Discussion Forum > I feel a disconnect between my tasks and my projects
What I did was write down the next task and then append "{Project X)" to the end, or something similar.
October 3, 2024 at 14:20 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
I concur with Mike. I would write something like "Project X: Next action" or whatever you need to feel ready for the next thing.
Another element is having an appropriate "closing up" routine before you finish doing a little on that project. For example, maybe you visualize what's next or you start a little bit on the next thing that you then intentionally "leave undone" so your mind has the next open loop ready.
Taking a "put the next action on your lists" model is more akin to David Allen's GTD approach, while "stop before your done" model was something espoused by Hemmingway to help him be ready to write the next morning.
Another element is having an appropriate "closing up" routine before you finish doing a little on that project. For example, maybe you visualize what's next or you start a little bit on the next thing that you then intentionally "leave undone" so your mind has the next open loop ready.
Taking a "put the next action on your lists" model is more akin to David Allen's GTD approach, while "stop before your done" model was something espoused by Hemmingway to help him be ready to write the next morning.
October 3, 2024 at 18:10 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
<<I feel like this is a problem of me working too fast>>
It sounds counter intuitive to slow down but it is the right answer. I'm reminded of a phrase the the Navy Seals often use “slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
I often tell my team that they get paid to think as well as act and thinking takes time. Don't feel bad about taking the time to set the stage for a successful next step.
It sounds counter intuitive to slow down but it is the right answer. I'm reminded of a phrase the the Navy Seals often use “slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
I often tell my team that they get paid to think as well as act and thinking takes time. Don't feel bad about taking the time to set the stage for a successful next step.
October 3, 2024 at 18:15 |
Brent
Brent
I have such projects in a text file, next actions at the top, one per line, and a LOG section further down to capture notes about what I've done, each line there starting with the date. This allows future me to return to it and remind myself where I'm up to.
October 16, 2024 at 2:18 |
Chris
Chris
I'll echo what others have said, and add some behavior modification notes:
I was having a similar frustrating experience. I then started writing a placeholder for "what's next". What I started noticing was that it began to feel so much better to see those few words than to see that I had forgotten and had to figure it out again. This reinforced doing it.
If I forgot, but bumped into the item later and noticed I had forgotten, I would add "what's next" at that point. I started to have a "yuck" feeling if I saw items that didn't have "what's next", which made me notice them more. After adding a "next", I would feel better, which also reinforced doing it.
Lastly, I used BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits model to create a prompt to make it even easier. "After I [anchor], I will [new tiny behavior]". I've found the formula to be very simple and very effective for changing behavior. A possible phrase for this could be "After I re-write a Project name on my task list, I will add "what's next" if it's not done yet." This attaches the new behavior to something you are already doing, so the reminder becomes automatic.
I was having a similar frustrating experience. I then started writing a placeholder for "what's next". What I started noticing was that it began to feel so much better to see those few words than to see that I had forgotten and had to figure it out again. This reinforced doing it.
If I forgot, but bumped into the item later and noticed I had forgotten, I would add "what's next" at that point. I started to have a "yuck" feeling if I saw items that didn't have "what's next", which made me notice them more. After adding a "next", I would feel better, which also reinforced doing it.
Lastly, I used BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits model to create a prompt to make it even easier. "After I [anchor], I will [new tiny behavior]". I've found the formula to be very simple and very effective for changing behavior. A possible phrase for this could be "After I re-write a Project name on my task list, I will add "what's next" if it's not done yet." This attaches the new behavior to something you are already doing, so the reminder becomes automatic.
November 4, 2024 at 18:34 |
Scott Moehring
Scott Moehring
I need to do my new habit before the trigger, otherwise habit kicks in. (Brush teeth, wash face, go to bed. Adding floss after brush didn't work, but before did.)
Yes! BJFogg's work is amazing.
What's Next is GTD's Next Action, and an extremely powerful habit. To start, always add a NA to each project, and start the line with a verb. Eventually you can skip some of the writing, but only when the thinking is so automatic you don't need the writing to reinforce it.
Advanced: "Is there anything in this project that I can't do at my desk ; need to do during a specific time or with someone?" That helps me make better plans, and fewer trips to the store than just looking at a single NA.
Another powerful habit is "How will you make sure you remember to do it?" (My family hates that, because it makes them get off the couch and write stuff on a list or calendar. They already went through, "Trying harder to remember didn't work the last dozen times. What will you do differently this time?")
BJFogg also has an exercise to help choose habits that
- are part of things that are actually important to you
- easy to implement
Starting with easy habits about things you don't care about, or hard habits, is a waste of time. Start with the important easy ones, and see how far they take you.
Yes! BJFogg's work is amazing.
What's Next is GTD's Next Action, and an extremely powerful habit. To start, always add a NA to each project, and start the line with a verb. Eventually you can skip some of the writing, but only when the thinking is so automatic you don't need the writing to reinforce it.
Advanced: "Is there anything in this project that I can't do at my desk ; need to do during a specific time or with someone?" That helps me make better plans, and fewer trips to the store than just looking at a single NA.
Another powerful habit is "How will you make sure you remember to do it?" (My family hates that, because it makes them get off the couch and write stuff on a list or calendar. They already went through, "Trying harder to remember didn't work the last dozen times. What will you do differently this time?")
BJFogg also has an exercise to help choose habits that
- are part of things that are actually important to you
- easy to implement
Starting with easy habits about things you don't care about, or hard habits, is a waste of time. Start with the important easy ones, and see how far they take you.
November 5, 2024 at 13:47 |
Cricket
Cricket
I finish a task which reads something like 'Project X' and cross it off, reentering it at the end because there is more to do. My mindset at this point is "That was satisfying, I made some progress on this larger outcome"
When I come to the same task again: I realize I didn't take any notes about my progress, I have lost my place within the document/book/file I was working at! My mindset at this point is "Damn you past-me, how could you have forgotten!?"
I feel like this is a problem of me working too fast. I'm so eager to go to the next task I forget basic project management.
Are there any pointers for dealing with this situation?