Discussion Forum > Lenten Accountability
I tried this in previous years, but didn't get any participation. But I will join you! My day 1:
I am reducing my involvement with things in order to have mental space, space that I choose to fill with keeping on top of my system. Yesterday, I did not stay on top of this, and I noticed today that things weren't current. But today is the first day of Lent, and thus far I am on top.
My process is LAPS + RTM. There's a zillion details under those acronyms, but I'll start with my current adaptation of RTM. The RTM structure of New, Unfinished, and Recurring lists, I have incorporated into a daily schedule:
1. Get ready.
2. Unfinished tasks, which I call Committed. This also includes work and business development, so it takes more than half the day. I don't do everything here, but following RTM I do some things before moving on.
3. Recurring. Basically check the schedule/calendar for the next day's tasks and make them visible. These will be done at suitable times over the next 24h.
4. New, which I call Proposed. Since I have gone through all my commitments for the day, now I am free to do whatever extra is around. Maybe I'll finish a couple things, maybe start a couple things, then add them to Committed, defining a near-term goal.
5. Wrap up.
For today, I have finished 2, and am moving into 3.
I am reducing my involvement with things in order to have mental space, space that I choose to fill with keeping on top of my system. Yesterday, I did not stay on top of this, and I noticed today that things weren't current. But today is the first day of Lent, and thus far I am on top.
My process is LAPS + RTM. There's a zillion details under those acronyms, but I'll start with my current adaptation of RTM. The RTM structure of New, Unfinished, and Recurring lists, I have incorporated into a daily schedule:
1. Get ready.
2. Unfinished tasks, which I call Committed. This also includes work and business development, so it takes more than half the day. I don't do everything here, but following RTM I do some things before moving on.
3. Recurring. Basically check the schedule/calendar for the next day's tasks and make them visible. These will be done at suitable times over the next 24h.
4. New, which I call Proposed. Since I have gone through all my commitments for the day, now I am free to do whatever extra is around. Maybe I'll finish a couple things, maybe start a couple things, then add them to Committed, defining a near-term goal.
5. Wrap up.
For today, I have finished 2, and am moving into 3.
February 14, 2024 at 21:23 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I'm game. Doing Time Surfing, I have some pretty good practice at it by now. But I've noticed that I haven't been doing quite a good enough job of rules 4-6, and so I'm working on that.
At the moment, I have a tension in my schedule where it's proving difficult to align energy and the work that I need to do, and I need another overview of my work and an assessment of things. I've been sort of avoiding my inboxes of late, so I'm going to work on that a little bit internally and see what comes of it. Just writing this out already makes me feel like dealing with them!
I also have a serious amount of work with a gnawing rat at "work" that has been hanging over my head, and just today and the other night I think I spent enough time "visiting" with the rat to understand why I'm finding myself avoiding it so much. I think I'm going to have to spend some more time thinking and talking with this rat to see what I can make of it, though.
At the moment, I have a tension in my schedule where it's proving difficult to align energy and the work that I need to do, and I need another overview of my work and an assessment of things. I've been sort of avoiding my inboxes of late, so I'm going to work on that a little bit internally and see what comes of it. Just writing this out already makes me feel like dealing with them!
I also have a serious amount of work with a gnawing rat at "work" that has been hanging over my head, and just today and the other night I think I spent enough time "visiting" with the rat to understand why I'm finding myself avoiding it so much. I think I'm going to have to spend some more time thinking and talking with this rat to see what I can make of it, though.
February 15, 2024 at 3:33 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Oh, and in case people aren't familiar with the Time Surfing rules:
1. Do one thing at a time and finish what you are doing.
2. Be aware of what you are doing and accept it.
3. Create breathers between your activities.
4. Give your full attention to drop-ins; create relationships with everything you want to do.
5. Turn your gnawing rats into white sheep.
6. Observe your background programs.
7. Use your intuition to choose what to do.
1. Do one thing at a time and finish what you are doing.
2. Be aware of what you are doing and accept it.
3. Create breathers between your activities.
4. Give your full attention to drop-ins; create relationships with everything you want to do.
5. Turn your gnawing rats into white sheep.
6. Observe your background programs.
7. Use your intuition to choose what to do.
February 15, 2024 at 3:35 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
For whatever reason, I'm having an easier go of using Simple Scanning this time round. I'm doing the Mark thing of keeping the entries just long enough, lots of re-entering as needed, pruning as I go, etc.
A few lessons learned and new routines:
* I want using the SS to be a pleasant experience. If I hit some resistance, I ask myself questions about the resistance, rewrite it if needed, and move on. Maybe on the 152nd pass through the list, the answer will come to me or the task will be ready for me (or vice versa). Stop fretting about this stupid list; one of my goals is to use the SS with as little overt thinking as possible.
* I basically create a new no-list every day in my SS notebook; it comforts me and shows off the flexibility of SS. It means that the same task may appear multiple times across pages or even on the same page -- good! As long as it's out of my head, that's all I care about; let the list be messy. Let a task be repeated. When I finally do the task, and I make another pass through the list, I get to cross off that entry multiple times and it feels great.
* SS is really flexible. Play with that flexibility but don't get too carried away.
* For myself, I've discovered an inverse relationship between the space some tasks take up in my head (ie, the ones I re-enter a lot) and the amount of time it takes to do them. Some tasks that bothered me for days took only a few minutes to execute and get rid of. I've known this for years, of course, but I'm still constantly being surprised by it.
* Also enjoying how comforting it is to simply write down in the book ANYTHING that occurs to me so that I can stay on track with my current task. That eases my mind's burdens a lot.
A few lessons learned and new routines:
* I want using the SS to be a pleasant experience. If I hit some resistance, I ask myself questions about the resistance, rewrite it if needed, and move on. Maybe on the 152nd pass through the list, the answer will come to me or the task will be ready for me (or vice versa). Stop fretting about this stupid list; one of my goals is to use the SS with as little overt thinking as possible.
* I basically create a new no-list every day in my SS notebook; it comforts me and shows off the flexibility of SS. It means that the same task may appear multiple times across pages or even on the same page -- good! As long as it's out of my head, that's all I care about; let the list be messy. Let a task be repeated. When I finally do the task, and I make another pass through the list, I get to cross off that entry multiple times and it feels great.
* SS is really flexible. Play with that flexibility but don't get too carried away.
* For myself, I've discovered an inverse relationship between the space some tasks take up in my head (ie, the ones I re-enter a lot) and the amount of time it takes to do them. Some tasks that bothered me for days took only a few minutes to execute and get rid of. I've known this for years, of course, but I'm still constantly being surprised by it.
* Also enjoying how comforting it is to simply write down in the book ANYTHING that occurs to me so that I can stay on track with my current task. That eases my mind's burdens a lot.
February 15, 2024 at 15:00 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Also, relaxing into my intuition more, and consciously recognizing it as a partner and not just an alert system. I've been working long enough that I "know" how to do the tasks and their urgency, etc. The list is not a Boss that I must slavishly follow. I do have to remind myself that the list is sort of riding on the waves of my intuition, so I don't need to "work" the list as hard as I used to do. I'm seeing the SS list as more of a dialogue with my intuition and planning selves, not as an iron-bound contract.
February 15, 2024 at 15:24 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Day 2. Like Mike, I also allow to put anything on the list, as a NEW item. But when it’s in the RTM unfinished list, I make sure to set the scope so that it actually WILL be finished. My usual target timeframe is a week. It could be longer or shorter, but not a year. Along with that I also make sure it’s specific enough that I know when it’s done.
One minor example, daily checking on myself that I’m following the system (and posting here) is set for the month of lent.
Today overall I was slow to properly engage this system, but I’m going good ATM.
One minor example, daily checking on myself that I’m following the system (and posting here) is set for the month of lent.
Today overall I was slow to properly engage this system, but I’m going good ATM.
February 15, 2024 at 22:38 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
My update: I realized after committing to DIT with index cards that I don't remember all of the rules of DIT despite having read the book. While I do work with a "closed list" of a days worth of work that is a single stack of cards. I realize that I'm borrowing a lot of principles from the other systems too. I do a form of a simple scan by sorting through all my current cards each day and end up sorting the cards in a way that makes sense for the day. I feel like I'm really refining a process that works for me despite not necessarily even knowing my own rules beyond each card is single "thing" and I'm addressing each card based on groupings by day. The most effective things have been the "routine cards" which borrow concepts from RTM and sort of work like the "current initiative" of DIT.
February 16, 2024 at 0:47 |
Brent
Brent
A little better today. Still working on building up those relationships, but I think things are going better, and I was able to manage that conscious engagement a little more. I also was able to put a little more time into what I wanted and make some better progress.
February 16, 2024 at 8:54 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Hi, friends. I started the lenten challenge using a mix between a notebook structured as a Bullet Journal and Simple Scanning to select the tasks. In this two days, I noticed a more relaxed way of working, an a reconnection with my subconscious mind.
Mike Brown, a question: What questions do you ask yourself about resistance? I have two issues that I resist a lot.
Thanks
Mike Brown, a question: What questions do you ask yourself about resistance? I have two issues that I resist a lot.
Thanks
February 16, 2024 at 12:34 |
Pablo
Pablo
Yesterday, Day 2, I fared less well than the previous day. I only very briefly engaged with the troubleshooting process, although I *did* touch on each step.
Day 2
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
Day 2
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
February 16, 2024 at 19:08 |
Voluntas
Voluntas
I've had a report that posting is not working in this forum at the moment. If this is happening to anyone else, please let me know on markforster@aol.com. Thanks.
February 16, 2024 at 22:21 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Progress on a few fronts, and I've overall been able to do a little more work on Observing background programs and transforming rats. I've made some progress on my main projects and I've been less stressed and hectic, despite there being plenty of other things going on.
February 17, 2024 at 10:47 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Pablo:
TL;DR: Sit in the discomfort of the resistance till an insight comes to me.
I wish I had a coherent answer to how I work on resistance to tasks on my list.
Some resistance comes from the head: now is not the time, I need to hear back from a person before proceeding, etc. Those are simple life-management/scheduling things.
Resistance I feel in the body is more difficult and different tasks elicit different resistances from me. One may be a drudgery chore (I have to post something for sale on NextDoor and it's just tedious to pull all the info together, respond to queries, etc). Another resistant task is my wanting to draw and indulge the playful part of my creative life. (I resist the idea of having fun; I don't know why, it's just something I know about my self.)
I think for me the 'solution' is mainly just sitting in the discomfort without immediately trying to fix the feeling or solve it or distract myself from it. Sometimes I may ask myself, 'what's going on here? where is this energy coming from? is there a simpler way to do this? does this need to be done?' Or I may remind myself of the feeling I want to have while I'm doing this task or the feeling I'll have when it's done.
I don't have a structured list of questions because I'm finding those types of lists do little for me. I never remember those prescriptions in the moment, so sitting quietly and letting the ideas come to me is what I'm working with now. I believe the quieter parts of myself probably know the answer, but I have to let the noise of my emotions subside a bit to hear what the next step might be.
And of course, since I'm using a SS list, just coming back to the task over and over, reading and rewriting it sometimes, ideas and feelings about it change over time. But it's not anything I can predict.
TL;DR: Sit in the discomfort of the resistance till an insight comes to me.
I wish I had a coherent answer to how I work on resistance to tasks on my list.
Some resistance comes from the head: now is not the time, I need to hear back from a person before proceeding, etc. Those are simple life-management/scheduling things.
Resistance I feel in the body is more difficult and different tasks elicit different resistances from me. One may be a drudgery chore (I have to post something for sale on NextDoor and it's just tedious to pull all the info together, respond to queries, etc). Another resistant task is my wanting to draw and indulge the playful part of my creative life. (I resist the idea of having fun; I don't know why, it's just something I know about my self.)
I think for me the 'solution' is mainly just sitting in the discomfort without immediately trying to fix the feeling or solve it or distract myself from it. Sometimes I may ask myself, 'what's going on here? where is this energy coming from? is there a simpler way to do this? does this need to be done?' Or I may remind myself of the feeling I want to have while I'm doing this task or the feeling I'll have when it's done.
I don't have a structured list of questions because I'm finding those types of lists do little for me. I never remember those prescriptions in the moment, so sitting quietly and letting the ideas come to me is what I'm working with now. I believe the quieter parts of myself probably know the answer, but I have to let the noise of my emotions subside a bit to hear what the next step might be.
And of course, since I'm using a SS list, just coming back to the task over and over, reading and rewriting it sometimes, ideas and feelings about it change over time. But it's not anything I can predict.
February 17, 2024 at 16:20 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Yesterday, Day 3, I made the most of the small time window that I had available.
Day 3
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
Today, Day 4, I encountered a shift in my vision of the future. In general, I feel that my revised vision covers a broader area than my initial draft. I started with "In the future, I am ready for every event on my schedule." Today I wrote "In the future, I am competent at producing the results expected from me." I feel that this revision includes the initial vision, but has also pulled in other desired outcomes in a neat package.
Day 4
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
In today's dialogue, I also struck upon a nearly foolproof process to help myself get motivated: review my past accomplishments. This review allows my analytical mind to "fight back" against some of my intuitive mind's pitfalls. (E.g. "In my gut, I feel that this case poses too great of a challenge, but look at all of these similar cases that I have helped to resolve in the past. My gut feeling must be wrong, and I should proceed as I did in the other cases.") Here's an illustrative excerpt:
- Coach :: How competent do you find yourself right now, and what emotional response do you notice?
- V :: Perhaps 5/10? I have recently experienced issues with self-control ("I will know how to avoid falling into traps with games and entertainment."), and I feel like I have forgotten which sensations to attend to in order to stabilize my posture effectively. However, I still have all of my anatomy and physiology knowledge, and I can call that knowledge into effect to accomplish many treatment goals with my clients. I know several reliable recipes that produce tasty, nutritious food. Reviewing these couple of areas where I seem competent produces a calm, confident feeling. Thinking about the areas where I have trouble produces huge amounts of anxiety.
- Coach :: What happens when you step back to examine the anxiety?
- V :: It stops making total sense. The anxiety makes me think "There's nothing I can do, I will never be good enough." However, I just reviewed a few areas where I clearly have the ability and the skill.
- Coach :: That sounds like a very helpful reflection.
- V :: This part of the discussion once again recapitulates the time that we talked about how a farmer makes good on the times when the land goes fallow. I find it extremely helpful to take some time to recount the times when I succeeded as a way of motivating myself through a time when I encounter greater difficulty.
- Coach :: That's really fantastic. In fact, that's the whole reason you come to converse with me in the first place! Because you believe that I can help you find the answers within yourself.
- V :: Very much so. I feel really heartened and supported by reviewing this area right now.
Day 3
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
Today, Day 4, I encountered a shift in my vision of the future. In general, I feel that my revised vision covers a broader area than my initial draft. I started with "In the future, I am ready for every event on my schedule." Today I wrote "In the future, I am competent at producing the results expected from me." I feel that this revision includes the initial vision, but has also pulled in other desired outcomes in a neat package.
Day 4
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
In today's dialogue, I also struck upon a nearly foolproof process to help myself get motivated: review my past accomplishments. This review allows my analytical mind to "fight back" against some of my intuitive mind's pitfalls. (E.g. "In my gut, I feel that this case poses too great of a challenge, but look at all of these similar cases that I have helped to resolve in the past. My gut feeling must be wrong, and I should proceed as I did in the other cases.") Here's an illustrative excerpt:
- Coach :: How competent do you find yourself right now, and what emotional response do you notice?
- V :: Perhaps 5/10? I have recently experienced issues with self-control ("I will know how to avoid falling into traps with games and entertainment."), and I feel like I have forgotten which sensations to attend to in order to stabilize my posture effectively. However, I still have all of my anatomy and physiology knowledge, and I can call that knowledge into effect to accomplish many treatment goals with my clients. I know several reliable recipes that produce tasty, nutritious food. Reviewing these couple of areas where I seem competent produces a calm, confident feeling. Thinking about the areas where I have trouble produces huge amounts of anxiety.
- Coach :: What happens when you step back to examine the anxiety?
- V :: It stops making total sense. The anxiety makes me think "There's nothing I can do, I will never be good enough." However, I just reviewed a few areas where I clearly have the ability and the skill.
- Coach :: That sounds like a very helpful reflection.
- V :: This part of the discussion once again recapitulates the time that we talked about how a farmer makes good on the times when the land goes fallow. I find it extremely helpful to take some time to recount the times when I succeeded as a way of motivating myself through a time when I encounter greater difficulty.
- Coach :: That's really fantastic. In fact, that's the whole reason you come to converse with me in the first place! Because you believe that I can help you find the answers within yourself.
- V :: Very much so. I feel really heartened and supported by reviewing this area right now.
February 17, 2024 at 20:31 |
Voluntas
Voluntas
I have thus far stuck to the system at least somewhat consistently, and definitely every day. Currently the lists feel like they’ve grown a bit too much and I’m hoping today’s holiday will allow me to be cleaning up much detritous.
February 18, 2024 at 15:03 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I was doing AF1, but inspired by Mark Forster's entry, I switched to FVP at the last minute (Tuesday night). I like it because it allows me to prioritize so easily. In past uses, I found the older items on the list were left untouched, and the list grew long, but so far, that isn't happening; I am not exactly sure why. Thinking of David Allen's comment: "You have to think about your stuff more than you realize but not as much as you’re afraid you might." I'm slightly more intentional about getting to the early parts of the list.
February 18, 2024 at 17:58 |
Paul MacNeil
Paul MacNeil
One thing I'm noticing is my need to listen more to my intuition when it comes to breaks, breathers, and especially, sleep. I need to focus more on creating those empty spaces and breathers between my work, as every time I do that, I reset in a way that homes in on the things that I really need/want to do, and I find myself read to do them after I give myself the space. If I don't, I tend to feel both the frenzied hurry of wanting to chase the next "thing" as well as the desire for distraction instead of the accepting contentment of doing the work I know I really want to do.
Interestingly, in the course of all this, I have noticed that when I'm not creating breathers between my work, I can sense the tension and rising annoyance in my own body as I get the signal that I'm not really on the right direction, and applying Rule 6 makes a big difference.
So, I've found that by applying Rules 4 - 6 I've suddenly wrapped back around to needing to emphasize Rule 3.
Interestingly, in the course of all this, I have noticed that when I'm not creating breathers between my work, I can sense the tension and rising annoyance in my own body as I get the signal that I'm not really on the right direction, and applying Rule 6 makes a big difference.
So, I've found that by applying Rules 4 - 6 I've suddenly wrapped back around to needing to emphasize Rule 3.
February 18, 2024 at 22:53 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
What is a rule 6 background program?
Today went well. Working hard on keeping the list tight.
Today went well. Working hard on keeping the list tight.
February 19, 2024 at 23:37 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
In time surfing, a Rule 6 background program or "process" is something taking up space in your emotional or mental capacity/bandwidth that is undefined, untargeted, or nebulous. While it might have a trigger that causes it or an underlying cause, the manifestation is not procrastination or a specific task that needs doing.
Tasks that need doing but that you don't feel good about or that you aren't positively oriented towards are the gnawing rats, those things that sit around in your psyche gnawing at your and causing procrastination. Background programs, instead, are those tension or anxiety inducing elements that prevent calm in your psyche just "as a baseline," and aren't tied to specific tasks.
In time surfing, you engage with gnawing rats differently than background programs. With gnawing rats, you "visit" the rats and befriend them by coming to a deeper understanding of them, and observing your feelings around the task, what you know and don't know, who you might need to reach out to for help, and your own disposition around that task which specifically causes it to gnaw at you (another word for negative procrastination that keeps you anxious or mentally distracted/unclear).
With background programs, the term used is "observe" not "befriend." This is specifically because of the undirected nature of the tension/anxiety. Since it isn't tied to any known outcome or specific task, you instead try to, essentially, meditate on the feeling and the negative emotions/tensions that exist to allow yourself to adequately process the tension. Later on, when the background process effectively shuts down (importantly, you don't really do the shut down, but observe the process running, which tends to "let it shut down on its own" as it were), you can do more diagnosis that may lead to specific actions you want to take, but the core idea of Rule 6 is taking appropriate internal action to prevent background programs from "clogging up RAM" that prevents a calm state of engagement with your life.
Rule 6 is the final rule before the 7th rule that asks you to rely on intuition to decide what to do. It's the most abstract, and the one that is the final principle in Time Surfing to cultivate the clear and calm mind that Time Surfing is attempting to cultivate to permit engagement with your work and what you want to do.
Tasks that need doing but that you don't feel good about or that you aren't positively oriented towards are the gnawing rats, those things that sit around in your psyche gnawing at your and causing procrastination. Background programs, instead, are those tension or anxiety inducing elements that prevent calm in your psyche just "as a baseline," and aren't tied to specific tasks.
In time surfing, you engage with gnawing rats differently than background programs. With gnawing rats, you "visit" the rats and befriend them by coming to a deeper understanding of them, and observing your feelings around the task, what you know and don't know, who you might need to reach out to for help, and your own disposition around that task which specifically causes it to gnaw at you (another word for negative procrastination that keeps you anxious or mentally distracted/unclear).
With background programs, the term used is "observe" not "befriend." This is specifically because of the undirected nature of the tension/anxiety. Since it isn't tied to any known outcome or specific task, you instead try to, essentially, meditate on the feeling and the negative emotions/tensions that exist to allow yourself to adequately process the tension. Later on, when the background process effectively shuts down (importantly, you don't really do the shut down, but observe the process running, which tends to "let it shut down on its own" as it were), you can do more diagnosis that may lead to specific actions you want to take, but the core idea of Rule 6 is taking appropriate internal action to prevent background programs from "clogging up RAM" that prevents a calm state of engagement with your life.
Rule 6 is the final rule before the 7th rule that asks you to rely on intuition to decide what to do. It's the most abstract, and the one that is the final principle in Time Surfing to cultivate the clear and calm mind that Time Surfing is attempting to cultivate to permit engagement with your work and what you want to do.
February 20, 2024 at 2:00 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Did not so much follow a process or stay in the list yesterday, but I am back today. I am choosing not to think of this as pass/fail, but rather as developing discipline. (The Christian spirit of Lent involves repentance and forgiveness and the return to disciplined living.) I've taken some time to think more deeply about what is necessary in the list of tasks I have, as I was starting to feel highly pressured, but in fact most of what's on the list inherently is low urgency, and indeed are voluntary undertakings.
February 21, 2024 at 14:26 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I continue to make some small strides in applying the method to some of my main prospects. I've been spending a bit more time on the projects that I want to work on, and I've made some progress, but I have to struggle internally with the constant desire to do everything at once.
February 22, 2024 at 2:23 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
I'm continuing to use SS very productively. I love having a place to put everything. My reminders to myself eventually feed into the list.
I also very liberally rewrite tasks, consolidate tasks, use the SS as an ad-hoc scheduler when I need that for the day.
I took a leaf from RTM and use the back part of my spiral notebook to keep project notes. I find it very helpful to have those pages there for projects that are not top-of-mind.
I also very liberally rewrite tasks, consolidate tasks, use the SS as an ad-hoc scheduler when I need that for the day.
I took a leaf from RTM and use the back part of my spiral notebook to keep project notes. I find it very helpful to have those pages there for projects that are not top-of-mind.
February 24, 2024 at 15:18 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Oops? I “accidentally” rejiggered my system. I think it flows smoother now, but the challenge was about not tweaking.
February 26, 2024 at 23:03 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Undo. Mostly. It was better before.
February 27, 2024 at 21:41 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I've been finding myself in a reflexive habit of checking Youtube or another source of novelty whenever I'm in the middle of a breather rather than allowing myself the space to calm down and intuitively select something that I want to do.
The most common thing I've been encountering is this interesting hesitation about doing something which isn't because I don't want to do it, but because I want to do that *and* something else. There's this feeling of "maybe I forgot something I want to do more" and I think I need to put a little more time into practicing Rule 2, Be aware of what you're doing and accept it.
The most common thing I've been encountering is this interesting hesitation about doing something which isn't because I don't want to do it, but because I want to do that *and* something else. There's this feeling of "maybe I forgot something I want to do more" and I think I need to put a little more time into practicing Rule 2, Be aware of what you're doing and accept it.
March 14, 2024 at 3:18 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Well I've made it all the way to the end of Lenten with my index card experiment. I really liked it but as with all systems I've tried, I'm ready for some changes. I will continue to use Index cards as a big part of my daily routine, but I'll be looking for a better way to deal with the cards that tend to never get finished. I feel there are far too many that are in perpetual deferral
March 28, 2024 at 15:49 |
Brent
Brent
I continued using my simple scanning notebook throughout. I wrote tasks only on the right page, with the left blank page used for stray notes, ad hoc scheduling or time-blocking when I felt I needed it, etc. The back of the book has pages dedicated to specific projects (a la Seraphim's RTM), and that worked great also.
Were I in a different working environment with different goals, then this more relaxed approach to my tasks would likely not work.
The challenge also reminded of the classic bits of advice: "just get started" and "little and often." There's a specific task that is written several times throughout the book (sometimes several times on the same page). All I needed to do was watch a training video for an hour on the procedure, I played with the procedure a bit the other day, and I'll likely finish the task today inside of an hour. My mind predicted tremendous energy and effort, but the actual physical and mental effort needed was much less.
So this lenten challenge was also a good reminder to me to be skeptical of my own predictions. I don't know as much as my mind thinks it does. Mental activity, while useful in its place, cannot compete with putting (even a little) time and attention on the task at hand.
Were I in a different working environment with different goals, then this more relaxed approach to my tasks would likely not work.
The challenge also reminded of the classic bits of advice: "just get started" and "little and often." There's a specific task that is written several times throughout the book (sometimes several times on the same page). All I needed to do was watch a training video for an hour on the procedure, I played with the procedure a bit the other day, and I'll likely finish the task today inside of an hour. My mind predicted tremendous energy and effort, but the actual physical and mental effort needed was much less.
So this lenten challenge was also a good reminder to me to be skeptical of my own predictions. I don't know as much as my mind thinks it does. Mental activity, while useful in its place, cannot compete with putting (even a little) time and attention on the task at hand.
March 29, 2024 at 14:36 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Brent: A better way to deal with all the cards that never tend to get finished. I have a mechanism I’ve used for a long time that addresses your problem. Restated in terms of index cards:
Add a blank pink card to the bottom of your pile. Whenever you add or work a card, move it below the pink one. Whenever you look at cards to work with, you MUST pick a card above the pink one. After doing a pink card you are free to choose any. (A little more thought may be required, specific tot your processes to track where you are at in this system.). A time will come when you don’t want to do any of the remaining top cards. These are all neglected. Figure out what to do with at least one, whether it’s buckling down and doing it, or delete, delay, delegate, redefine. And then move it.
Now if your complaint is more about cards you act on regularly but never complete (not clear why that would be considered a problem, but your words suggest this), rewrite the card to a finite goal.
Add a blank pink card to the bottom of your pile. Whenever you add or work a card, move it below the pink one. Whenever you look at cards to work with, you MUST pick a card above the pink one. After doing a pink card you are free to choose any. (A little more thought may be required, specific tot your processes to track where you are at in this system.). A time will come when you don’t want to do any of the remaining top cards. These are all neglected. Figure out what to do with at least one, whether it’s buckling down and doing it, or delete, delay, delegate, redefine. And then move it.
Now if your complaint is more about cards you act on regularly but never complete (not clear why that would be considered a problem, but your words suggest this), rewrite the card to a finite goal.
March 31, 2024 at 15:11 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I'm interested to know everyone got on with the Lenten Challenge. It's a great initiative of Mark's, and I enjoyed the chance to experiment, even though I only managed to keep going for a short time.
I posted on the blog a couple of days ago, but maybe this thread is better.
I posted on the blog a couple of days ago, but maybe this thread is better.
April 20, 2024 at 19:59 |
Margaret1
Margaret1
Margaret1 --
I didn't do the Lenten Challenge myself this year. But I was interested in your comments, Margaret, about RTM and SNL:
<< PS, just to add to my earlier post, I'm thinking of how I can combine elements of RTM (Results That Matter) with SNL (Serial No List) - thank you, Seraphim, for both of these systems.>>
You're welcome! And I'd love to hear more what you are thinking of doing. :)
For myself, I've been kind of obsessed lately with Avrum's insights that a lot of what we call time-management is really more like anxiety-management. So I've been experimenting with trying to run my tasks as simply as possible (which in my mind always means "DIT" for some reason) and then focus really hard how to deal with any anxiety-ridden stuff that arises during the course of life and work, whether arising from DIT itself, or from the tasks themselves, or from all the hidden stuff lurking behind and around the tasks.
And in the process of that, I keep finding myself borrowing ideas from RTM and SNL. So I was especially interested to see what Margaret has to say about that. :)
I didn't do the Lenten Challenge myself this year. But I was interested in your comments, Margaret, about RTM and SNL:
<< PS, just to add to my earlier post, I'm thinking of how I can combine elements of RTM (Results That Matter) with SNL (Serial No List) - thank you, Seraphim, for both of these systems.>>
You're welcome! And I'd love to hear more what you are thinking of doing. :)
For myself, I've been kind of obsessed lately with Avrum's insights that a lot of what we call time-management is really more like anxiety-management. So I've been experimenting with trying to run my tasks as simply as possible (which in my mind always means "DIT" for some reason) and then focus really hard how to deal with any anxiety-ridden stuff that arises during the course of life and work, whether arising from DIT itself, or from the tasks themselves, or from all the hidden stuff lurking behind and around the tasks.
And in the process of that, I keep finding myself borrowing ideas from RTM and SNL. So I was especially interested to see what Margaret has to say about that. :)
April 23, 2024 at 0:35 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Seraphim:
<< a lot of what we call time-management is really more like anxiety-management.>>
Yes, the best way to manage anxiety is to be on top of everything. The unfortunate thing is that anxiety can have a very paralysing effect so the more anxious you feel the more anxious you get. A vicious circle.
One way to reduce the feelings of anxiety is by using a method I have described before for altering feelings. Ask yourself at intervals throughout the day "How anxious do I feel?" and mark yourself out of 10. 10 being extremely anxious and 0 being not anxious at all.
The result of this monitoring is that the feelings of anxiety will reduce naturally. That will mean you are less paralysed, which in turn will allow you to take more action to reduce the paralysis. A virtuous circle in fact.
<< a lot of what we call time-management is really more like anxiety-management.>>
Yes, the best way to manage anxiety is to be on top of everything. The unfortunate thing is that anxiety can have a very paralysing effect so the more anxious you feel the more anxious you get. A vicious circle.
One way to reduce the feelings of anxiety is by using a method I have described before for altering feelings. Ask yourself at intervals throughout the day "How anxious do I feel?" and mark yourself out of 10. 10 being extremely anxious and 0 being not anxious at all.
The result of this monitoring is that the feelings of anxiety will reduce naturally. That will mean you are less paralysed, which in turn will allow you to take more action to reduce the paralysis. A virtuous circle in fact.
April 23, 2024 at 9:57 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
For this challenge, it gave me a chance to reflect on how "sticky" Time Surfing has been for me. I didn't feel any compulsion at all to try another system, though I did think about it from a curiosity and exploration standpoint. At this point, I've been using Time Surfing for a while, and I've been extremely stable with it. This might have something to do with the nature of my work stabilizing, but I think it's more that the system really works well for me.
I think one big thing that has happened is that it has allowed me to actually let myself not be on top of a bunch of administrative things which don't really matter. This has in turn allowed me to put the time into the things that I do care about more, and that in turn has produced much better results for my own mental sanity and my productivity. I still get through those other things, but I don't stress about them, because I don't feel compelled to get through them right away or be on top of them immediately. I can let them go and get to them at a later date, which I know will happen sooner or later.
So, I'm finding that the rhythm of my work is much more closely aligned to what I actually enjoy, and what works better for the things I want/need to do.
Overall, the challenge gave me a chance to reflect a little bit on just how different this is to previous systems that I've used which haven't given me that same sense of calibration.
I think one big thing that has happened is that it has allowed me to actually let myself not be on top of a bunch of administrative things which don't really matter. This has in turn allowed me to put the time into the things that I do care about more, and that in turn has produced much better results for my own mental sanity and my productivity. I still get through those other things, but I don't stress about them, because I don't feel compelled to get through them right away or be on top of them immediately. I can let them go and get to them at a later date, which I know will happen sooner or later.
So, I'm finding that the rhythm of my work is much more closely aligned to what I actually enjoy, and what works better for the things I want/need to do.
Overall, the challenge gave me a chance to reflect a little bit on just how different this is to previous systems that I've used which haven't given me that same sense of calibration.
May 1, 2024 at 13:15 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Thanks Seraphim and Mark - I was interested in your comments about anxiety and how it affects our time-management. Some days I'm still experimenting with a combination of SNL and RTM, and on other days I use no system at all. I'm at the stage I reach with all time-management where I find myself torn between a long-list capture method (lwhich I find makes capture more simple) and capturing tasks into separate categories (which makes processing more simple for me).
At the root of it all is procrastination - I know what I should be working on, but I manage to involve myself in ever more elaborate ways of avoiding doing that work.
If I make any breakthroughs I'll report back.
At the root of it all is procrastination - I know what I should be working on, but I manage to involve myself in ever more elaborate ways of avoiding doing that work.
If I make any breakthroughs I'll report back.
May 5, 2024 at 11:48 |
Margaret1
Margaret1
Margaret1: Instead of picking a long-term task management method, I see myself as having loads of methods to draw on depending on my mood, energy level, urgencies of the day, etc.
I typically use simple scanning, but I may mix it up with using randomizer, or by writing a no-list at the start of the day in my SS notebook, or writing down the hours of the day and then a keyword or two of what I'll do by each hour.
It can make the notebook a bit of a mess, and it's certainly inconsistent, but I find I'll use the same method for several days in a row before circumstances or instinct prompt me to change.
When I find myself 'procrastinating by distraction' and I *know* I could be using my time better, the idea may come to me to simply stop all activity, sit with my hands in my lap, and breathe for 5 minutes. A mini-meditation, kind of. Just let the emotional commotion in my brain settle down, maybe walk around a bit afterward or do some tidying up in the office or washing dishes (there are always dishes to be washed), and then go back to my office chair. That's usually cleared my head a bit so I know what to do next.
Of course, the trick is remembering to do all that when I get stuck :)
Good luck. Observe yourself, be a scientist about your behavior without judging your behavior. Be light about it all. Like one of my directors said before opening night of a community theatre show, "Remember, people, it's just a stupid musical." It's just a stupid to-do list. You can always ball it up and start a new one tomorrow.
I typically use simple scanning, but I may mix it up with using randomizer, or by writing a no-list at the start of the day in my SS notebook, or writing down the hours of the day and then a keyword or two of what I'll do by each hour.
It can make the notebook a bit of a mess, and it's certainly inconsistent, but I find I'll use the same method for several days in a row before circumstances or instinct prompt me to change.
When I find myself 'procrastinating by distraction' and I *know* I could be using my time better, the idea may come to me to simply stop all activity, sit with my hands in my lap, and breathe for 5 minutes. A mini-meditation, kind of. Just let the emotional commotion in my brain settle down, maybe walk around a bit afterward or do some tidying up in the office or washing dishes (there are always dishes to be washed), and then go back to my office chair. That's usually cleared my head a bit so I know what to do next.
Of course, the trick is remembering to do all that when I get stuck :)
Good luck. Observe yourself, be a scientist about your behavior without judging your behavior. Be light about it all. Like one of my directors said before opening night of a community theatre show, "Remember, people, it's just a stupid musical." It's just a stupid to-do list. You can always ball it up and start a new one tomorrow.
May 5, 2024 at 15:57 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
Thanks for the advice, Mike. I like your idea of using different tools (systems) depending on how you feel.
May 6, 2024 at 16:47 |
Margaret1
Margaret1
@ Mike Brown:
> ... sit with my hands in my lap, and breathe for 5 minutes. A mini-meditation, kind of.
That very practice, with that very label, is something I do once or twice in nearly every day.
Great minds think alike ...
For me, a full "meditation" is ten minutes of breath-counting, and I do it at least once on most days. ("Meditation" seems too grand a word for it, really.)
> ... sit with my hands in my lap, and breathe for 5 minutes. A mini-meditation, kind of.
That very practice, with that very label, is something I do once or twice in nearly every day.
Great minds think alike ...
For me, a full "meditation" is ten minutes of breath-counting, and I do it at least once on most days. ("Meditation" seems too grand a word for it, really.)
May 9, 2024 at 12:15 |
Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper
I also find that having one method only is not enough. I think it is good to have one or two or three or four methods. When using a long list the list will no doubt get too long eventually. Using a No-list method or short list method is a good break from it. It is good to use no list at times and just brainstorm and let your mind wander. Sometimes you will not feel like doing anything at all. In that case looking at a long list will not help much. In that case if you can afford to do it it might be better just to wait and do nothing till the urge to do comes back.
I find using a context list such as David Allen recommends is a good idea only if you need to do it. Otherwise it is too much to do for every single item. So if one is going to let's say use the internet for several hours it might be helpful to make a separate list of all the things you need to do and then you can process it using let's say FV. I find rather than using a context list to change locations in which case I can only do certain items in that location. So if one is used to using the list at home or at work instead go to the library or go to a coffee shop and that will limit the items you can do. Or you can go outside. If you take only a few items with you then when you go through the long list you can only do some of the items and that will in effect limit your work. It will also give you a different atmosphere and can break up the routine.
However if one is going to use a long list at all one has to look at it. One can look at different review cycles when it gets very long, like looking at certain pages for only once a week and so on. But it takes days and weeks to make up a long list and after a while it does take time to maintain it. I suppose simple scanning is the easiest way to do that.
Also writing things down takes energy and is a habit that takes some getting used to. And the same with rewriting. Once one gets into the habit of rewriting then really great things can begin to happen. But it is a skill that needs to be developed. I think starting with the no list or shortlists is a good way of building up the skill.
I find using a context list such as David Allen recommends is a good idea only if you need to do it. Otherwise it is too much to do for every single item. So if one is going to let's say use the internet for several hours it might be helpful to make a separate list of all the things you need to do and then you can process it using let's say FV. I find rather than using a context list to change locations in which case I can only do certain items in that location. So if one is used to using the list at home or at work instead go to the library or go to a coffee shop and that will limit the items you can do. Or you can go outside. If you take only a few items with you then when you go through the long list you can only do some of the items and that will in effect limit your work. It will also give you a different atmosphere and can break up the routine.
However if one is going to use a long list at all one has to look at it. One can look at different review cycles when it gets very long, like looking at certain pages for only once a week and so on. But it takes days and weeks to make up a long list and after a while it does take time to maintain it. I suppose simple scanning is the easiest way to do that.
Also writing things down takes energy and is a habit that takes some getting used to. And the same with rewriting. Once one gets into the habit of rewriting then really great things can begin to happen. But it is a skill that needs to be developed. I think starting with the no list or shortlists is a good way of building up the skill.
May 10, 2024 at 15:56 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
Also it takes some experience with a method to gain skill at it. So developing a long list take some perseverance and time and knowing how to use it is a skill. Once one has the skill to me one should add to it rather than drop it. Using only one method to handle one's life is likely to lead to some imbalance where you're going to neglect some things and have some blind spots. So using more than one method is likely to lead to balance and variety.
Also there is a mode of the brain where the mind wanders and is the brainstorming creative mode. I doubt I would ever put that on my list of any kind. I have seen time management books that recommend allotting a certain amount of time for this mode of the brain. But this doesn't seem to be the right spirit. I don't think it can be commanded. Right now I am in a public park looking at the trees blooming , looking at the gazebo in front of me, and the beautiful mansions surrounding. I suppose I could put this on my to-do list and repeat it at certain times but then it seems like it doesn't have the free creative Spirit about it.
Also there is a mode of the brain where the mind wanders and is the brainstorming creative mode. I doubt I would ever put that on my list of any kind. I have seen time management books that recommend allotting a certain amount of time for this mode of the brain. But this doesn't seem to be the right spirit. I don't think it can be commanded. Right now I am in a public park looking at the trees blooming , looking at the gazebo in front of me, and the beautiful mansions surrounding. I suppose I could put this on my to-do list and repeat it at certain times but then it seems like it doesn't have the free creative Spirit about it.
May 10, 2024 at 16:30 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
I cast another vote for multiple methods, with explanation:
1) The goal is getting the things done. However than happens, whatever systems or hacks or games I play with myself, if my work is moving towards completion that's a win for me. I recall many discussions here and in Mark's books about why productivity systems are needed at all. If we easily knew the right thing to do right now, and did it, without forgetting all the other options that must wait until later, then we wouldn't need them. So if we do need a system, why not multiple systems?
2) There is no inherent prize for sticking with one system, and one system only (except during the Lenten Challenge!) The problem of switching systems is perhaps only when we are spending more time on that rather than getting the things done.
3) I think a huge reason for using different systems — actually using, not just trying for a couple days — is developing a working knowledge of each. How and where and when it seems to help us. Then it's a model we can add to our repertoire, and intelligently choose later.
4) However, there is also something to be said for just using the next shiny new system. There is real motivational power in the clean slate and starting fresh. Again, the ends seem to justify the means.
My main insight from the last couple comments in this rich thread is that there is no shame or harm in using multiple systems. In fact, I'm not sure I recall seeing a really good argument for picking and sticking with one system for all situations. If that works for someone (and I mean really works), then more power to them! However, so many in this forum (myself included) don't seem to find that a natural, realistic, or productive thing to do, otherwise the Lenten Challenge wouldn't be a challenge. Perhaps switching through a set of systems is not a flaw for us, but a feature. :)
1) The goal is getting the things done. However than happens, whatever systems or hacks or games I play with myself, if my work is moving towards completion that's a win for me. I recall many discussions here and in Mark's books about why productivity systems are needed at all. If we easily knew the right thing to do right now, and did it, without forgetting all the other options that must wait until later, then we wouldn't need them. So if we do need a system, why not multiple systems?
2) There is no inherent prize for sticking with one system, and one system only (except during the Lenten Challenge!) The problem of switching systems is perhaps only when we are spending more time on that rather than getting the things done.
3) I think a huge reason for using different systems — actually using, not just trying for a couple days — is developing a working knowledge of each. How and where and when it seems to help us. Then it's a model we can add to our repertoire, and intelligently choose later.
4) However, there is also something to be said for just using the next shiny new system. There is real motivational power in the clean slate and starting fresh. Again, the ends seem to justify the means.
My main insight from the last couple comments in this rich thread is that there is no shame or harm in using multiple systems. In fact, I'm not sure I recall seeing a really good argument for picking and sticking with one system for all situations. If that works for someone (and I mean really works), then more power to them! However, so many in this forum (myself included) don't seem to find that a natural, realistic, or productive thing to do, otherwise the Lenten Challenge wouldn't be a challenge. Perhaps switching through a set of systems is not a flaw for us, but a feature. :)
May 15, 2024 at 4:06 |
Scott Moehring
Scott Moehring
Day 1
[X] Daily improvement list
[X] Future vision vs. present situation
[X] Real-time troubleshooting of current challenges.
So far, so good!