Discussion Forum > Committments, Colley's rule and work-life balance
I like that approach. It's like Covey's Roles, or the Wheel of Life, or ...
If we only look at individual tasks, we can lose sight of the balance. Perhaps add a task for each category, simply "do something in this category". If you've done too much in this category recently, consider it done instantly.
If we only look at individual tasks, we can lose sight of the balance. Perhaps add a task for each category, simply "do something in this category". If you've done too much in this category recently, consider it done instantly.
February 29, 2012 at 1:40 |
Cricket
Cricket
Oh, no: Covey's Roles and Colley's Rule ?? I'm going to get confused!!
I've drawn a circle containing Growth, Living, Maintenance, and Backlog.
Living = conducting your life at current capacity and commitments, with current skills
Maintenance = all the things we have to do to support Living
Growth = adding new capacity, commitments, or skills
Backlog = closing out old projects, commitments, loose ends
So far it's been nice for reflection but I haven't found a lasting way to apply it inside the mechanics of a TM system. I once even tried a kanban board. The problem I've run into with task quotas is that personal tasks vary greatly in size and scope. Having to chop everything into uniform bits has been a non-starter for me.
I've drawn a circle containing Growth, Living, Maintenance, and Backlog.
Living = conducting your life at current capacity and commitments, with current skills
Maintenance = all the things we have to do to support Living
Growth = adding new capacity, commitments, or skills
Backlog = closing out old projects, commitments, loose ends
So far it's been nice for reflection but I haven't found a lasting way to apply it inside the mechanics of a TM system. I once even tried a kanban board. The problem I've run into with task quotas is that personal tasks vary greatly in size and scope. Having to chop everything into uniform bits has been a non-starter for me.
February 29, 2012 at 1:47 |
Bernie
Bernie
How about a general overview of progress in each area to prime your subconscious for the task selection?
Or to trigger a current initiative to identify new commitments in a neglected area?
Or to trigger a current initiative to identify new commitments in a neglected area?
February 29, 2012 at 12:00 |
Will
Will
Complicating it more: There are times the balance needs to be broken. If you're temporarily sick, maintenance takes priority (mainly because everything else gets dropped). During exam week, living takes priority.
I've never seen Backlog in a life balance before. Usually I think of backlog items as part of the original category, but you're right. They share more characteristics with other backlog items than with the original category. Vague deadline. Gum up the works for future work. Create anxiety in case you're called on to re-open the file. Gut feels like the task isn't done, intellect says it's close enough (and sometimes they flip).
Worth thinking about.
I've never seen Backlog in a life balance before. Usually I think of backlog items as part of the original category, but you're right. They share more characteristics with other backlog items than with the original category. Vague deadline. Gum up the works for future work. Create anxiety in case you're called on to re-open the file. Gut feels like the task isn't done, intellect says it's close enough (and sometimes they flip).
Worth thinking about.
February 29, 2012 at 13:17 |
Cricket
Cricket
Cricket,
<<I've never seen Backlog in a life balance before.>>
After spending some time with Mark's "backlog" concept, I started to see it as the flip-side of growth.
Here is how I structure my circle:
Draw a circle, and draw an "H" in the middle of it, so that the uprights touch the circle at top and bottom, and the crossbar goes through the center.
The H cuts the circle into four regions. I like mine to have equal area, which is achieved by making the crossbar 40% of the diameter. Or, by placing the uprights 40% of a radius to either side of center.
Now, the arrow of time flows to the left:
The leftmost slice is Growth, pulling you into the future.
The middle column is the present, with Living at top, supported by Maintenance.
The rightmost slice is Backlog, pulling you out of the past.
As opposites often do, Backlog and Growth have a lot in common. Bringing up the rear moves you ahead every bit as much as advancing the front.
When I tried to outline a kanban/quota system, I figured there would be only one project selected from Growth and Backlog together. Probably, complete a Backlog to free up some energy, and then complete a Growth, and keep alternating.
From Living and Maintenance, you might have three categories each: Career, Family, Personal. If you could keep only one of each project active at a time, then there are six here.
The total allocation then is seven:
{Living, Maintenance} x {Career, Family, Personal} + {Backlog | Growth}
A great principle, but when it's time to do actual work, the whole scheme is overridden by urgency, in the latest Forster sense. So you might use the circle to think of projects or judge their importance, but not to run your TM.
<<I've never seen Backlog in a life balance before.>>
After spending some time with Mark's "backlog" concept, I started to see it as the flip-side of growth.
Here is how I structure my circle:
Draw a circle, and draw an "H" in the middle of it, so that the uprights touch the circle at top and bottom, and the crossbar goes through the center.
The H cuts the circle into four regions. I like mine to have equal area, which is achieved by making the crossbar 40% of the diameter. Or, by placing the uprights 40% of a radius to either side of center.
Now, the arrow of time flows to the left:
The leftmost slice is Growth, pulling you into the future.
The middle column is the present, with Living at top, supported by Maintenance.
The rightmost slice is Backlog, pulling you out of the past.
As opposites often do, Backlog and Growth have a lot in common. Bringing up the rear moves you ahead every bit as much as advancing the front.
When I tried to outline a kanban/quota system, I figured there would be only one project selected from Growth and Backlog together. Probably, complete a Backlog to free up some energy, and then complete a Growth, and keep alternating.
From Living and Maintenance, you might have three categories each: Career, Family, Personal. If you could keep only one of each project active at a time, then there are six here.
The total allocation then is seven:
{Living, Maintenance} x {Career, Family, Personal} + {Backlog | Growth}
A great principle, but when it's time to do actual work, the whole scheme is overridden by urgency, in the latest Forster sense. So you might use the circle to think of projects or judge their importance, but not to run your TM.
February 29, 2012 at 15:44 |
Bernie
Bernie
+JMJ+
Wow michael, I can't even imagine how to do that. Isn't it a bit too complex?
Wow michael, I can't even imagine how to do that. Isn't it a bit too complex?
March 1, 2012 at 5:45 |
nuntym
nuntym
Bernie:
<< the whole scheme is overridden by urgency, in the latest Forster sense. >>
Which is identical to the old non-Forster sense.
<< the whole scheme is overridden by urgency, in the latest Forster sense. >>
Which is identical to the old non-Forster sense.
March 1, 2012 at 10:22 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
"... by urgency in its proper, non-deadline-chasing sense, of which Forster has recently reminded us."
March 3, 2012 at 3:28 |
Bernie
Bernie
There are 4 categories: Work, Play, Learning, Giving. At any time there are 10 items spread over the 4 categories that are dotted - these are committed to. Then follow Colley's rule or a standing out rule over the dotted items.