Discussion Forum > A(b)C method
Daneb,
Thank you for the post. I have always found Mark's GED task switching method great, though tend to only use it in panic mode after bad bout of procrastination to kick-start productivity mode. I used to try and stick to, say 5 tasksx5minutes then 5 min break to get things moving.
I will start using your method and report back. It does seems a more "natural" approach than forcing yourself to take a timed break, especially if you work from home, where there are numerous little jobs e.g.-wash dishes- take washing out of the machine- bury the cat etc.
Also, I can see a very good application in my music practice. To do one hour of focussed practice I do (after warming up) 20 minutes, then 5 minute rest, repeat , repeat again. I write what I will do in those 20 minutes often in great detail, but rarely have an idea what to do in the rest breaks, so they often get ignored (bad idea if you are recovering from tendonitis!) or get extended, so one hour actual practice can start sprawling over several hours. Inspired by your post I will write down what to do in the breaks. Seems obvious to me after reading your post, but never thought of it. Thank you.
Thank you for the post. I have always found Mark's GED task switching method great, though tend to only use it in panic mode after bad bout of procrastination to kick-start productivity mode. I used to try and stick to, say 5 tasksx5minutes then 5 min break to get things moving.
I will start using your method and report back. It does seems a more "natural" approach than forcing yourself to take a timed break, especially if you work from home, where there are numerous little jobs e.g.-wash dishes- take washing out of the machine- bury the cat etc.
Also, I can see a very good application in my music practice. To do one hour of focussed practice I do (after warming up) 20 minutes, then 5 minute rest, repeat , repeat again. I write what I will do in those 20 minutes often in great detail, but rarely have an idea what to do in the rest breaks, so they often get ignored (bad idea if you are recovering from tendonitis!) or get extended, so one hour actual practice can start sprawling over several hours. Inspired by your post I will write down what to do in the breaks. Seems obvious to me after reading your post, but never thought of it. Thank you.
July 12, 2013 at 8:58 |
jim prior
jim prior
I'm still using SMEMA, and love it. I've experimented with time-boxing, but find that it's often counter-productive for me – there's significant overhead to task-switching. But I do like the idea of Rule 2 – thinking a bit first about what "done for now" means before plowing ahead with the next task(s). Adding "– 15min" or "– ch.2" to a task description is easy enough. Thanks for that.
I tend to do little "break" tasks & handle distractions without entering them on the list explicitly. For example, I'm browsing RSS feeds and posting here, when my next SMEMA task is "Complete office-arrival checklist" (and the next checklist item is to process my In tray, which isn't as fun). When you get into the SMEMA mind-set, you realize that a whole lot of mundane activities don't need to be remembered or written down – you can just do them or decide not to, with little consequence. If you get distracted by the thought of something that you do need to deal with later, write it down somewhere so it will resurface when appropriate – e.g. tickler file, sticky note by the door, etc. – and just keep going.
I tend to do little "break" tasks & handle distractions without entering them on the list explicitly. For example, I'm browsing RSS feeds and posting here, when my next SMEMA task is "Complete office-arrival checklist" (and the next checklist item is to process my In tray, which isn't as fun). When you get into the SMEMA mind-set, you realize that a whole lot of mundane activities don't need to be remembered or written down – you can just do them or decide not to, with little consequence. If you get distracted by the thought of something that you do need to deal with later, write it down somewhere so it will resurface when appropriate – e.g. tickler file, sticky note by the door, etc. – and just keep going.
July 12, 2013 at 20:04 |
ubi
ubi
Ubi:
I found writing distractions down especially helpful not only as a way to remember them for later, but also to keep focused on the current task. When I do not write them, I have recurrent thoughts like - do not forget it!, is it good idea?, how about...which - well - distracts me further. When I write them down, I feel like closing this subject for the moment and I know that I will be able to mentally elaborate later, during break. So writing them down helps me to stay focused.
I found writing distractions down especially helpful not only as a way to remember them for later, but also to keep focused on the current task. When I do not write them, I have recurrent thoughts like - do not forget it!, is it good idea?, how about...which - well - distracts me further. When I write them down, I feel like closing this subject for the moment and I know that I will be able to mentally elaborate later, during break. So writing them down helps me to stay focused.
July 16, 2013 at 7:23 |
Daneb
Daneb
I love your method, Daneb, and do something very similar. TimeBoxer is a great application that would work well with your method: http://timeboxer.ericjorgensen.com/
July 24, 2013 at 16:47 |
Cheyenne
Cheyenne
I would like to share task management method I currently use for "operational level" of my time management = choosing actual tasks and doing them. It was greatly inspired my Mark`s GED book (heavily) and SMEMA method (lightly). I needed to adapt both to my needs. Slowly, it evolved into a system. This is the result:
--- A(b)C METHOD ---
Terminology: next task (A), next by one task (C), break tasks (b), queue, timebox
Essence: "At any moment, there should be TWO subsequent tasks defined, including definition of limits / finishing them."
RULES:
1. Prepare. Start by writing down two next tasks you want to do now. You can write more tasks, but at least two. These two become your "next" (A), and "next by one" (C). The rest of your possible defined tasks is "queue".
2. Define how you finish your (A) and (C). Before you start working, define how you finish your (A) and (C) tasks: (a) define timebox (=set time interval, e.g. 15 min.) or (b) by completing the task (and what this completing means = read 1 chapter, sort one box etc.). Recommended maximum time for one task is 20-30 minutes.
3. Start working on (A).
4. Write down "break tasks" (b). When working on (A), some distractions, ideas, tasks occurs to you. Write them down.
5. Do break tasks (b) (if any). After finishing (A), go through your written distractions and ideas. If the distraction/task idea is short and important enough (incl. small routines like "prepare tea", "switch off the dishwasher" etc.), mark it as break task (b). If distraction/task idea is not short/important/urgent enough - add it to your queue, tasklist or leave it to consider later. There can be more break tasks in one break between (A) and (C), but it is important so that they stay short enough. Longer tasks must become regular tasks (into queue). Also, short break can become one of break tasks. Do your break tasks (b).
6. Define new (C) task. After finishing break tasks (b), your "next by one task" (C) now automatically promotes to "next task" (A). You must define new "next by one" task (C). If there is a queue of tasks defined, you can choose freely any one of them, or any other task. You can select on various criteria (importance, context, readiness, from most difficult, from greatest resistance...).
7. Repeat. Go to point 2 (this time defining only how to finish/timebox (C), because your new (A) is already defined from previous round, when it was (C)) and repeat.
- Additional info -:
8. It is very convenient (1) to split long task by making them repeated (by timebox) and (2) to alternate them, e.g.:
Write article X (15 min)
(break tasks)
Clean kitchen (10 min)
(break tasks)
Write article X (15 min)
(break tasks)
Clean kitchen (10 min.)
etc.
---> this task sequence could be summarized as [: X (b) Y (b) :] (these are repeat signs: "[: :]", X - write article, Y - clean kitchen, (b) - break tasks)
I have best experience with these 3 schemes:
[: X (b) Y (b) :] - (the above mentioned one) is my most favorite. Alternating two activities with timeboxes. Of course, if I finish one activity (Y), I change it for something else.
[: X (b) various (b) :] - write article, then other task, then back to writing article for 15 minutes, then different task etc.
[: X (b) X (b) :] - here, "next" and "next by one" is basically the same task, defined as two (or more) separated timeboxes: writing article (15 min.) - break tasks - writing article (15 min) - break tasks etc.
9. I generally prefer using timeboxes with longer tasks, defining only shorter one-off tasks by completion (point 2). You can use fixed timeboxes (e.g. for all tasks 15 min), variable (for task X 15 min, for task Y 20 min), or gradual (first round with writing article 5 minutes, second round 10 minutes...up to 20 minutes, then repeat 20 minutes - that is very good for overcoming procrastination and is based very tightly on one of Mark`s original GED method).
That`s it. I hope it can be of some inspiration for some of you...