Get Everything Done

I am trying my own system loosely based on AF1 using a free form notebook. It uses a daily plan with elements of DIT (a Will Do and a CI). Not really AF or DIT, it is arising out of my continuing use of Dreams. I realized there is no magic pill and while waiting for the Final Version, I have decided to reflect and think more about what elements work for me in the various systems and how to best use them in a way that supports the particular nature of academic work,.

Something I have become much more aware of (via coaching from my Future Self) is the importance of work context. My ADHD brain is able to better focus with *changes* in work environment. The need to change context depends on the type of work and how difficult it is for me (difficult = tedious or an overwhelming project not yet broken down into doable actions). While a GTDer, I never really found "context" to be useful, since as long as I am in my office I have most work contexts available to me. But now "context" has a somewhat different meaning and purpose.

While making my Daily Plan, I think about how much resistance I am feeling towards each task. I may go back and dialogue with my FS some more if the resistance is especially high. I think about the conditions that would reduce the resistance, based on past experience with that type of task, e.g., does it need to be broken down more (just get out the file)?

I now have a list of contexts in which I can be productive, ranging from my university and home offices to various libraries (with wifi and beautiful spaces) to cafes and outdoor space. I can also be amazingly productive in "transitional" contexts (e.g., riding the bus to work -- great at overcoming high resistance).

Each of these contexts is associated with different tools (iPad with 3G, net book needing wifi but not electricity, large laptop that needs access to an electrical outlet).

In planning my day, I match the resistance level with my tools and contexts. I have enough life experience now to have a fairly good idea of what might work.

Although this sounds like a "push" approach, I try to stay grounded in Dreams and my vision and my feelings. As part of using Dreams, I learned that I need the right kinds of structures to support my motivation and focus -- those that serve me, not vice versa. I have been afraid to take this step because I wanted to stay in "pull" mode, but this is where Dreams has led me. I think it would be easy for it to turn into "push" mode, which would no longer work for me. So the Dreams structures are the foundational ones.

Anyway, the GTD aspects are: breaking down things into granular next actions and associating the tasks quite tightly with contexts. But unlike GTD, the context is only assigned in the morning (or the night before) and it could be a different context for the same task tomorrow.

I am not sure if this is helpful, Avrum, since I am mostly starting with what I learned from Mark and bringing back a few things I learned from GTD.

@avrum: My brain needs a lot of novelty (stimulation) to function, so I am trying to build this into my system. I have had exactly the same experience you have, of needing to switch systems regularly. Like you, I am trying to find ways to build that need for change and novelty into a single system.

In my case, my late life diagnosis really helped, because I was able to learn that my brain is differently wired. I read a lot about what works for people like me, try things out, generalize my learning and build it into my work system.

Reading these fora has really helped and I am very grateful to Mark, who encourages this kind of reflection, and all of you who post about what you are learning about your work process. Avrum, you are one of those people and I thank you.