Get Everything Done

So I've been testing this for a week now. I'm still ironing out things as they go along, but so far I'm extremely impressed with the power, flexibility, and smoothness of this system. Since I believe that a time management system is best judged by how well it finishes important tasks, I designed this version of DIT with that in mind.

Before this, I used DIT for its ability to focus on the important tasks, which I think it does better than AF. AF skips around too much not to get those important things done, and I had more trouble concentrating with it on the big tasks unlike DIT. Plus, DIT's small list helped generate more focus compared to AF, even when I was running an AF4 variant. However, I found DIT to be unflexible and prone to losing momentum, and it was harder to reboot and push through certain tasks once that happened. AF didn't have that problem.

So, when SMEMA came around, I realized it had AF's processing speed and momentum. When used to process DIT, I realized I could keep DIT's focus on completing important results while enjoying most of the benefits of AF. Plus, the built-in structured procrastination allowed me to easily wind up to the big tasks while getting the low-intensity daily chores and smaller steps of other important projects finished as well.

Here's basically what you do.


1. Choose 3 big outcomes, or projects you want to be completed, for the week.

2. Choose 3 outcomes - in this case, things you want done by the end of the day - for tomorrow, based on your 3 big outcomes for the week and anything else you might need to get done. These two steps are ripped wholesale from Agile Results, and I find them useful for greater focus on completing important things.

3. Based on your 3 outcomes for tomorrow, build your DIT list. It's essential you break up any big multi-step outcomes into pieces, each one ideally taking no more than 15 minutes. Obvious advice, but this helps Dynamic DIT hum. Besides that, also include some low-intensity tasks - chores, easy personal projects, etc.

4. When you start work, process DIT with SMEMA. Build SMEMA like this:
-low-intensity task / project step with low resistance
-low-intensity task / project step with low resistance
-high-intensity task / project step with more resistance

This lets you use structured procrastination to "wind up". That, plus any other resistance dissolving techniques you want to use for the big task, makes it more likely that you'll do it. Plus, by processing other project steps with this method that you aren't that resistant to compared to later ones, you'll stay productive, not just busy.

As the DIT list dwindles, you'll probably need more low-intensity stuff to keep this up, so have one-two recurring low-intensity tasks or get ahead on other easy chores you don't need to do yet, if possible. But draw from DIT first until you can't do so. This keeps up focus.

5. In case of a big distraction, stop the current SMEMA list and build a new one from DIT, restructuring the order of tasks.


It's not a perfect system - it relies a bunch on structured procrastination, and you do have to experiment with outcomes that you can reasonably complete each day. But it accomplishes the main goal - completing a small number of projects at a time with devoted focus, and getting you results.

Feel free to test it out and give me feedback.

Another update on this system.

* Keep your outcomes small, at first Maybe even a little too easy. Test how well you go, and gradually scale up.

* It's ideal to have only one or two recurring, low-intensity tasks. You want most of your structured procrastination to hit multiple projects at once ideally, and it's tempting to run a lot of recurring low-intensity stuff to fill it. Keep a limit on it and you should be fine.

Another update: there is admittedly a lot of writing involved as you build the list throughout the day. If you can put up with that, DDIT still has a lot of power. Also, while you can remove daily outcomes and just let the weekly ones guide you, I recommend the daily ones so you can pace yourself.

Has anyone else given this a look over yet? I want some outside feedback so I can address anything I might have missed.