Discussion Forum > My current system - How AF works pretty well
This sounds very interesting Jupiter! If I understand right, you have a normal AF1 list except each task has a lot of details added, forming your extra columns. This extra info is common in electronic systems but rare in paper systems.
Normally you just scan the tasks by name, as normal. But when you choose, you scan instead by context, or by person, or by project, or by date. Other columns I guess are just aids to thinking about the tasks.
I imagine you often leave many details blank. Maybe fill them later if you have a need?
Also, if you are working on a project, or a person, you might scan only for tasks that match. Seems like an interesting alternative to Seraphim's project-focus method. I would consider this approach myself if I could figure how to do it in OneNote.
Normally you just scan the tasks by name, as normal. But when you choose, you scan instead by context, or by person, or by project, or by date. Other columns I guess are just aids to thinking about the tasks.
I imagine you often leave many details blank. Maybe fill them later if you have a need?
Also, if you are working on a project, or a person, you might scan only for tasks that match. Seems like an interesting alternative to Seraphim's project-focus method. I would consider this approach myself if I could figure how to do it in OneNote.
February 16, 2012 at 3:01 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Yes Alan. You perfectly understood the system.
As you know I balanced a lot with both digital and paper system. But every essay I did digitally were a complete disaster. I finally decided to put the system on paper. I have today a system such combine the best of AF and my notes I used to do on my A4 note book.
As I have many and many information, I can now choose the right one at the right time. I can also think about projects and report task on my list.
I also had a problem about MF AF stand out system.
When you have many tings to do you have to use the best of 80/20 pareto law
So I needed sometime to control my stuff and choose and others to let it flow in the stand out way. The system I have constructed let me do the best of all. I am free to use my cleverness or my intuition. I can reformulate and can stay focus at the same time on my last information.
I can decide to drop everything and go immediatly at the end of the list were are the last information and decide to go backward page per page.
With this system I have definitivly stopped proscratrination. The column priority is also very helpful. Sometime I put a B which means for me that I have to plan a period to do it and stay focus. The A means that it is a must do task because it is so important for me that the consequences could be terrible.
It is also terribly efficient. I have many calls. Last time I was speaking with client X and suddenly i though "what are the different subjects I need to speak with him ? "
At a glace I notices in 4 pages the 3 subjects I wanted to speak with him but simply completely forgot. I saved me time.
I feel very comfortable with the system and really trust in it.
I think I got something interesting. The best of AF system but a little more detailed to help me to stay focus on projects, people, dead line (must do), flag (may do) and tasks.
There is only one thing I don't need at all it is the dismissing part of AF.
Each task is little by little eliminated so If I don't do it I will cross it if I really can't or won't do it do it.
Intuition and rationality are at last reconciliated.
As you know I balanced a lot with both digital and paper system. But every essay I did digitally were a complete disaster. I finally decided to put the system on paper. I have today a system such combine the best of AF and my notes I used to do on my A4 note book.
As I have many and many information, I can now choose the right one at the right time. I can also think about projects and report task on my list.
I also had a problem about MF AF stand out system.
When you have many tings to do you have to use the best of 80/20 pareto law
So I needed sometime to control my stuff and choose and others to let it flow in the stand out way. The system I have constructed let me do the best of all. I am free to use my cleverness or my intuition. I can reformulate and can stay focus at the same time on my last information.
I can decide to drop everything and go immediatly at the end of the list were are the last information and decide to go backward page per page.
With this system I have definitivly stopped proscratrination. The column priority is also very helpful. Sometime I put a B which means for me that I have to plan a period to do it and stay focus. The A means that it is a must do task because it is so important for me that the consequences could be terrible.
It is also terribly efficient. I have many calls. Last time I was speaking with client X and suddenly i though "what are the different subjects I need to speak with him ? "
At a glace I notices in 4 pages the 3 subjects I wanted to speak with him but simply completely forgot. I saved me time.
I feel very comfortable with the system and really trust in it.
I think I got something interesting. The best of AF system but a little more detailed to help me to stay focus on projects, people, dead line (must do), flag (may do) and tasks.
There is only one thing I don't need at all it is the dismissing part of AF.
Each task is little by little eliminated so If I don't do it I will cross it if I really can't or won't do it do it.
Intuition and rationality are at last reconciliated.
February 16, 2012 at 12:24 |
FocusGuy.
FocusGuy.
Finally I use the dismissing AF rules. There are some reluctant task and it helps.
February 17, 2012 at 9:22 |
FocusGuy.
FocusGuy.
hi all,
I have been using something similar to your setup. The difference is I use a column for each major context. In the photo in the below link, you'll see I have the lefthand side setup for contexts: computer, calls, home, errands, and waiting. This seems to work pretty well for me.
You'll notice a NV in a circle in two spots. This means I have notes in Notational Velocity I should reference when I do that task. The number in a circle is the number of iterations of the task so far.
This system combined with Notational Velocity, a calendar, and a folder for project materials works great for me. Simple but effective.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65380053@N02/6784064140/in/photostream
thanks,
brett
I have been using something similar to your setup. The difference is I use a column for each major context. In the photo in the below link, you'll see I have the lefthand side setup for contexts: computer, calls, home, errands, and waiting. This seems to work pretty well for me.
You'll notice a NV in a circle in two spots. This means I have notes in Notational Velocity I should reference when I do that task. The number in a circle is the number of iterations of the task so far.
This system combined with Notational Velocity, a calendar, and a folder for project materials works great for me. Simple but effective.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65380053@N02/6784064140/in/photostream
thanks,
brett
February 26, 2012 at 2:48 |
brettypooh
brettypooh
Alan: <<I would consider this approach myself if I could figure how to do it in OneNote.>>
By tagging the tasks, perhaps?
By tagging the tasks, perhaps?
February 26, 2012 at 3:23 |
JD
JD
How do you tag a page in OneNote? How do you scan through tagged pages?
February 26, 2012 at 20:46 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
You don't tag pages per se - you tag paragraphs.
You can then search for them: Home > Tags > Find Tags
I've never found this very useful myself...
You can then search for them: Home > Tags > Find Tags
I've never found this very useful myself...
February 26, 2012 at 20:51 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
I can't see using this effectively to simulate jupiter's multiple columns.
February 26, 2012 at 21:37 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
<<You don't tag pages per se - you tag paragraphs>>
If it's a task a page, then a tag on any part of the page, including the header, is effectively a tag-by-page, is it not?
Your can create a separate summary page of your search-by-tag results, which hyperlinks to the original task anywhere in OneNote.
If it's a task a page, then a tag on any part of the page, including the header, is effectively a tag-by-page, is it not?
Your can create a separate summary page of your search-by-tag results, which hyperlinks to the original task anywhere in OneNote.
February 27, 2012 at 0:46 |
JD
JD
I didn't realize checkboxes were tags. What you say then might have been feasible, but I'm already using checkboxes in other ways. If you could limit search to only one or two tag types we might get somewhere, but searching for what I want in a sea of checkboxes is not good.
Each page will want multiple tags, of a designated the tag text would be "sales" or "xyz Corp." or "John" etc. The search would want to be by page title, then generate a report then scan the report for key tag names then click through. Rather baroque compared to the hoped for "<Ctrl-T> sales<enter>.
Each page will want multiple tags, of a designated the tag text would be "sales" or "xyz Corp." or "John" etc. The search would want to be by page title, then generate a report then scan the report for key tag names then click through. Rather baroque compared to the hoped for "<Ctrl-T> sales<enter>.
February 27, 2012 at 1:24 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Alan: Yes, it does scan through all your tags, but you can sort them by tag type and it will generate the pages accordingly, in alphabetical order. Collapse the ones you don't want in the list (in your case checkboxes), and the summary page you create will only contain those you do want.
Tags can also be sorted by date, section, etc, but I guess that's not what you are looking for.
Tags can also be sorted by date, section, etc, but I guess that's not what you are looking for.
February 27, 2012 at 4:43 |
JD
JD
So I decided to keep my notes and tasks on a single A4 paper note book
Here is how it works
Left page
Draw vertical colums
Mine are context/ Wait, Task, priority (A, B(task planned), deadline (must do task) project's name, people (who is concerned) time (how long takes the task) control (How long and when did I really do it)
- Put all you want/have to do one task per line
- Each day write today's date at the end of the list
- Do it page per page as with AF1
- If you work by project follow each task on column project
- If you want to follow someone do the same on column people
- When something is not finished cross and put at the end of the list
- Flag each task you intend to do today each night
- Alway begin by the dead line columnn thy are your must do task and then do the flagged after read the list and use de stand out system.
Right page note the incoming information or your ideas
The system is perfect for me. It works very well indeed and very fast.
There is a great control on the MIT and MIP (Project)