Discussion Forum > Rules and Daily Starting Point for DWM2
DWM2 rules
1. Use an ordinary notebook.
2. Have one continuous list of tasks.
CYCLE THROUGH THE LIST
3. Cycle through the list looking at the items in order until one stands out for you.
4. Work on that item for as long as you feel like doing so.
5. Cross the item off the list, and re-enter it at the end of the list if you haven't finished it.
6. When you enter a new task, put a mark next to it to show it is a new task (i.e. a black dot).
7. When you re-enter a task, leave out the black dot.
AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DAY
8. At the beginning of a new day, leave a blank line and enter the day's date on the next line.
9. Then dismiss any tasks written earlier than one week except those which are still marked with a black dot as new tasks. These may remain in the list for one month when eventually they are dismissed.
10. Now you are ready to take up the work on your list starting each day on the page where the first entry for the previous day is located.
Note on dismissed tasks: Dismissed tasks are just highlighted. Doing so, they are excluded from the normal processing of the list. They stay though in the list waiting for further revision which can take place at any time.
Reviewing dismissed tasks: On review you should consider carefully why they were rejected, whether they really need to be done at all, whether the time is ripe for them to be done, whether they distract from your main goals, and any other factors. When you do re-enter a dismissed item, it is often a good idea to break it down or re-phrase it in some way.
1. Use an ordinary notebook.
2. Have one continuous list of tasks.
CYCLE THROUGH THE LIST
3. Cycle through the list looking at the items in order until one stands out for you.
4. Work on that item for as long as you feel like doing so.
5. Cross the item off the list, and re-enter it at the end of the list if you haven't finished it.
6. When you enter a new task, put a mark next to it to show it is a new task (i.e. a black dot).
7. When you re-enter a task, leave out the black dot.
AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DAY
8. At the beginning of a new day, leave a blank line and enter the day's date on the next line.
9. Then dismiss any tasks written earlier than one week except those which are still marked with a black dot as new tasks. These may remain in the list for one month when eventually they are dismissed.
10. Now you are ready to take up the work on your list starting each day on the page where the first entry for the previous day is located.
Note on dismissed tasks: Dismissed tasks are just highlighted. Doing so, they are excluded from the normal processing of the list. They stay though in the list waiting for further revision which can take place at any time.
Reviewing dismissed tasks: On review you should consider carefully why they were rejected, whether they really need to be done at all, whether the time is ripe for them to be done, whether they distract from your main goals, and any other factors. When you do re-enter a dismissed item, it is often a good idea to break it down or re-phrase it in some way.
January 13, 2012 at 8:50 |
paco_pepe
paco_pepe
paco_pepe:
1) There's not much point in the "daily starting point" rule as the rate of circulation through the list is much faster than in AF1 as there's no circulating through individual pages.
2) There is no dismissal in DWM2. Once tasks go "over the waterfall" they are deleted.
1) There's not much point in the "daily starting point" rule as the rate of circulation through the list is much faster than in AF1 as there's no circulating through individual pages.
2) There is no dismissal in DWM2. Once tasks go "over the waterfall" they are deleted.
January 13, 2012 at 10:01 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
As far as I remember the rules of DWM 2 were:
You can use an ordinary notebook and have only one entry point as follows:
1. Have one continuous list of tasks as in Autofocus.
2. When you enter a new task, put a mark next to it to show it is a new task (e.g. a black dot).
3. When you re-enter a task, leave out the black dot.
4. At the beginning of a new day, leave a blank line and enter the day's date on the next line.
5. Then cross out any days earlier than one month previous, and dismiss any tasks which do not have black dots against them on pages earlier than one week previous.
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2010/10/26/my-favourite-time-management-system.html#comment10307721
My interpretation of #5 is:
All tasks that were entered more than one month ago are deleted and every task that was entered more than one week ago and that is not marked as new is dismissed.
Mark, did I miss a change in the rules of DWM 2?
You can use an ordinary notebook and have only one entry point as follows:
1. Have one continuous list of tasks as in Autofocus.
2. When you enter a new task, put a mark next to it to show it is a new task (e.g. a black dot).
3. When you re-enter a task, leave out the black dot.
4. At the beginning of a new day, leave a blank line and enter the day's date on the next line.
5. Then cross out any days earlier than one month previous, and dismiss any tasks which do not have black dots against them on pages earlier than one week previous.
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2010/10/26/my-favourite-time-management-system.html#comment10307721
My interpretation of #5 is:
All tasks that were entered more than one month ago are deleted and every task that was entered more than one week ago and that is not marked as new is dismissed.
Mark, did I miss a change in the rules of DWM 2?
January 13, 2012 at 11:23 |
Rainer
Rainer
Rainer:
Good point. I had to do some looking back through the archives on this one!
I think I used the word "dismissed" in rather loose sense when writing the comment you quote - the one in which I introduced DWM2.
My intention in writing the comment was only to provide a simpler method of writing DWM, but which would still have exactly the same effect as DWM.
It was not my intention to change any of the rules of DWM (http://www.markforster.net/blog/2010/2/1/dit2-af5-who-cares-what-its-called-this-is-what-im-working-o.html )
If you look at these rules you will see that I said:
"All tasks which are on pages earlier than today’s date have expired. They are dead, done for, dismissed, deceased."
Back two years ago when I wrote the rules, we hadn't had quite so many discussions about the difference between dismissal and deletion, so I was still taking the words as being equivalent in certain circumstances.
Good point. I had to do some looking back through the archives on this one!
I think I used the word "dismissed" in rather loose sense when writing the comment you quote - the one in which I introduced DWM2.
My intention in writing the comment was only to provide a simpler method of writing DWM, but which would still have exactly the same effect as DWM.
It was not my intention to change any of the rules of DWM (http://www.markforster.net/blog/2010/2/1/dit2-af5-who-cares-what-its-called-this-is-what-im-working-o.html )
If you look at these rules you will see that I said:
"All tasks which are on pages earlier than today’s date have expired. They are dead, done for, dismissed, deceased."
Back two years ago when I wrote the rules, we hadn't had quite so many discussions about the difference between dismissal and deletion, so I was still taking the words as being equivalent in certain circumstances.
January 13, 2012 at 16:11 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
“There's not much point in the "daily starting point" rule as the rate of circulation through the list is much faster than in AF1 as there's no circulating through individual pages.”
I use a daily starting point in DWM2. Maybe because of the nature of my work (I write investigative reports) it has worked for me. When I go on an investigation, I must write the report within 10 days. I have found that the quicker I write the report (same day if possible) the less time it takes me. By having my starting point at today’s date. I get the urgent stuff out of the way, the report written and can move on to processing my list.
I don’t pretend to understand it, but for some reason, knowing I have the urgent stuff and report out of the way clears my mind to cycle through the list faster and get all that routine stuff out of the way.
I love how DWM2 just deletes the old stuff.
Thanks Mark for all your work.
I use a daily starting point in DWM2. Maybe because of the nature of my work (I write investigative reports) it has worked for me. When I go on an investigation, I must write the report within 10 days. I have found that the quicker I write the report (same day if possible) the less time it takes me. By having my starting point at today’s date. I get the urgent stuff out of the way, the report written and can move on to processing my list.
I don’t pretend to understand it, but for some reason, knowing I have the urgent stuff and report out of the way clears my mind to cycle through the list faster and get all that routine stuff out of the way.
I love how DWM2 just deletes the old stuff.
Thanks Mark for all your work.
January 13, 2012 at 16:59 |
Jennifer B.
Jennifer B.
"... we hadn't had quite so many discussions about the difference between dismissal and deletion, so I was still taking the words as being equivalent in certain circumstances."
Mark, thanks for this clarification.
Mark, thanks for this clarification.
January 13, 2012 at 17:12 |
Rainer
Rainer
Mark, Jennifer,
>There's not much point in the "daily starting point" rule as the rate of circulation through the list is much faster than in AF1 as there's no circulating through individual pages.
Very true. Daily starting point is just an option that respects the rules.
Mark, Rainer,
> There is no dismissal in DWM2. Once tasks go "over the waterfall" they are deleted.
Thanks for clarifying. That makes the rules much simpler!
>There's not much point in the "daily starting point" rule as the rate of circulation through the list is much faster than in AF1 as there's no circulating through individual pages.
Very true. Daily starting point is just an option that respects the rules.
Mark, Rainer,
> There is no dismissal in DWM2. Once tasks go "over the waterfall" they are deleted.
Thanks for clarifying. That makes the rules much simpler!
January 14, 2012 at 9:18 |
paco_pepe
paco_pepe
A. "Just make a list of your tasks" (Simple and important stage: reduces stress - and tells the coach how much a person is interested-committed on following a the system)
B. "Work only on what stands out for you as long as you feel like doing so" (Resistance to work is over: Great excitement on their part. They are ready for the next step)
C. "Dismiss tasks and focus"
I finally give them the list of rules for DWM2 that I have compiled taking Mark's comments here and there. See next post below. Note that I have introduced the rule for the "daily starting point" -as defined by Wooba back in 2010 (http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1089439 ) and recently discussed in this forum (www.markforster.net/forum/post/1688987 ).
It seems to me that this small rule benefits DWM2 by grouping more consistently ahead -at the end of the list- your threads of action. Besides, the sense of "work for the day" is more visual, and the location for urgent stuff more logical. And still keeping a healthy mixture of different sorts of tasks to keep the subconscious mind free for its work.