinished/last" page. Correct?> NO. While that might work, I have always kept the last two pages for new and unfinished.
(or thus variant: put both new and unfinished on the last page but keep them separate. Keep the flow of unfinished, new, bookmarked)
<I seem to like this tweak more as I try to understand it. I would want to try it when my one month moratorium is up with current SF implementation on iRT GTasks Oultliner. ;-)>
This will work well with iRT .
Myself I'm still flexing the rules. The idea is
1) the important and urgent stuff are usually those recently entered or worked on so stick with them
2) older stuff gets cleaned of critical tasks before they get old, so go through them occasionally
3) the obligation to pick something every page keeps the list tight.
2)
<Do you allow the "new" page to leapfrog the "unfinished/last" page?> NO
I would make a new Unfinished page, and the old Unfinished would become New.
<I alos read your rules to mean you can have a "new/urgent" page to be separated by a few closed pages from the "unfinished/last" page. Correct?> NO. While that might work, I have always kept the last two pages for new and unfinished.
(or thus variant: put both new and unfinished on the last page but keep them separate. Keep the flow of unfinished, new, bookmarked)
<I seem to like this tweak more as I try to understand it. I would want to try it when my one month moratorium is up with current SF implementation on iRT GTasks Oultliner. ;-)>
This will work well with iRT .
Myself I'm still flexing the rules. The idea is
1) the important and urgent stuff are usually those recently entered or worked on so stick with them
2) older stuff gets cleaned of critical tasks before they get old, so go through them occasionally
3) the obligation to pick something every page keeps the list tight.
2)
June 24, 2011 at 13:48 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
<< Do you consider your tweaked version more AF1 or more SF, Alan? YES >>
Ahem, is it more AF1 or more SF? Or the YES meant its 50% AF1 and 50% SF?
Perhaps you care to open a new thread on your tweak, Alan? Or is your new thread "AF FOR A PLANNER/DIARY" describing basically the same tweak with slightly different terminology? Instead of "bookmarked, new/urgent, unfinished" it's "bookmarked, yesterday, today"?
I don't really want to hijack nuntym's CAF thread. ;-)
Ahem, is it more AF1 or more SF? Or the YES meant its 50% AF1 and 50% SF?
Perhaps you care to open a new thread on your tweak, Alan? Or is your new thread "AF FOR A PLANNER/DIARY" describing basically the same tweak with slightly different terminology? Instead of "bookmarked, new/urgent, unfinished" it's "bookmarked, yesterday, today"?
I don't really want to hijack nuntym's CAF thread. ;-)
June 26, 2011 at 16:47 |
sabre23t
sabre23t
Yes the new thread is the same system with slight differences. It's closer to AF4R than those 2 systems.
June 26, 2011 at 19:30 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I had promised that I will publish the system I am using and developing one month after I started using it. To keep that promise, I now present Context Autofocus (CAF). Those who had followed the posts I made about it will note that there have been significant changes since I first developed it. The reasons for this are mainly a redirection of goals of the development: it originally was conceived as an emulation of SF, but since then, CAF has gradually developed as a direct answer to AF1's deficiencies (as noted by Mark Forster himself) while trying to maintain the look, feel, and ease of use of AF1.
SET-UP
1. You will need a notebook with 25-35 lines, a pen/pencil, and two bookmarks---preferably adhesive ones, like for example Post-its with different colors.
2. Decide on what symbols to use at the beginning of the items to mark urgent tasks, unfinished tasks, and new/recurrent tasks.
This is a major break from how my system started, but as you will see the results are still similar, yet the system has become more simple.
I suggest to use whatever symbol you use currently to mark your place in your AF/SF list (if you are using one) and use that as your symbol for Unfinished items, then use a symbol that you can write over the Unfinished symbol as your Urgent symbol. For example, I use a dash (-) for Unfinished tasks and a heavy dot (•) for Urgent tasks. Excellent alternatives are a dash (-) or a dot (•) for Unfinished, and a plus (+) for Urgent.
2. Write your tasks, one item per line. For New/Recurrent items, if you are using no marks to designate them, leave enough room at the left margin so that you can add your marks anytime on them. Designate the Unfinished items using the mark you've decided on earlier. For now, avoid using the Urgent mark.
3. Mark the page you are currently working on with one bookmark (hereon called the Current Bookmark), and mark the page where the end of the list is with the other bookmark (hereon called the End Bookmark).
PROCESSING: There are two modes for processing the list: AF1/Forward mode, and AF2/Backward mode. <The mere presence of Urgent items is the trigger for going to AF2/Backward mode.> If there are no Urgent Items, you are automatically in AF1/Forward mode.
A. Forward/AF1 mode: Go to your Current Bookmark and process the page AF1 style as originally described with some modifications. The following steps are lifted directly from http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/ with modifications enclosed in <>.
1. Read quickly through all the items on the Current Page without taking action on any of them.
2. Go through the Current Page more slowly looking at the items in order until one stands out for you. <Mark this item with the Unfinished symbol if not yet marked>.
3. Work on that item for as long as you feel like doing so.
4. Cross the item off the list, and re-enter it at the end of the list if you haven’t finished it, <but marked with the Unfinished symbol>.
5. Continue going round the same Current Page in the same way.
6. Don’t move onto the next page until (a) you complete a pass of the Current Page without any item standing out, (b) <there are no more Unfinished items left in the Current Page (this does not include the last page, or you will never leave that page since you are constantly adding Unfinished items to it)>.
7. Move onto the next page and repeat the process, <moving the Current Bookmark there>.
8. If you go to a page and no item stands out for you on your first pass through it, then all the outstanding items on that page are dismissed without re-entering them. (N.B.: This does not apply to the final page, on which you are still writing items). Use a highlighter to mark dismissed items, <or (as I do it), write a diagonal line across the page to designate the page as dismissed)>.
9. <Apply the dismissal rule above to your Current Page upon returning to it from AF2/Backward mode. That is, once you return to your Current Bookmark from AF2/Backward mode, if no item stands out upon first pass, dismiss it even though you have acted on items in the Current Page before you went to AF2/Backward mode>.
10. Once you’ve finished with the final page, re-start at the first page that is still active, <moving your Current Bookmark along>.
B. Backward/AF2 Mode: AF2/Backward Mode is triggered anytime there are Urgent Tasks (i.e. marked with the Urgent symbol). Some of the steps are lifted from http://www.markforster.net/blog/2009/6/27/autofocus-2-time-management-system-af2.html?SSScrollPosition=114 with modifications. Please note that there is no dismissal step in AF2/Backward mode.
1. If you have just arrived in AF1/Forward mode to your Current Page either from AF2/Backward mode or from a preceding page in AF1/Forward mode, then you cannot mark any item as urgent until either (1) you mark at least one item in your Current Page as Urgent, or (2) cross out at least one item in the Current Page, or (3) dismiss the Current Page.
2. Mark all urgent items with the Urgent symbol. The urgent task furthest away from the end of the list is marked doubly so (e.g. ++ or ••). If needed, write and mark new Urgent items at the end of the list.
3. Go to the End Bookmark and look for the last Urgent task.
4. Work backwards from the last Urgent item looking <at each Urgent task ONLY> in turn until an Urgent task “stands out”.
5. Do the Urgent task in whole or in part.
6. Re-enter the task if necessary either as an Urgent task or as an Unfinished task.
7. Return to the end of the list then repeat steps 3-6, marking new Urgent items if necessary and re-marking the Urgent task furthest away from the end of the list doubly if necessary, until ALL Urgent tasks are done.
8. Once all Urgent tasks are done, return to the Current Bookmark in AF1/Forward mode.
-----
In the next post I will discuss how CAF addresses the weaknesses of AF1, which will give insights on how to use this system effectively.
God bless.