Discussion Forum > Article about Autofocus on "The Art of Manliness"
A few thoughts:
1. Every time Autofocus resurfaces on a blog or podcast, waves of (positive) nostalgia nudge me to jump back in **
2. I really admire what Brett McKay has created with Art of Manliness. Top notch material. Speaking of which..
3. Last week, Art of Manliness ran a two part series on Leadership, using Bowen Family Systems Theory (the type of theory/therapy I practice) to illustrate mature vs immature/anxious management. Fist bump for Brett!
** An ongoing problem I've had with all of Mark's systems is an internal rebellion to stick the list.
Example: I have a few minutes in my car as my kid is getting ready for school. I think it takes too much energy to scan my AF list, so I spend a few moments on Twitter. However if "Twitter" is on my AF list, do I cross it off, and reenter when I'm back at my desk, using the list? Even so, the power of Autofocus is diminished when I break the frame of not using AF rules.
I'd be curious to know how others rely on their internal drive to stay consistent/loyal to these type of systems. I'd imagine it's no different from going to the gym regularly (I do this), staying loyal to your spouse (Hey, I do this as well) or any number of habits that we do day to day.
1. Every time Autofocus resurfaces on a blog or podcast, waves of (positive) nostalgia nudge me to jump back in **
2. I really admire what Brett McKay has created with Art of Manliness. Top notch material. Speaking of which..
3. Last week, Art of Manliness ran a two part series on Leadership, using Bowen Family Systems Theory (the type of theory/therapy I practice) to illustrate mature vs immature/anxious management. Fist bump for Brett!
** An ongoing problem I've had with all of Mark's systems is an internal rebellion to stick the list.
Example: I have a few minutes in my car as my kid is getting ready for school. I think it takes too much energy to scan my AF list, so I spend a few moments on Twitter. However if "Twitter" is on my AF list, do I cross it off, and reenter when I'm back at my desk, using the list? Even so, the power of Autofocus is diminished when I break the frame of not using AF rules.
I'd be curious to know how others rely on their internal drive to stay consistent/loyal to these type of systems. I'd imagine it's no different from going to the gym regularly (I do this), staying loyal to your spouse (Hey, I do this as well) or any number of habits that we do day to day.
September 22, 2022 at 16:36 |
avrum
avrum
> ** An ongoing problem I've had with all of Mark's systems is an internal rebellion to stick the list.
This is me also. I never did manage to be 100% on with these systems. Instead I would be on for a limited duration, get things accomplished and then each day let it slide away. Also after some number of days/weeks/months, I would neglect to operate the system entirely. This year I switched to a process that doesn't ask me to constantly use a list, and this makes it easier to stay with the system which I only engage with a little each day.
This is me also. I never did manage to be 100% on with these systems. Instead I would be on for a limited duration, get things accomplished and then each day let it slide away. Also after some number of days/weeks/months, I would neglect to operate the system entirely. This year I switched to a process that doesn't ask me to constantly use a list, and this makes it easier to stay with the system which I only engage with a little each day.
September 22, 2022 at 22:03 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
It is interesting how people point out their difficulties in using any externalized list system. My problem with Mark's systems has been the opposite. I like living in them too much, and that means that two things tend to happen: I don't break from the list when I really should (especially, this means following the AF rule about doing it now if it needs doing), or, I tend to get too eager to "play" in the system, and put more stuff into the system just so I have more stuff in the system, which inevitably means that I'm not actually *doing* the things that I should do.
I remember when I first got a computer as a kid, one of the things I would do is try to see how the operating system responded to throwing tons of stuff at it. So I'd try to create lots of load through running tons of programs all at once, and then watch the performance indicators to see where the churn was happening and why. I just loved to see it "burn". :-) I have the same problem with something like AF. I get into it so much that I lose sight of why I'm doing it in the first place.
I remember when I first got a computer as a kid, one of the things I would do is try to see how the operating system responded to throwing tons of stuff at it. So I'd try to create lots of load through running tons of programs all at once, and then watch the performance indicators to see where the churn was happening and why. I just loved to see it "burn". :-) I have the same problem with something like AF. I get into it so much that I lose sight of why I'm doing it in the first place.
September 22, 2022 at 23:01 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
<<I have the same problem with something like AF. I get into it so much that I lose sight of why I'm doing it in the first place.>>
Aaron - we could both use a bit of what the other has to live an idea life :)
Aaron - we could both use a bit of what the other has to live an idea life :)
September 22, 2022 at 23:08 |
avrum
avrum
The article is actually one of the better takes that I have read about AF. Well done.
September 22, 2022 at 23:09 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
I’ve never been one for dismissal, but the river analogy makes sense.
September 23, 2022 at 11:14 |
Don R
Don R
avrum:
<<Aaron - we could both use a bit of what the other has to live an idea life :)>>
It seems so! It's amazing how "dependent" on systems I am at this point in my life.
<<Aaron - we could both use a bit of what the other has to live an idea life :)>>
It seems so! It's amazing how "dependent" on systems I am at this point in my life.
September 23, 2022 at 21:09 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Wow, that was a great article. Love the river analogy - never thought about task management that way before.
September 24, 2022 at 15:15 |
Virix
Virix
Yes, a very good article. It really gets at the essence of what I was trying to achieve with Autofocus.
In response to Aaron and avrum, the important thing to remember with any time management system is that it is a tool just like any other tool. It is there to be used by you to do a specific task, just like a saw or a chisel. Some people use a saw once or twice a year and some work with saws all the time. But it's still a saw and what it does is saw. The saw doesn't make a table. You make the table using the saw and other tools as necessary.
In the same way, a time management system doesn't run your life. You are the one who runs your life, using the time management system and other tools as necessary.
Over-use of a time management system (Aaron) is like going around finding jobs you need a saw for while leaving everything else undone. Under-reliance (avrum) is like getting bored with using a saw (often after a period of over-reliance) and deliberately avoiding jobs which need a saw.
On the whole, it's better to overuse the system than to underuse it, because, as its title indicates, Autofocus is designed to produce focused work. If you don't put the stuff in the system, then it's got nothing to focus on, and if you don't use it at all then you won't get any results at all.
In response to Aaron and avrum, the important thing to remember with any time management system is that it is a tool just like any other tool. It is there to be used by you to do a specific task, just like a saw or a chisel. Some people use a saw once or twice a year and some work with saws all the time. But it's still a saw and what it does is saw. The saw doesn't make a table. You make the table using the saw and other tools as necessary.
In the same way, a time management system doesn't run your life. You are the one who runs your life, using the time management system and other tools as necessary.
Over-use of a time management system (Aaron) is like going around finding jobs you need a saw for while leaving everything else undone. Under-reliance (avrum) is like getting bored with using a saw (often after a period of over-reliance) and deliberately avoiding jobs which need a saw.
On the whole, it's better to overuse the system than to underuse it, because, as its title indicates, Autofocus is designed to produce focused work. If you don't put the stuff in the system, then it's got nothing to focus on, and if you don't use it at all then you won't get any results at all.
September 25, 2022 at 15:14 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I have gotten away from using a long list. What I do is make a new list every day or every new work session and collect them for future reference. My work is mostly done on a weekly cycle, much of it done once a week. I pretty much know mentally what needs to be done each day. Hunting for a task on a long list actually takes more time and distracts me with many tasks.
I did autofocus for several months and I put every single thing I did on it and it was quite addictive. I think a long list works best if one is starting from scratch and adds as you go along up to a month. I wonder what the dynamics would be if one started a long list every week or every month and then just started a new list at the end of the week or month .
Also rather than putting every thing you do on the long list one could just put a certain category on the long list and schedule it for a period of time daily. I think one off tasks that are short and would be difficult to remember would be good on a list like this.
Following up on Mark Forster's post, it seems that using a long list some of the time but not all the time would be good - Limiting it for a certain time period or certain time of day.
Also then it would be good to take breaks from using a list taking a Sabbath away from it - using a list and following it still is like a taskmaster or boss or executive ordering you even though you have a choice. I've heard it recommended that on your Sabbath you just go with the flow and do what inspires you at the moment.
I did autofocus for several months and I put every single thing I did on it and it was quite addictive. I think a long list works best if one is starting from scratch and adds as you go along up to a month. I wonder what the dynamics would be if one started a long list every week or every month and then just started a new list at the end of the week or month .
Also rather than putting every thing you do on the long list one could just put a certain category on the long list and schedule it for a period of time daily. I think one off tasks that are short and would be difficult to remember would be good on a list like this.
Following up on Mark Forster's post, it seems that using a long list some of the time but not all the time would be good - Limiting it for a certain time period or certain time of day.
Also then it would be good to take breaks from using a list taking a Sabbath away from it - using a list and following it still is like a taskmaster or boss or executive ordering you even though you have a choice. I've heard it recommended that on your Sabbath you just go with the flow and do what inspires you at the moment.
September 26, 2022 at 15:12 |
Mark H
Mark H
Mark H:
<< What I do is make a new list every day or every new work session and collect them for future reference. >>
This sounds a lot like what I am doing with Serial No-List. http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2791463
<< What I do is make a new list every day or every new work session and collect them for future reference. >>
This sounds a lot like what I am doing with Serial No-List. http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2791463
September 30, 2022 at 22:42 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Seraphim,
Yes, this is similar to what I was doing. I would take a new loose leaf page each day or work session, and write a short list, and either throw it out, or save it. Some items did not get done.
However, after a month or two, I have accumulated enough pages that I don't want to review them, there are too many.
So I have started a new long list.
Yes, this is similar to what I was doing. I would take a new loose leaf page each day or work session, and write a short list, and either throw it out, or save it. Some items did not get done.
However, after a month or two, I have accumulated enough pages that I don't want to review them, there are too many.
So I have started a new long list.
October 1, 2022 at 23:09 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
"Autofocus: The Productivity System That Treats Your To-Do List Like a River"
http://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/autofocus-the-productivity-system-that-treats-your-to-do-list-like-a-river/
Haven't read it yet...