Get Everything Done

I'm using a simple DIT-esque system. Six big things a day, prioritized from hardest to easiest. Lately, since I seem to get more results and focused work done when I devote an entire day or half of one to a project, I'm experimenting with this method. I like Autofocus a bunch, though, and if there's ever a variant of it that can complete important project work quickly and effectively, I definitely want to try it. (Making AF lists out of a single project and working that does help, but I often find I'm unable to focus on the bigger parts of a project as a result - it gets too broken up due to little and often and not finished fast enough for my tastes.)

I’m using Omnifocus, I think it is Mac only, for an electronic version of Random Time manager. I sync it with my phone and use contexts of “Most Stuff”, Errands and some people by name.

After trying several ways to get pages for sliding in Omnifocus I now sort by “added” to break things up. Pages do vary in length. I use the random.org/integers or dice to select about three to six numbers then drill through the list. Urgent tasks are giving a due date of today. To view my accomplishments I made a perspective called “weekly work” which shows completed tasks by day. Recurring tasks are set with a repeat date in the info section.

Many things are getting done that I would miss or skip over without the random approach, and often they are a welcome relief from what I am currently fixated on.

PS. I've been using Random method since it Mark first mentioned it, the Dice post. I occasionally try to use a paper version of the Bullet Journal but it quickly becomes a mess.

My system has been very mixed lately. I'm using the Remelsbach (Random) system, and my official system is paper but sometimes I can't write well and need to type my entries, so I'll use Rufat's google spreadsheet implementation.* I do that for a single period of work (an evening or an afternoon) electronically then print out the unfinished or re-entered tasks to add to my paper list so it stays up to date.

I was theoretically using a DWM task list with FV rules before Remelsbach was introduced, but not getting much headway.

*I can't remember how to link to a single comment. It was posted on February 9 in this comment thread: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2014/1/22/random-time-management.html?currentPage=2#comments

Many thanks for the spreadsheet, Rufat - simple and it works beautifully.

I am now using evernote collecting all my stuff in one place and using a mixt of GTD basic and Marc linenberger and AF. Works well and more is easy. But paper is missing

Interesting how this topic never gets old. and how often we change systems. Currently, I’m on an all google system and just doing things accordingly.

My rule is to only use a product within the google ecosystem, so that if I need something I can always be sure its a search away. There are numerous products that can do anything I need but it does help a lot that I am not app switching over and over. I just stay in the ecosystem and stick with a system within the boundaries. This prevents over tweaking and switching for me.

My system can be summarized as ‘do what you commit to’. On a daily basis, I time block the next few days. Anything on my calendar are either ‘A or B’ Priorities. Anything on my task list are ‘B or C Priorities’. For me, A= Major consequences if not completed, B=Minor Consequences if not completed, C= No consequences if not completed. I schedule them as I see fit based on their urgencies.

That is, everything on my calendar has a consequence if not completed. Everything on my task list, gets worked on during spare time.

The calendar & task view on one page gives me a good summarized view of all my current work and commitments in one page. If something doesn’t get done, (it happens) I reschedule it.

It's true that we change systems a lot. I'm aware about the usual effect (you start off well and then get weighed down by the system's drawbacks) but since I aim to complete project-oriented work as effortlessly as possible with an eye towards long-term results, some testing is needed. Right now, I'm testing a project-oriented version of Autofocus, but I know about what flaws might come up - it gets harder to finish a project on Autofocus the smaller the list gets due to structured procrastination breaking down. So we'll see.

By the way, I'm working mainly on paper for the effect of crossing things off for tactile satisfaction, but I organize lists and projects digitally.

Hi,

I have stayed with my system that I described in the "My System" thread, though I confess to a brief but intese flirtation wtih IQTELL in the hopes to tame my inbox. No such luck...

Hi all
I like both variety and consistency to produce reliability and progress. Since 2007 I've stuck to my weekly version of DIT. Each day I cull my MIT list from my weekly aims. Of course I'll adjust it as unforeseen events occur. Since I think and process my world in categories/projects, it has a bit of a GTD feel to it also. I also use Mark's checklist idea except that I don't expect to complete all of it daily. Since my MIT's are my priority, I review incoming in each category and only address what is necessary. After my MITs are progressed to my satisfaction, then I can go back to the checklist and pick at it. To keep the checklist current, I also have fake deadlines for checklist items to make sure that is does stay current. The rationale is that there's always too much to do. I need to prioritize yet I HATE waiting for anything to become urgent. I prefer to stay current or slightly ahead where it's possible. The fake deadlines ensures that I stay current yet allows me to pick at the work while still respecting my MIT priorities. Example: Accounts due Friday > or = 2hours. I have all week to do the work as time allows yet I KNOW that by Friday, my accounts will be current or ahead without sacrificing focus on greater priorities. This way, neglect doesn't occur to create avoidable urgencies.

This has stayed the same since 2007. What changes is how I process the system. I'm stuck working around the pain and diminished hand and foot functioning created by a damaged spinal cord, 7 vertebrae and brain damage. That's not nearly as challenging as my lifelong aversion to boredom and fear of staring at job that I have no idea what I'm going to do. LOL! Here I use workarounds to get past the hurdles.

Although the system has been incredibly effective despite defective me working it, I know that it requires determination and effort....sometimes bucket loads of effort. Since I was a child, approaching boredom or being forced to create on someone else's demand creates resistance. Even with the most clever workaround (thanks for the great ideas!), I always need to heavily focus my determination to get past the resistance in front of me NOW. Even when I falter, this system combined with appropriate workarounds has proven faithful to me. It keeps me current on my responsibilities and allows me to progress my aspirations. To enjoy overall peace and spontaneity in my free time, I must stick to the plan overall. There's no shame in getting back on the horse when I get distracted (my devious thoughts hoodwink me away from boredom), but to actively avoid my necessary work is futile. This system helps me to stay on track even when everything in me says "avoid! loathsome boredom ahead!" This is where the workarounds help me. I'm still totally enchanted with creating little sub-lists SMEMA style from my today list and using the randomization method. Usually within a few rolls, my head is back on straight to just continue working the list sensibly. The workarounds don't remove genetic resistance but it definitely reduces it enough to make even the most dreaded work DOABLE.

p.s.
I nicked vegheadjones idea of adding the regular today list with my MITs every few rotations. This way my day's MITs get done while the regular list adds some variety/respite from the MIT list.

Thanks, Veghead Jones!

Mark,

Thanks very much, as always, for sharing your latest. This rotational/rotating system is really interesting. It strikes me that in addition to being good for everyday, regular use, it would be great when a deadline is rapidly approaching, or several urgent things need to be done. I plan to try it out. After the first handful of the tasks are added for the day, I may choose new ones from my ongoing list using the random number system.

Mark Forster said: "It depends on your conscious entering of the tasks. If you put the wrong tasks on the list, then you'll do the wrong tasks. "

Do you have a master list of tasks from which you feed the system, Mark? Since you start afresh, you could use the prior days' lists to add to your list, along with things you think about or urgent things that come up.

Mark: regarding the Rotational System:

I have found this to be pretty good at being a 'working list'. I can draw from my schedule and someday/maybe projects, as well as simple things like "check Mark Forster's blog", for my 'working list' (rotational system).
My question is: Do you go back to the beginning of the list when you add a new item? IE: you have A & B, you work on A and then B, you then add C. At this point, do you do some work on C, or first go back and work on A, then B, THEN C?

Thanks for posting this method. I like it alot!

Gerry:

can you share you system?

brett

Old-fashioned daily todo list which I make in the morning, usually in Things (mac), sometimes on paper (I like variety: changing medium sometimes helps me to focus). Plus many tricks (Schwab`s rule, timeboxes, Mark`s GED book, 2 alternating activities, from important/resistant to easy, randomness, A(b)C method etc.).

This is backbone of my system. I also experiment with longer "active tasks" list (which I use in FV way or in simple standing-out fashion), with weekly priorities, daily schedule etc. But at the moment I consider them only additional to daily todo list and experimental.

DIT using OmniFocus 2 for iPhone.

Avrum, I've stopped using the previous beta of OmniFocus 2 for Mac because it required Mountain Lion (I've tried it on my laptop, but since then I've gone back to Snow Leopard), but this new Forecast View is tempting to make the jump to Mavericks. Thanks for sharing!

Mark Thomas said
"Do you go back to the beginning of the list when you add a new item?
IE: you have A & B, you work on A and then B, you then add C. At this point, do you do some work on C, or first go back and work on A, then B, THEN C?"

Yes, you start at the beginning of the list after adding C. You action A and B, then C. This is clear in Mark's example link (from above), on which he annotates, "Task added at end of last pass, but not yet actioned."
http://www.evernote.com/shard/s1/sh/d98cb33f-7710-431e-9688-0c5be0f851ec/b8831cd36cbf0d486b9f8393078e8a1e

I like this rotating system a lot too and feed it from both my sense of what needs doing, as well as existing lists. I do it electronically, using Dan Godson's To Do List (free) (http://www.abstractspoon.com/tdl_resources.html).