Discussion Forum > M3 question - brain dump
My vote is do brain dumps as often as necessary. Quick ones right now, larger ones get added to M3. If possible, do all the dumping in the same book (or books -- I have a travel one), so when you review it you're confident you see it all. Avoid floating paper. Remembering they exist is an extra load on the brain. When I put a sticky note on the screen, I usually tear it off in annoyance. It then becomes a floating paper. So, right into the book. I'll occasionally copy a short list to a sticky so I can focus on it, but the original tasks stay on the main list.
M3 has us enter tasks in pairs. When you enter "long walk", always follow it with "brain dump". Or enter "long walk" on line 3, and when you get back reboot the system with a brain dump.
M3 has us enter tasks in pairs. When you enter "long walk", always follow it with "brain dump". Or enter "long walk" on line 3, and when you get back reboot the system with a brain dump.
February 28, 2013 at 16:03 |
Cricket
Cricket
Hi all,
I've been reading all these posts on SMEMA/M3 for the last few days and feel motivated to contribute!
I tend to keep my long task list in the back of my notebook at work. Until Mark's last blog post I was running AF2ND on this list, with occasional jumps back to FV.
In implementing Mark's new idea I am still using the same list. I simply write my three tasks at the end of the list and dot them to mark them as current tasks. When I have done two I re-write the last task at the end and add two more, dotting all three again.
The advantage of this, and where it is relevant to the brain dump question, is I still have the long list there for easy reference and I freely add to it as thoughts come up, just as I always did. In formulating my three tasks for action I find I rarely refer to the list, but I do occasionally run back through it to reassure myself I'm not missing anything.
I also use my calendar quite liberally for reminders and appointments with myself.
This has worked well all week in a multi-project environment. I slipped back to AF2ND once this morning but have gone back to SMEMA this afternoon.
For home I have given up long lists all together this week and use the Reminders app on my iPhone for my three tasks. For reminders I use my calendar or again use the Reminders app to give me an alarm at the relevant time. I have occasionally reviewed my old lists but haven't been surprised by anything.
At both home and work I find SMEMA has pointed me to more valuable work. I still procrastinate and find diversions, but now I am very aware I am doing it. With only three high-value tasks staring me in the face it's a lot harder to hide behind busyness, which I used to do when I perused my long list for easy jobs.
Matt
I've been reading all these posts on SMEMA/M3 for the last few days and feel motivated to contribute!
I tend to keep my long task list in the back of my notebook at work. Until Mark's last blog post I was running AF2ND on this list, with occasional jumps back to FV.
In implementing Mark's new idea I am still using the same list. I simply write my three tasks at the end of the list and dot them to mark them as current tasks. When I have done two I re-write the last task at the end and add two more, dotting all three again.
The advantage of this, and where it is relevant to the brain dump question, is I still have the long list there for easy reference and I freely add to it as thoughts come up, just as I always did. In formulating my three tasks for action I find I rarely refer to the list, but I do occasionally run back through it to reassure myself I'm not missing anything.
I also use my calendar quite liberally for reminders and appointments with myself.
This has worked well all week in a multi-project environment. I slipped back to AF2ND once this morning but have gone back to SMEMA this afternoon.
For home I have given up long lists all together this week and use the Reminders app on my iPhone for my three tasks. For reminders I use my calendar or again use the Reminders app to give me an alarm at the relevant time. I have occasionally reviewed my old lists but haven't been surprised by anything.
At both home and work I find SMEMA has pointed me to more valuable work. I still procrastinate and find diversions, but now I am very aware I am doing it. With only three high-value tasks staring me in the face it's a lot harder to hide behind busyness, which I used to do when I perused my long list for easy jobs.
Matt
February 28, 2013 at 16:26 |
Matt Gregory
Matt Gregory
Mark - Let's say you just got back from a long walk (or just got out of the shower, or just woke up in the morning, or whatever) and your mind is full of thoughts and ideas. Way more than three. :-)
How would you handle this?
Just write down the first three and go at it, ignoring the rest?
Just write it all down, taking 5-10 minutes or whatever, and doing a "brain dump"? And put it on a sticky on your computer screen? Or file it away? Or use it as a bookmark in some book you are reading?
Does it matter, exactly?
Thanks!