Discussion Forum > I Need Some Help
I would suggest something on the lines of what I'm doing (but I do all electronically): -
1.A page headed "recurring" tasks. Add tasks to this list. Put a tick when done to the right.
Keep adding ticks as and when done. When no more room. Cross it out, add at the bottom and carry on as before.
This is a bit like Mark's plate spinning method.
2.Another page to add new tasks as and when they come in. Scan regularly and cross off when done. AKA simple scanning.
3.Finally a few pages later on in your note pad for deferred tasks headed "Mar 18", "Apr 18", "May 18" etc, where you can write tasks in there and then review/action at the right time.
Seems simple enough and very effective. Hope that helps.
1.A page headed "recurring" tasks. Add tasks to this list. Put a tick when done to the right.
Keep adding ticks as and when done. When no more room. Cross it out, add at the bottom and carry on as before.
This is a bit like Mark's plate spinning method.
2.Another page to add new tasks as and when they come in. Scan regularly and cross off when done. AKA simple scanning.
3.Finally a few pages later on in your note pad for deferred tasks headed "Mar 18", "Apr 18", "May 18" etc, where you can write tasks in there and then review/action at the right time.
Seems simple enough and very effective. Hope that helps.
February 22, 2018 at 12:38 |
MrBacklog
MrBacklog
Oh yes, and one quick add on: -
I have a simple priority system - you could split the tasks on a page into 2 columns. One for urgent and the other for not so urgent. Do them roughly in the ratio of 2:1. Oldest first.
That keeps everything jogging along and the more urgent done first and the oldest not so urgent still being worked on.
I have a simple priority system - you could split the tasks on a page into 2 columns. One for urgent and the other for not so urgent. Do them roughly in the ratio of 2:1. Oldest first.
That keeps everything jogging along and the more urgent done first and the oldest not so urgent still being worked on.
February 22, 2018 at 13:09 |
MrBacklog
MrBacklog
This is probably over-obvious, but put stuff a month away on a digital calendar, print out the calendar, and then keep the paper in your back pocket. When a new idea pops up, write it on the printout and update the online version when you want to.
For items that recur, I subscribe to a service called FollowUpThen. It's basically an email reminder system. So for an item I have to do on the first Friday of every month, I create an email with the subject CHECK GREDUNZA and in the to: line, I write "every1stFriday@fut.io" and then I will get that email every first Friday. The scheduling is very flexible. If I can't do the task that day, it's easy to push the reminder back a day, a week, etc.
What I like about email reminders is 1) quick and easy 2) not on the calendar but I get the reminders when I need them and 3) presumably I know how to keep a clean inbox, so they don't pile up.
Let the systems remember the tasks for you.
For items that recur, I subscribe to a service called FollowUpThen. It's basically an email reminder system. So for an item I have to do on the first Friday of every month, I create an email with the subject CHECK GREDUNZA and in the to: line, I write "every1stFriday@fut.io" and then I will get that email every first Friday. The scheduling is very flexible. If I can't do the task that day, it's easy to push the reminder back a day, a week, etc.
What I like about email reminders is 1) quick and easy 2) not on the calendar but I get the reminders when I need them and 3) presumably I know how to keep a clean inbox, so they don't pile up.
Let the systems remember the tasks for you.
February 22, 2018 at 13:12 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
I think I'd use DIT if I were in your situation. DIT handles future tasks pretty well -- just enter them onto the dated page when you first want to see them. I've used the softcover version of these Moleskine pocket-sized daily journal notebooks for DIT, they work really well: http://us.moleskine.com/12-month-daily-planner-scarlet/p0268#
February 22, 2018 at 14:43 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
That sounds like me. Former Professional Engineer, quit work 20 years ago when the kids arrived. Several commitments for guilds.
Move the vacation property stuff to a different list. Maybe add "buy what's needed" to the calendar two weeks before the trip.
Did you do your housework that often before? That frequency sounds like make-work to me.
Lots of good suggestions here for recurring tasks. I usually use a single page for the next year, then, when that page gets full, recopy it to one page per quarter,, repeat as makes sense. That keeps the book thinner for very little recopying time.
I also record the date last done, especially for things with fuzzy repeat times. I want to do something every 4-8 weeks. Last time I did it, I wrote the next time on Jan 1. Does that mean Jan 1 is 4 weeks, and it can slide a bit, or 8 weeks and I absolutely must do it?
Move the vacation property stuff to a different list. Maybe add "buy what's needed" to the calendar two weeks before the trip.
Did you do your housework that often before? That frequency sounds like make-work to me.
Lots of good suggestions here for recurring tasks. I usually use a single page for the next year, then, when that page gets full, recopy it to one page per quarter,, repeat as makes sense. That keeps the book thinner for very little recopying time.
I also record the date last done, especially for things with fuzzy repeat times. I want to do something every 4-8 weeks. Last time I did it, I wrote the next time on Jan 1. Does that mean Jan 1 is 4 weeks, and it can slide a bit, or 8 weeks and I absolutely must do it?
February 22, 2018 at 20:47 |
Cricket
Cricket
Lots of great suggestions. Thanks so much for helping me.
Seraphim, I need to learn more about DIT, I will look into that tonight.
MrBacklog, I like your point #1 about a list for the recurring housework in particular. Then I need to block out some time every day on my daily todo list for some of those housework items.
Mike, I do put some future tasks into my iphone calendar. Every week I print out a pocketmod with daily pages and add the future tasks that will come due in the current week. I carry the pocketmod in my back pocket.
Cricket, I sometimes feel that our housework list is overkill, but my wife and I babysit grandkids a lot - they really trash the house. Two autofocus lists might just work - one for home and one for when we are at our vacation property. And yes, it is useful to buy maintenance items and project supplies in advance at home rather than at the vacation property.
Now I have to figure out how to integrate these ideas into a system that I can trust to keep track of my tasks and present them to me at the proper time.
Seraphim, I need to learn more about DIT, I will look into that tonight.
MrBacklog, I like your point #1 about a list for the recurring housework in particular. Then I need to block out some time every day on my daily todo list for some of those housework items.
Mike, I do put some future tasks into my iphone calendar. Every week I print out a pocketmod with daily pages and add the future tasks that will come due in the current week. I carry the pocketmod in my back pocket.
Cricket, I sometimes feel that our housework list is overkill, but my wife and I babysit grandkids a lot - they really trash the house. Two autofocus lists might just work - one for home and one for when we are at our vacation property. And yes, it is useful to buy maintenance items and project supplies in advance at home rather than at the vacation property.
Now I have to figure out how to integrate these ideas into a system that I can trust to keep track of my tasks and present them to me at the proper time.
February 23, 2018 at 0:38 |
Rusty
Rusty
There's a good summary of DIT here, including an except of Mark's DIT "quick start":
http://entirelyuseless.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/do-it-tomorrow/
There is a more detailed summary here:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/review-do-it-tomorrow/
And of course, there's lots more material on DIT on this site. :-)
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/category/do-it-tomorrow
http://entirelyuseless.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/do-it-tomorrow/
There is a more detailed summary here:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/review-do-it-tomorrow/
And of course, there's lots more material on DIT on this site. :-)
http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/category/do-it-tomorrow
February 23, 2018 at 16:11 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Rusty - I'm also retired. :-)
I use an app that you might like called "Clean my house" that schedules all the house maintenance / cleaning tasks I do. I give it about 15 minutes in the morning and evening and finish off what's backlogged on the weekends, if anything. I think I've set up about 70 total tasks in there. Just too much for an AF list or a calendar (IMO).
Otherwise, I use a weekly calendar called Action Day (bought it on Amazon) which has room for projects and a misc task list which is the right size for me for a week (about 30 lines). I also don't have many appointments and I have those in Google calendar anyway. I use the time boxes to record what I'm going to focus on every hour or block of hours (sort of like The Next Hour or Frank's Oasis method) which also acts as a "Done" list because some days time goes by so fast and I didn't have a clue what I did all day. That calendar wouldn't fit in your pocket though and maybe it's overkill for what you want.
If I were you, I'd set up a mini bullet journal.
I use an app that you might like called "Clean my house" that schedules all the house maintenance / cleaning tasks I do. I give it about 15 minutes in the morning and evening and finish off what's backlogged on the weekends, if anything. I think I've set up about 70 total tasks in there. Just too much for an AF list or a calendar (IMO).
Otherwise, I use a weekly calendar called Action Day (bought it on Amazon) which has room for projects and a misc task list which is the right size for me for a week (about 30 lines). I also don't have many appointments and I have those in Google calendar anyway. I use the time boxes to record what I'm going to focus on every hour or block of hours (sort of like The Next Hour or Frank's Oasis method) which also acts as a "Done" list because some days time goes by so fast and I didn't have a clue what I did all day. That calendar wouldn't fit in your pocket though and maybe it's overkill for what you want.
If I were you, I'd set up a mini bullet journal.
February 24, 2018 at 22:49 |
Jacqueline
Jacqueline
The mini bullet journal is new to me. I don't quite get it yet, but will study it a bit more. Meanwhile...
I’m contemplating a system with four moving parts:
1. Housekeeping/maintenance/yardwork list on paper (lots of small repetitive tasks)
2. Autofocus notebook for one-off projects around home
3. Autofocus notebook for one-off projects around the vacation property
4. A list of tasks and appointments (partially pre-printed) in pocketmod format that must be done on specific days of the week
Item 1. includes weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks. The high-volume weekly housecleaning tasks are too numerous to add to the autofocus notebook every day so I will block out an hour a day on the five weekdays to get through the weekly items on the list. These one hour blocks are pre-printed on the appropriate days on the pocketmod daily schedule 4. above.
The monthly, quarterly and annual tasks have been assigned to particular months on list 1., and I will add these to the autofocus notebook on a month-to-month basis. I use the autofocus method in its traditional format with pretty good success.
On a daily basis I will give priority to the daily must-do items on the pocketmod (4.) For the rest of the day I will work the autofocus notebook.
This has more moving parts than I like, but I’ve tried lots of different approaches without consistent success. May as well give this a go. I'll report in a week or so how this is going (mostly for my benefit to keep me motivated).
I’m contemplating a system with four moving parts:
1. Housekeeping/maintenance/yardwork list on paper (lots of small repetitive tasks)
2. Autofocus notebook for one-off projects around home
3. Autofocus notebook for one-off projects around the vacation property
4. A list of tasks and appointments (partially pre-printed) in pocketmod format that must be done on specific days of the week
Item 1. includes weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks. The high-volume weekly housecleaning tasks are too numerous to add to the autofocus notebook every day so I will block out an hour a day on the five weekdays to get through the weekly items on the list. These one hour blocks are pre-printed on the appropriate days on the pocketmod daily schedule 4. above.
The monthly, quarterly and annual tasks have been assigned to particular months on list 1., and I will add these to the autofocus notebook on a month-to-month basis. I use the autofocus method in its traditional format with pretty good success.
On a daily basis I will give priority to the daily must-do items on the pocketmod (4.) For the rest of the day I will work the autofocus notebook.
This has more moving parts than I like, but I’ve tried lots of different approaches without consistent success. May as well give this a go. I'll report in a week or so how this is going (mostly for my benefit to keep me motivated).
February 25, 2018 at 3:57 |
Rusty
Rusty
A bullet journal would work well for your situation. You could have sections (an AF page) for "things to get to prep for vacation property", "things to do at vacation property", "areas to clean after grandkids visit" etc.
https://lifehacker.com/the-bullet-journal-minus-the-hype-is-actually-a-reall-1786382012
https://lifehacker.com/the-bullet-journal-minus-the-hype-is-actually-a-reall-1786382012
February 25, 2018 at 17:14 |
Jacqueline
Jacqueline
Bullet Journal is actually a huge collection of ways to use a bound notebook. The fancy coloured pages tend to get more attention, but many use less. (Some people get side-tracked by making pretty pages, but for many, the time spent designing and colouring is calming and keeps the book interesting.)
Most people change the way they do things fairly often. Number of pages per week, how far ahead to plan in how much detail. Which things get their own page.
It also includes a few ways to connect pages, since you can't just open the rings and move the page, and how to index things so you can find them again. Much trial and error, and flexibility.
+++
What happens when you don't follow the schedule? I find that question makes a huge difference.
+++
I do something similar with housework. My goal is 30-60 minutes a day. I fill it with urgent things first, then less urgent. Slow repeats are always on a list, since they're easy to put off. Fast repeats vary with what works at the tme. Sometimes I like the certainty and reward of planning and crossing off, even if it's the same list every day. Other times, trusting myself to know what needs doing works better.
Most people change the way they do things fairly often. Number of pages per week, how far ahead to plan in how much detail. Which things get their own page.
It also includes a few ways to connect pages, since you can't just open the rings and move the page, and how to index things so you can find them again. Much trial and error, and flexibility.
+++
What happens when you don't follow the schedule? I find that question makes a huge difference.
+++
I do something similar with housework. My goal is 30-60 minutes a day. I fill it with urgent things first, then less urgent. Slow repeats are always on a list, since they're easy to put off. Fast repeats vary with what works at the tme. Sometimes I like the certainty and reward of planning and crossing off, even if it's the same list every day. Other times, trusting myself to know what needs doing works better.
February 27, 2018 at 17:16 |
Cricket
Cricket
Rusty:
I don't know why, but for some reason this thread has managed to escape my notice. My apologies for not replying before. Here are my answers to your original post.
<< Here are some problems I haven't been able to solve:
<< I don't know how to include tasks that must be done at the vacation property a month from now. I can't do these tasks now but they can't be dismissed. >>
You shouldn't put tasks on your AF list which can't be started within a couple of days. The proper place for them is in some sort of reminder system, whether it be a diary/calendar/schedule or a web reminder service. Put the tasks in your AF list when you are ready to start them.
<< How should I include repetitive tasks such as housework that I want to do on a schedule? e.g. wash the kitchen floor daily, vacuum the bedrooms weekly, clean the woodwork bi-weekly, etc.>>
Following the principle of a couple of days, washing the kitchen floor should be permanently on the list and the other two examples should be in your reminder system to be put on the list when you are ready for them.
<< I need a pen and paper system that fits in my pocket because I don't always want to carry a computer or tablet. I'm open to a iphone app. >>
You can use virtually any lined notebook for AF.
FINALLY: Whatever you do, avoid over-complicating things.
I don't know why, but for some reason this thread has managed to escape my notice. My apologies for not replying before. Here are my answers to your original post.
<< Here are some problems I haven't been able to solve:
<< I don't know how to include tasks that must be done at the vacation property a month from now. I can't do these tasks now but they can't be dismissed. >>
You shouldn't put tasks on your AF list which can't be started within a couple of days. The proper place for them is in some sort of reminder system, whether it be a diary/calendar/schedule or a web reminder service. Put the tasks in your AF list when you are ready to start them.
<< How should I include repetitive tasks such as housework that I want to do on a schedule? e.g. wash the kitchen floor daily, vacuum the bedrooms weekly, clean the woodwork bi-weekly, etc.>>
Following the principle of a couple of days, washing the kitchen floor should be permanently on the list and the other two examples should be in your reminder system to be put on the list when you are ready for them.
<< I need a pen and paper system that fits in my pocket because I don't always want to carry a computer or tablet. I'm open to a iphone app. >>
You can use virtually any lined notebook for AF.
FINALLY: Whatever you do, avoid over-complicating things.
February 27, 2018 at 18:13 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Well then, it looks like I missed a couple of key points about using AF. Now I am beginning to understand why I have had such trouble dismissing items - they probably shouldn't have been there in the first place. I wasn't ready to do them in the next few days.
I do have a habit of over-complicating things. Back to the drawing board...
I do have a habit of over-complicating things. Back to the drawing board...
February 28, 2018 at 2:57 |
Rusty
Rusty
I'm in the same boat as Rusty
Here's another good Forster-tip that I've ignored or forgotten - "You shouldn't put tasks on your AF list which can't be started within a couple of days."
-sigh-
Here's another good Forster-tip that I've ignored or forgotten - "You shouldn't put tasks on your AF list which can't be started within a couple of days."
-sigh-
February 28, 2018 at 19:23 |
Zane
Zane
"You shouldn't put tasks on your AF list which can't be started within a couple of days."
If the correct home for the task isn't handy, you can add, "Decide on correct home (possibly the garbage) for Task, and put it there." That way, you can get back to what you should be doing.
If the correct home for the task isn't handy, you can add, "Decide on correct home (possibly the garbage) for Task, and put it there." That way, you can get back to what you should be doing.
February 28, 2018 at 20:02 |
Cricket
Cricket
Cricket:
<< If the correct home for the task isn't handy, you can add, "Decide on correct home (possibly the garbage) for Task, and put it there." That way, you can get back to what you should be doing. >>
I always have my phone with me so I just make a note in Evernote with the task's name. When I get back home, I either put the task on the task-list, schedule it or delete it.
Simplicity rules!
<< If the correct home for the task isn't handy, you can add, "Decide on correct home (possibly the garbage) for Task, and put it there." That way, you can get back to what you should be doing. >>
I always have my phone with me so I just make a note in Evernote with the task's name. When I get back home, I either put the task on the task-list, schedule it or delete it.
Simplicity rules!
February 28, 2018 at 20:54 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
You could reverse that process: Put it on your list every time and when you get home and are working the list you find this task doesn’t belong, then, move it off to Evernote. It depends what is easiest for your context and toolset.
February 28, 2018 at 22:34 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Yes, but I don't travel with my list. The purpose of putting it on Evernote is so that when I get home I've got all the things which I've thought of (or have arisen) ready to be put on my list. I don't keep a someday/maybe list. Everything is on my main list, except stuff which I can't do until a certain date.
February 28, 2018 at 23:22 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I rarely write the full "decide on..." sentence, but that's the intent. I thought it wasn't necessary. I know they're there, just invisible. In taking my son through the basics, though, and making him write them out, I forced myself to do it as well. I found actually writing them out helps, even after all these years. Maybe visible, explicit words work better than invisible, implicit ones.
March 1, 2018 at 20:31 |
Cricket
Cricket
I finally remembered how I handled tasks in AF that I couldn't do in the next few days, but wanted to keep in the main list (usually due to laziness). I marked them clearly with the start date. If they got annoying, or prevented closing a page, I dedicated the next blank page in my list (or part of it) to future tasks, and moved the tasks to there. Sometimes I roughly grouped them by start date ((takes longer to do, and is easier to cross out a batch when done), or added calendar pages to my AF book (more work than it saved), or added a dot if due this week and another dot if due in 48 hours (easy, and a bit messier), or moved tasks due in the next bit back to the active list (more rewriting). All the methods worked well enough (except for adding calendar pages), and there was no clear winner.
Most of the time, I found that worked better than putting them on my calendar, at least for tasks likely to be done in the next month or three. I could plan a complicated project without flipping through calendar pages (or screens). My calendar didn't get cluttered with tasks. I could write things in the book in front of me rather than finding my phone or going to my computer (which has all sorts of shiny things on it).
Occasionally, I'd dedicate a page to a future project, like Take to cottage. Again, the book was in front of me, and the list wouldn't get lost. (Downside to bound notebooks: Moving the page. I usually cut it out and glued it into the new book, or recopied and tidied it.)
Most of the time, I found that worked better than putting them on my calendar, at least for tasks likely to be done in the next month or three. I could plan a complicated project without flipping through calendar pages (or screens). My calendar didn't get cluttered with tasks. I could write things in the book in front of me rather than finding my phone or going to my computer (which has all sorts of shiny things on it).
Occasionally, I'd dedicate a page to a future project, like Take to cottage. Again, the book was in front of me, and the list wouldn't get lost. (Downside to bound notebooks: Moving the page. I usually cut it out and glued it into the new book, or recopied and tidied it.)
March 7, 2018 at 21:30 |
Cricket
Cricket
I recently retired from full-time employment and my old ways of managing my productivity don't work any more. My life used to be driven by a rigid schedule of events that required specific advance preparation. Here is what my life is like now...
I have lots of time to work on projects.
I have few scheduled commitments.
I have things to do at home, at my distant vacation property and at my kids' houses.
I do lots of routine housework which I try to schedule evenly over the week.
I have a modest bucket list that I would like to tackle.
The problem is, I can't find a system that helps me to stay productive. I have tried the original autofocus system. It hasn't worked consistently for me. Here are some problems I haven't been able to solve:
I don't know how to include tasks that must be done at the vacation property a month from now. I can't do these tasks now but they can't be dismissed.
How should I include repetitive tasks such as housework that I want to do on a schedule? e.g. wash the kitchen floor daily, vacuum the bedrooms weekly, clean the woodwork bi-weekly, etc.
I need a pen and paper system that fits in my pocket because I don't always want to carry a computer or tablet. I'm open to a iphone app.
I would appreciate any help I can get from all the experts here. Feel free to ask me for more info or clarifications.