Discussion Forum > DIT- What is one day's work?
"However, when we use the Do It Tomorrow methods which I have been describing, we are aiming to do one day’s worth of incoming work per day. Each day we collect the work that comes in throughout the day and action it the following day."
I have tried all the time management systems on this website, and GTD, but I don't understand this concept. With GTD, there is collecting, and processing, and deciding, and acting. I can understand that the processing work the next day could equal the collection work the previous day. However, I can imagine days where projects come in that cannot be completed in one day. Or where the action required is much longer than the incoming work.
Mark H.
I have tried all the time management systems on this website, and GTD, but I don't understand this concept. With GTD, there is collecting, and processing, and deciding, and acting. I can understand that the processing work the next day could equal the collection work the previous day. However, I can imagine days where projects come in that cannot be completed in one day. Or where the action required is much longer than the incoming work.
Mark H.
March 25, 2015 at 3:43 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
So, you write today the incoming tasks from today on the task diary for tomorrow. When is the decision of committment to the task made, is it when the task comes in today, or tomorrow? When the committment is made, and the task is to be done on a certain date, the task gets moved to that date in the task diary. You decided to do some of the tasks, and certain tasks get moved to the will-do list for today. What happens to the other incoming tasks on the task diary, those that don't get deferred or put on the will-do list? Do they stay on the task diary for that date, or get moved somewhere else, or get deleted? I don't read about a Someday/Maybe list, or an Autofocus type of dismissal.
March 25, 2015 at 10:41 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
Let's say that you have committed to doing a task, but there is no room in the day's schedule, so it does not get on the will-do list. Where does the task go? Does it remain on the date in the task diary? Let's say that you are not ready to commit yet, and you need to do some research, and you can't do the task yet. Where does the task go?
Mark H.
Mark H.
March 25, 2015 at 11:28 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
The answer given in DIT is that you take the planned finish date of an incoming project and the total amount of work, and estimate how much you have to work on it every day, starting tomorrow, to finish it on time. You don't do the whole project tomorrow. You do the next day's worth of tasks necessary to finish on time.
March 25, 2015 at 12:16 |
Austin
Austin
Mark H:
<< I have been reading Do It Tomorrow. I have a question about what it means to deal with one day's incoming work. The book reads: "We are aiming to do one day’s worth of incoming work per day. Each day we collect the work that comes in throughout the day and action it the following day."
<< Does this mean to process your incoming information, and decide what to do about the item, or does it also mean to actually do the work? >>
It means to actually do the work.
<< If it is actually to do the work, can it be said that it should be done in one day? >>
Why not? Tomorrow you will have more work coming in and the following day even more work, so when is a better time than just getting it done the day after it comes in?
<< If we don't have enough time in one day to complete all the incoming work, what should be done with the item? >>
If it slips more than a few days then you should carry out the audit procedure described in Chapter 12.
<< I have been reading Do It Tomorrow. I have a question about what it means to deal with one day's incoming work. The book reads: "We are aiming to do one day’s worth of incoming work per day. Each day we collect the work that comes in throughout the day and action it the following day."
<< Does this mean to process your incoming information, and decide what to do about the item, or does it also mean to actually do the work? >>
It means to actually do the work.
<< If it is actually to do the work, can it be said that it should be done in one day? >>
Why not? Tomorrow you will have more work coming in and the following day even more work, so when is a better time than just getting it done the day after it comes in?
<< If we don't have enough time in one day to complete all the incoming work, what should be done with the item? >>
If it slips more than a few days then you should carry out the audit procedure described in Chapter 12.
March 25, 2015 at 17:19 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark H:
<< However, I can imagine days where projects come in that cannot be completed in one day. Or where the action required is much longer than the incoming work. >>
If you are given a large project to deal with, then your first step is to plan the project - that is Task One. The various project actions should then be scheduled forward in your Task Diary.
What you are aiming to do each day is to be up to date with the project, not to complete it.
See Chapter 14 for further details.
<< However, I can imagine days where projects come in that cannot be completed in one day. Or where the action required is much longer than the incoming work. >>
If you are given a large project to deal with, then your first step is to plan the project - that is Task One. The various project actions should then be scheduled forward in your Task Diary.
What you are aiming to do each day is to be up to date with the project, not to complete it.
See Chapter 14 for further details.
March 25, 2015 at 17:41 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark H:
<< So, you write today the incoming tasks from today on the task diary for tomorrow. When is the decision of committment to the task made, is it when the task comes in today, or tomorrow? >>
You should not be writing a tasks down at all unless it forms part of an existing commitment. In the case of taking on a new commitment, you need to make room for it first, e.g. by reducing your existing commitments.
<< When the committment is made, and the task is to be done on a certain date, the task gets moved to that date in the task diary. >>
No, a task is always done tomorrow. It is only moved to a date in the task diary if it can't be done before that date.
<< You decided to do some of the tasks, and certain tasks get moved to the will-do list for today. What happens to the other incoming tasks on the task diary, those that don't get deferred or put on the will-do list? >>
There aren't any. The Task Diary *is* your Will-Do List.
<< Do they stay on the task diary for that date, or get moved somewhere else, or get deleted? >>
No. They are done tomorrow.
<< I don't read about a Someday/Maybe list, or an Autofocus type of dismissal. >>
That's because they are unnecessary with this system.
<< So, you write today the incoming tasks from today on the task diary for tomorrow. When is the decision of committment to the task made, is it when the task comes in today, or tomorrow? >>
You should not be writing a tasks down at all unless it forms part of an existing commitment. In the case of taking on a new commitment, you need to make room for it first, e.g. by reducing your existing commitments.
<< When the committment is made, and the task is to be done on a certain date, the task gets moved to that date in the task diary. >>
No, a task is always done tomorrow. It is only moved to a date in the task diary if it can't be done before that date.
<< You decided to do some of the tasks, and certain tasks get moved to the will-do list for today. What happens to the other incoming tasks on the task diary, those that don't get deferred or put on the will-do list? >>
There aren't any. The Task Diary *is* your Will-Do List.
<< Do they stay on the task diary for that date, or get moved somewhere else, or get deleted? >>
No. They are done tomorrow.
<< I don't read about a Someday/Maybe list, or an Autofocus type of dismissal. >>
That's because they are unnecessary with this system.
March 25, 2015 at 17:54 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark H:
<< Let's say that you have committed to doing a task, but there is no room in the day's schedule, so it does not get on the will-do list. Where does the task go? Does it remain on the date in the task diary? >>
As I mentioned above, the Task Diary *is* the Will Do list. The Task Diary (plus a few recurring items, such as "Email") automatically forms your list for the following day.
<< Let's say that you are not ready to commit yet, and you need to do some research, and you can't do the task yet. Where does the task go? >>
Instead of putting "Project X" on your Will Do list, put "Research Project X".
<< Let's say that you have committed to doing a task, but there is no room in the day's schedule, so it does not get on the will-do list. Where does the task go? Does it remain on the date in the task diary? >>
As I mentioned above, the Task Diary *is* the Will Do list. The Task Diary (plus a few recurring items, such as "Email") automatically forms your list for the following day.
<< Let's say that you are not ready to commit yet, and you need to do some research, and you can't do the task yet. Where does the task go? >>
Instead of putting "Project X" on your Will Do list, put "Research Project X".
March 25, 2015 at 17:57 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark,
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I will read the book again in light of your answers, and I think I will understand it better. I have not tried DIT before, I got the Kindle book recently. There are some things in common with Autofocus, and some in common with Get Everything Done, which I have read, and I might have missed what is different about it. Do It Tomorrow means do it tomorrow. I will read the book again before I ask any more questions.
Mark H.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I will read the book again in light of your answers, and I think I will understand it better. I have not tried DIT before, I got the Kindle book recently. There are some things in common with Autofocus, and some in common with Get Everything Done, which I have read, and I might have missed what is different about it. Do It Tomorrow means do it tomorrow. I will read the book again before I ask any more questions.
Mark H.
March 25, 2015 at 19:26 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
Mark H:
Bear in mind that I wrote DIT intending it to be a completely different approach from GED and I wrote AF intending it to be a completely different approach from DIT, so it's not a good idea to read either system into DIT.
With a new system my advice is always to read the instructions, put the system into effect for a few days and then read the instructions again to make sure you have got them right.
Good luck!
Bear in mind that I wrote DIT intending it to be a completely different approach from GED and I wrote AF intending it to be a completely different approach from DIT, so it's not a good idea to read either system into DIT.
With a new system my advice is always to read the instructions, put the system into effect for a few days and then read the instructions again to make sure you have got them right.
Good luck!
March 25, 2015 at 20:40 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark,
I have reread the book now. It might be best if I try if for a few days, and see what happens. When I see it in action, some of my questions might answer themselves. Thanks.
Mark H.
I have reread the book now. It might be best if I try if for a few days, and see what happens. When I see it in action, some of my questions might answer themselves. Thanks.
Mark H.
March 26, 2015 at 0:58 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
Does this mean to process your incoming information, and decide what to do about the item, or does it also mean to actually do the work? If it is actually to do the work, can it be said that it should be done in one day? If we don't have enough time in one day to complete all the incoming work, what should be done with the item?
Mark H.