Discussion Forum > TargetFocus
Using TargetFocus with FVP and AFP
During the course of working your list with FVP or Autofocus Perfected, you may come to a task in your preselected list that you wish to process with TargetFocus, or you may want to do this with a specific task anywhere in your list. I've come up with a simple way to do so. This will leave your FVP or AFP preselections in place, and when your TargetFocus tasks are complete, you return to the last dotted task in FVP or AFP and carry on.
To do this, there are only two small changes to the rules. First, dot your tasks near the edge of the page—after the task. Second, replace the first TargetFocus rule with this:
1. Mark your chosen task with a small x. If your task is dotted, change the dot to a small x.
All other rules remain unchanged.
When you need to group things together with targeted focus on X, shift to this system at any time. When you need to widen your view and manage your life, shift to FVP or Autofocus Perfected.
During the course of working your list with FVP or Autofocus Perfected, you may come to a task in your preselected list that you wish to process with TargetFocus, or you may want to do this with a specific task anywhere in your list. I've come up with a simple way to do so. This will leave your FVP or AFP preselections in place, and when your TargetFocus tasks are complete, you return to the last dotted task in FVP or AFP and carry on.
To do this, there are only two small changes to the rules. First, dot your tasks near the edge of the page—after the task. Second, replace the first TargetFocus rule with this:
1. Mark your chosen task with a small x. If your task is dotted, change the dot to a small x.
All other rules remain unchanged.
When you need to group things together with targeted focus on X, shift to this system at any time. When you need to widen your view and manage your life, shift to FVP or Autofocus Perfected.
June 9, 2015 at 14:10 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
Michael:
It amuses me that right after I have shown people exactly how much can be achieved and exactly how to do it, the first reaction is not to follow the method I used but to invent something different!
It amuses me that right after I have shown people exactly how much can be achieved and exactly how to do it, the first reaction is not to follow the method I used but to invent something different!
June 9, 2015 at 14:52 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mark:
"It amuses me that right after I have shown people exactly how much can be achieved and exactly how to do it, the first reaction is not to follow the method I used but to invent something different!"
Haha. That is funny. This system was not intended to replace your new system, but was designed as a compliment to it, and an option for specific uses. It was inspired by nuntym's post here:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/fv-forum/post/2511227
I hadn't read your latest blog post yet as I was busy Monday night creating this system and writing the instructions.
"It amuses me that right after I have shown people exactly how much can be achieved and exactly how to do it, the first reaction is not to follow the method I used but to invent something different!"
Haha. That is funny. This system was not intended to replace your new system, but was designed as a compliment to it, and an option for specific uses. It was inspired by nuntym's post here:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/fv-forum/post/2511227
I hadn't read your latest blog post yet as I was busy Monday night creating this system and writing the instructions.
June 9, 2015 at 16:15 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
@Michael B.:
I was already doing this with FVP:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/fv-forum/post/2507491
I also went back to DECAF variant for a day. I am going to try now pure vanilla FVP no question on pen and paper, following Mark's advice in the latest blog post. I'm going to see the difference.
NOTE : the DECAF variant actually was a significant improvement, in that I patterned it to AF1. I would say if FVP still does not work for me I'll definitely go back to it.
I was already doing this with FVP:
http://markforster.squarespace.com/fv-forum/post/2507491
I also went back to DECAF variant for a day. I am going to try now pure vanilla FVP no question on pen and paper, following Mark's advice in the latest blog post. I'm going to see the difference.
NOTE : the DECAF variant actually was a significant improvement, in that I patterned it to AF1. I would say if FVP still does not work for me I'll definitely go back to it.
June 10, 2015 at 4:00 |
nuntym
nuntym
nuntym:
"I was already doing this with FVP:"
I think you mean "I was already using a system to focus on context with FVP".
I was aware of this, as your post I linked to above is what inspired my thinking up a solution. In your post you described simulating context within FVP, but felt that it was clunky.
The system you linked to above and the one described here do share the same intention, but they are very different systems in design. You may find it to be exactly what you were looking for. It should work very smoothly for you should the need arise.
For the last couple of years, I've been casually coming up with ways to group related tasks together towards a single target using an open list. I wanted a solution that was:
• Simple
• Could be used with FV
• Limits rewriting
• Produces only the tasks that are best to do right now
• Produces the best sequence for the tasks no matter where the target or tasks are located in the list
When Mark created FVP and then I saw your post looking for a solution, it all clicked! I got excited to create a solution, both for others and for myself.
"I was already doing this with FVP:"
I think you mean "I was already using a system to focus on context with FVP".
I was aware of this, as your post I linked to above is what inspired my thinking up a solution. In your post you described simulating context within FVP, but felt that it was clunky.
The system you linked to above and the one described here do share the same intention, but they are very different systems in design. You may find it to be exactly what you were looking for. It should work very smoothly for you should the need arise.
For the last couple of years, I've been casually coming up with ways to group related tasks together towards a single target using an open list. I wanted a solution that was:
• Simple
• Could be used with FV
• Limits rewriting
• Produces only the tasks that are best to do right now
• Produces the best sequence for the tasks no matter where the target or tasks are located in the list
When Mark created FVP and then I saw your post looking for a solution, it all clicked! I got excited to create a solution, both for others and for myself.
June 10, 2015 at 5:35 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
1. Starting from the beginning of your list, scan forward and mark the first task that stands out to you with a small x. (Alternatively, mark the first task you are resisting.)
2. Return to the beginning of your list.
3. Scan forward through your list in order and dot the first task that will help you prepare for or complete X. This becomes the benchmark task.
4. Continue scanning forward from your benchmark and ask:
"What's better for X right now?"
Dot the next task that applies and this becomes your new benchmark. Continue in this way until nothing else can be dotted that is better for X right now than the last dotted task, and then start that task.
5. After each task is completed, use the FVP algorithm and the question "What's better for X right now?".