Discussion Forum > Clearing Clutter From Your List
"By the end of February you'll have deleted a total of 406 tasks. In a 30 day month that would be 465!"
Wowza, that's a lot of tasks. I think that many tasks for Seraphim is called "Monday". For me as well.
Wowza, that's a lot of tasks. I think that many tasks for Seraphim is called "Monday". For me as well.
February 1, 2015 at 11:18 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
Hi Mark
I'm not sure that I understand how I could possibly delete something from my list other than completing it first. My daily lists are usually relatively short. At about the midpoint of the month, I'd have a really tough time completing progressively more work without incurring lots of overtime. I suppose that I could cheat and intentionally break down jobs into separate tasks just to say that I completed and deleted 24 tasks from my list on January 24th....but why bother? LOL
I'm not sure that I understand how I could possibly delete something from my list other than completing it first. My daily lists are usually relatively short. At about the midpoint of the month, I'd have a really tough time completing progressively more work without incurring lots of overtime. I suppose that I could cheat and intentionally break down jobs into separate tasks just to say that I completed and deleted 24 tasks from my list on January 24th....but why bother? LOL
February 1, 2015 at 11:41 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
Hi Michael B.
LOL! My entire list is a few hundred items less than 465. I could never compete with Seraphim or Vegheadjones. LOL! I've got to admire them. Some days I don't even make any list at all if I'm just fulfilling my normal duties, routines and habits.
LOL! My entire list is a few hundred items less than 465. I could never compete with Seraphim or Vegheadjones. LOL! I've got to admire them. Some days I don't even make any list at all if I'm just fulfilling my normal duties, routines and habits.
February 1, 2015 at 11:49 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
learning:
Ha. If I added the things I'd like to do, to what I must do, my total is 1,150 tasks. My must-do total hovers around 300-400. And since many of those tasks are written at a higher level, one can only imagine the true count of all the activity required. Billions and billions of tasks. I wonder how long a scan of FV would take at that point.
Ha. If I added the things I'd like to do, to what I must do, my total is 1,150 tasks. My must-do total hovers around 300-400. And since many of those tasks are written at a higher level, one can only imagine the true count of all the activity required. Billions and billions of tasks. I wonder how long a scan of FV would take at that point.
February 1, 2015 at 13:02 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
Hi Michael B.
I'm rarely amused and terrified at the same time. Like you, I keep my list confined to work that I must do (or at least I want to do to maintain my standards or to help others.) My breaks are distinctly separate from work sessions. (I have been known to take several breaks in between my work sessions especially when I need a quick attitude adjustment or need to quickly strategize the next step.)
I felt a pang of terror when I read that your MUST DO list hovers around 300-400 items. Your stress tolerance is much higher than mine. When I was in the work force, sometimes I had to work 17 hour shifts on the weekend on top of my normal job just to meet deadlines for the researchers symposiums, publishing deadlines, et al. I'm only talking about 30 to 40 concurrent illustrations. If we had 300 to 400 illustrations backlogged, I'd probably have had a nervous breakdown. LOL! I tip my hat off to Seraphim, Vegheadjones and you. You guys seem to have nerves of steel.
I'm rarely amused and terrified at the same time. Like you, I keep my list confined to work that I must do (or at least I want to do to maintain my standards or to help others.) My breaks are distinctly separate from work sessions. (I have been known to take several breaks in between my work sessions especially when I need a quick attitude adjustment or need to quickly strategize the next step.)
I felt a pang of terror when I read that your MUST DO list hovers around 300-400 items. Your stress tolerance is much higher than mine. When I was in the work force, sometimes I had to work 17 hour shifts on the weekend on top of my normal job just to meet deadlines for the researchers symposiums, publishing deadlines, et al. I'm only talking about 30 to 40 concurrent illustrations. If we had 300 to 400 illustrations backlogged, I'd probably have had a nervous breakdown. LOL! I tip my hat off to Seraphim, Vegheadjones and you. You guys seem to have nerves of steel.
February 1, 2015 at 15:08 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
p.s.
re: FV and AF series lists
I have a highly distractible mind especially when I'm scanning for legit excuses to avoid "that" job for awhile. I like having a daily list comprised of WILL DO MITS and some other worthy tasks or jobs that I want on my radar screen that act as relief tasks if I need a break from a particular job but I want to keep working until an actual break. I do best with a target. It also helps me to know when I'm done. There's always too much to do. A daily WILL DO list is an excellent may to tell me when I can stop working and put away the damn list for the day. That always feels great!
re: FV and AF series lists
I have a highly distractible mind especially when I'm scanning for legit excuses to avoid "that" job for awhile. I like having a daily list comprised of WILL DO MITS and some other worthy tasks or jobs that I want on my radar screen that act as relief tasks if I need a break from a particular job but I want to keep working until an actual break. I do best with a target. It also helps me to know when I'm done. There's always too much to do. A daily WILL DO list is an excellent may to tell me when I can stop working and put away the damn list for the day. That always feels great!
February 1, 2015 at 15:16 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
The way I presently manage my list, there's only 50 things. Deleting stuff like that will result in an empty list in 2 weeks.
February 2, 2015 at 1:17 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu:
<< The way I presently manage my list, there's only 50 things. Deleting stuff like that will result in an empty list in 2 weeks. >>
But are they the same 50 things all the time? How many different tasks do you do in the course of a month?
Do you have some sort of backup or someday/maybe list the weeding could be applied to?
<< The way I presently manage my list, there's only 50 things. Deleting stuff like that will result in an empty list in 2 weeks. >>
But are they the same 50 things all the time? How many different tasks do you do in the course of a month?
Do you have some sort of backup or someday/maybe list the weeding could be applied to?
February 3, 2015 at 11:33 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I would have a hard time applying this clutter clearing challenge to my AF list because my list is so short, but I'm going to try it on my email inbox and archive, and on my document folders on my computer. It could also work on my physical files, which I've had on my mind to purge someday.
On another side note, there seems to be quite a bit of variation in terms of the number of tasks people have. I have 19 tasks on my list right now, and 8 of those are repeating tasks, the oldest is January 24th. Yet I have a lot on my plate. Maybe I'm working more off list than I realize. How do you define a task?
On another side note, there seems to be quite a bit of variation in terms of the number of tasks people have. I have 19 tasks on my list right now, and 8 of those are repeating tasks, the oldest is January 24th. Yet I have a lot on my plate. Maybe I'm working more off list than I realize. How do you define a task?
February 3, 2015 at 15:52 |
Paul MacNeil
Paul MacNeil
Mark:
I'm accepting this challenge and applying it towards the someday tasks that are spread throughout my backlogged tasks. My list should be cut in half. Any item I want to keep for inspiration will be deleted and rewritten onto 3x5 cards, changing the weight and intention of the item. An idea deck, instead of an intention list mixed with my commitments.
I'm accepting this challenge and applying it towards the someday tasks that are spread throughout my backlogged tasks. My list should be cut in half. Any item I want to keep for inspiration will be deleted and rewritten onto 3x5 cards, changing the weight and intention of the item. An idea deck, instead of an intention list mixed with my commitments.
February 3, 2015 at 15:53 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
Paul MacNeil:
<< How do you define a task? >>
As far as the AF family of lists is concerned (which is what my suggested challenge is about), a task is one item on your list, however big or small.
<< How do you define a task? >>
As far as the AF family of lists is concerned (which is what my suggested challenge is about), a task is one item on your list, however big or small.
February 3, 2015 at 16:21 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Paul:
"...There seems to be quite a bit of variation in terms of the number of tasks people have. I have 19 tasks on my list right now... Maybe I'm working more off list than I realize. How do you define a task?"
I was thinking about this the other day. People must be working off list to have such short lists, or they are writing their tasks at a high level. If the average person wrote down everything they have to do in a given week I suspect most would find their list to be between 60 and a 120 tasks. And with a few backlogged weeks, your list may balloon to 300-400 before reaching equilibrium. It also depends on the level at which you write your tasks. I tend to have a balance of fine-grained to coarse-grained tasks when using a single list.
One guideline for defining items is:
Action/Activity/Task/To Do: A simple, specific, physical movement, communication, or contemplation that moves you towards an outcome and can be completed within a day
Outcome: What you ultimately want from a group of related tasks that can be completed within a week
Project: What you ultimately want from a group of related outcomes and usually takes longer than a week to complete
Vision for a Life Area: What you ultimately want from a group of projects or one-off outcomes related by life area
Vision for Your Life: What you ultimately want from all your combined life areas, personal and professional
"...There seems to be quite a bit of variation in terms of the number of tasks people have. I have 19 tasks on my list right now... Maybe I'm working more off list than I realize. How do you define a task?"
I was thinking about this the other day. People must be working off list to have such short lists, or they are writing their tasks at a high level. If the average person wrote down everything they have to do in a given week I suspect most would find their list to be between 60 and a 120 tasks. And with a few backlogged weeks, your list may balloon to 300-400 before reaching equilibrium. It also depends on the level at which you write your tasks. I tend to have a balance of fine-grained to coarse-grained tasks when using a single list.
One guideline for defining items is:
Action/Activity/Task/To Do: A simple, specific, physical movement, communication, or contemplation that moves you towards an outcome and can be completed within a day
Outcome: What you ultimately want from a group of related tasks that can be completed within a week
Project: What you ultimately want from a group of related outcomes and usually takes longer than a week to complete
Vision for a Life Area: What you ultimately want from a group of projects or one-off outcomes related by life area
Vision for Your Life: What you ultimately want from all your combined life areas, personal and professional
February 3, 2015 at 17:05 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
I don't find that taxonomy useful. I size the items of my list according to what works with me and the system. For example, "clean house". Sometimes i need to be more specific with a certain thing to clean, but usually i just pick some thing and do that alone. Another single entry is that big work project. I have details elsewhere, but it's mostly a list of current concerns, with any past or future concerns not meriting attention.
February 4, 2015 at 15:07 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I think about tasks in the same way Alan does, I think. I just write down whatever naturally comes to mind, and don't really give any particular consideration to sizing, context, etc.
February 6, 2015 at 6:17 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
I was wondering what the effect would be if one applied the same idea to one's AF list (or similar list)? You have to delete (not dismiss, delete) one task off your list today, the 1st. And so on until you delete 28 tasks on 28 February.
Any ideas? Anyone want to try it?
By the end of February you'll have deleted a total of 406 tasks. In a 30 day month that would be 465!