Discussion Forum > Other people?
I would agree with Hannah that if you are working closely with someone else and in my case I am in a new job and being taught the ropes by a supervisor, it can be very difficult maintaining a closed list. This is especially difficult if the other person's time management skills are hopeless and they skip from one task to another all over the place. Perhaps you just have to build time into the day for the 'unscheduled tasks' and , therefore, not put too much on your known closed list to start with . Or is that not allowed?
October 20, 2006 at 18:51 |
Debbie
Debbie
This is a very good point raised by Hannah and Debbie. What do you do when someone (boss, supervisor, nearest and dearest, child, parent, etc.) wants you to do something *now* even though you don't regard it as urgent?
The answer is that you adopt the other person's assessment of its urgency, provided (and it's a big proviso) that you have decided that it's your policy to do so. In most work situations for example it would be a foolish employee who ignored their boss's instruction that they wanted something on their desk "by close of play today".
Remember, there are three degrees of urgency for DIT purposes. 1) immediate 2) same day 3) everything else. Ideally we would like as much as possible to fall in the "everything else" category because then we can deal with it in a closed list. But realistically there are always going to be immediate and same day items. It's your decision what those should be - and it helps to have a clear policy on what you allow into those categories.
Each of the three different degrees of urgency has a different way of dealing with it:
1) Immediate - drop everything and get on with it.
2) Same day - write it down below the line in your Task Diary for today and deal with it at an appropriate moment during the day.
3) Everything else - write it down in your Task Diary for tomorrow.
The answer is that you adopt the other person's assessment of its urgency, provided (and it's a big proviso) that you have decided that it's your policy to do so. In most work situations for example it would be a foolish employee who ignored their boss's instruction that they wanted something on their desk "by close of play today".
Remember, there are three degrees of urgency for DIT purposes. 1) immediate 2) same day 3) everything else. Ideally we would like as much as possible to fall in the "everything else" category because then we can deal with it in a closed list. But realistically there are always going to be immediate and same day items. It's your decision what those should be - and it helps to have a clear policy on what you allow into those categories.
Each of the three different degrees of urgency has a different way of dealing with it:
1) Immediate - drop everything and get on with it.
2) Same day - write it down below the line in your Task Diary for today and deal with it at an appropriate moment during the day.
3) Everything else - write it down in your Task Diary for tomorrow.
October 21, 2006 at 12:30 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Thanks Debbie and Mark. What you both say is very useful.
The other side of what I was meaning, is to do with differences of opinion over 'how' something should be done. Possibly more to do with other family members than colleagues, if I want to follow the DIT methods while say, my husband, has very different views on how things should be done then how do you work around this?
I'm thinking for instance of decluttering, or the ways things are organised, etc. If we have very different views on what the priorities should be or how things should be done, then how do you reach agreement while still following the DIT methods?
Any ideas please?
The other side of what I was meaning, is to do with differences of opinion over 'how' something should be done. Possibly more to do with other family members than colleagues, if I want to follow the DIT methods while say, my husband, has very different views on how things should be done then how do you work around this?
I'm thinking for instance of decluttering, or the ways things are organised, etc. If we have very different views on what the priorities should be or how things should be done, then how do you reach agreement while still following the DIT methods?
Any ideas please?
October 21, 2006 at 15:58 |
Hannah R
Hannah R
I'm not sure I understand the question, Hannah. Can you give a concrete example of how this might manifest itself?
October 21, 2006 at 17:50 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi Mark
Well, if I think that we should establish routines for dealing with new stuff before dealing with the backlog and say my husband thinks we should clear the backlog first (and is sure this is the right way!) how would you suggest we proceed.
Or in another example, say I want to handle organising something one way and he wants to do it a different way (e.g. where to keep the paperwork) then how do you work out a system that will keep everyone happy.
People are different and what works for one may not work for another and so sometimes it is hard to work out what can suit everyone.
Is this a bit clearer?
Well, if I think that we should establish routines for dealing with new stuff before dealing with the backlog and say my husband thinks we should clear the backlog first (and is sure this is the right way!) how would you suggest we proceed.
Or in another example, say I want to handle organising something one way and he wants to do it a different way (e.g. where to keep the paperwork) then how do you work out a system that will keep everyone happy.
People are different and what works for one may not work for another and so sometimes it is hard to work out what can suit everyone.
Is this a bit clearer?
October 21, 2006 at 23:34 |
Hannah R
Hannah R
I think this is more a communication problem than a time management one. You might find Nancy Kline's book "Time to Think" helpful here. You can find it in my Bookstore.
Remember the aim is to clear the backlog. As long as you clear it, it doesn't really matter how you do it.
Remember the aim is to clear the backlog. As long as you clear it, it doesn't really matter how you do it.
October 22, 2006 at 8:28 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Thanks Mark
I'll check it out...
I'll check it out...
October 23, 2006 at 22:17 |
Hannah R
Hannah R
One thing that I have been meaning to figure out for a while now is how do you make DIT techniques work when other people's agendas and habits may be very different from the ones you're trying to develop?
For instance, other people's ways of doing things may be quite different from my own or the ones you suggest and when they are family members it isn't always possible, or desirable, to insist that I am right and they are wrong.
Any ideas on how to progress with the DIT methods and aims while still getting on with family and colleagues?