Discussion Forum > Time-Horizon for "Must Get Done"-Tasks?
I find a mix works best for planning horizons. More detail as you get closer.
This month, I will do 12 sessions on the report. One week for outline and research, one for writing, one for graphics, one for comments.
This week, I will do three sessions. Monday I will think of topics and do enough research to know if I need to go to anther library. Wednesday I will research. Friday I will make the outline and confirm that I have good references for the key points. On Friday I will also plan how to spread out the writing (week 2), and think about whether a week is enough time for the graphics (week 3).
Looking only at number of tasks is misleading. Some tasks take a long time, or use up focus energy out of proportion to the actual time, or have many subtasks that don't need to be written out.
I also plan more conservatively in advance, or at least try to. I know all my appointments and commitments for this week, so know if I can squeeze in a few more commitments. Looking at the next month, though, I stay pessimistic and assume I won't have much time for new commitments. I can always add more later, or work on other projects.
This month, I will do 12 sessions on the report. One week for outline and research, one for writing, one for graphics, one for comments.
This week, I will do three sessions. Monday I will think of topics and do enough research to know if I need to go to anther library. Wednesday I will research. Friday I will make the outline and confirm that I have good references for the key points. On Friday I will also plan how to spread out the writing (week 2), and think about whether a week is enough time for the graphics (week 3).
Looking only at number of tasks is misleading. Some tasks take a long time, or use up focus energy out of proportion to the actual time, or have many subtasks that don't need to be written out.
I also plan more conservatively in advance, or at least try to. I know all my appointments and commitments for this week, so know if I can squeeze in a few more commitments. Looking at the next month, though, I stay pessimistic and assume I won't have much time for new commitments. I can always add more later, or work on other projects.
May 24, 2017 at 22:00 |
Cricket
Cricket
http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2672135
Mark wrote:
>>>What I'm getting at is that one thing I've learned by bitter experience in the past is that selecting a small number of tasks which must be done during the day can be a recipe for procrastination and a low volume of work.<<<
This has been my experience also. Except that with daily No-List FVP, while it was still there, it could be successfully overcome. Even better with 3T or 5T.
This made me think: With 5T the time-horizon of >>>selecting a small number of tasks which must be done<<< is very short, short enough to be very encouraging even. But if the time-horizon is a day, it is already too much and procrastination incurs.
Why is this so, what is the maximal profitable time-horizon for "must get done"?