Discussion Forum > MR
This might be a bit difficult as everyone of us have different kind of jobs. The number of projects, interruptions, emails, the urgency of things and the need to concentrate for example varies quite a lot. Whatever the system you need to tune it to your own needs.
There are some blogs by people who are implementing the ideas of DIT to their lives. Perhaps it could be helpful to collect links to these together.
There are some blogs by people who are implementing the ideas of DIT to their lives. Perhaps it could be helpful to collect links to these together.
November 20, 2007 at 9:47 |
Nick
Nick
I'd find that useful too.
I've just read DIT and I am trying to apply it to my work environment which is very reactive on a daily basis - which throws my "will-do" list out. The answer is there's too much on but the expectations are set.
I've just read DIT and I am trying to apply it to my work environment which is very reactive on a daily basis - which throws my "will-do" list out. The answer is there's too much on but the expectations are set.
December 8, 2007 at 12:18 |
Wile E.
Wile E.
Hi all
Sometimes it is presumptuous to believe that you can plan and control the events of the day. My rx for the things that count most....
1. Do your current initiative during hours that you aren't as much at the world's mercy! For me, it's either early morning or later in the evening.
2. Write your closed list with a daily (yesterday's Incoming) checklist that you can tick off the one offs in little bits of time.
3. For projects, timebox them and have only one project out at a time. If I'm having a very interrupted day, I set up a second station with the project laid out where I can work on it as the day allows, but my main desk is clear to answer both today's hectic and must do demands while sandwhiching in my yesterday's checklist batches.
example: After I finish answering a today/urgent item, I might knock out a few of yesterday's emails or tick off a phone call or tick off an account receipt. Most of yesterday's batches can be further broken down into one offs! Of course, when you have a larger space of time, I can go to my project table and crunch down that a little. When the day is demanding, I always write the next action so that I don't have to reaccess where I am on it and what to do next. The next action acts as both a summary and a direction of action in one cue! It's great! I have my projects set up in folders much like a doctor's office does. On the left side of the folder is a dated action list. On the right (in ascending order) is the relevant paper work generated) Easy, simple and it works much like MF's filing system.
I also have my round up days to ensure that my checklists stay current as a safeguard against hectic times.
learning as I go
Sometimes it is presumptuous to believe that you can plan and control the events of the day. My rx for the things that count most....
1. Do your current initiative during hours that you aren't as much at the world's mercy! For me, it's either early morning or later in the evening.
2. Write your closed list with a daily (yesterday's Incoming) checklist that you can tick off the one offs in little bits of time.
3. For projects, timebox them and have only one project out at a time. If I'm having a very interrupted day, I set up a second station with the project laid out where I can work on it as the day allows, but my main desk is clear to answer both today's hectic and must do demands while sandwhiching in my yesterday's checklist batches.
example: After I finish answering a today/urgent item, I might knock out a few of yesterday's emails or tick off a phone call or tick off an account receipt. Most of yesterday's batches can be further broken down into one offs! Of course, when you have a larger space of time, I can go to my project table and crunch down that a little. When the day is demanding, I always write the next action so that I don't have to reaccess where I am on it and what to do next. The next action acts as both a summary and a direction of action in one cue! It's great! I have my projects set up in folders much like a doctor's office does. On the left side of the folder is a dated action list. On the right (in ascending order) is the relevant paper work generated) Easy, simple and it works much like MF's filing system.
I also have my round up days to ensure that my checklists stay current as a safeguard against hectic times.
learning as I go
December 8, 2007 at 14:00 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
Hi all
If it's a more normal day, I simply follow the list. Of course, first is the current initiative. Next is ALWAYS worst/important first for two reasons. It both gets it out of my way to cancel out mental worry or nagging, and secondly, it gives me a boost of power knowing that I killed the dragon first thing. The rest of the list is cherry picking in comparison to the most dreaded or the most important thing done straight away.
When I can, I only work on one or two projects either timeboxed or an intermediate deadline on progress. I try to treat projects as closely to the current initiative as possible. Completing one or two at a time makes it far easier to track them. And sometimes it provides an impetus to complete it quickly when you have another more desired project on your waiting list! LOL!
Then I tick off my closed list in batches while juggling my day's events using an iron fist with incoming *seems urgent but really can be batched with tomorrow's checklist items.
Most of the time I don't need to do anything on my roundup days, because I stay current, but it's a nice cue to keep yourself current. (These are created during my weekly review of staging my weekly goals and obligations in a loose format.)
learning as I go
If it's a more normal day, I simply follow the list. Of course, first is the current initiative. Next is ALWAYS worst/important first for two reasons. It both gets it out of my way to cancel out mental worry or nagging, and secondly, it gives me a boost of power knowing that I killed the dragon first thing. The rest of the list is cherry picking in comparison to the most dreaded or the most important thing done straight away.
When I can, I only work on one or two projects either timeboxed or an intermediate deadline on progress. I try to treat projects as closely to the current initiative as possible. Completing one or two at a time makes it far easier to track them. And sometimes it provides an impetus to complete it quickly when you have another more desired project on your waiting list! LOL!
Then I tick off my closed list in batches while juggling my day's events using an iron fist with incoming *seems urgent but really can be batched with tomorrow's checklist items.
Most of the time I don't need to do anything on my roundup days, because I stay current, but it's a nice cue to keep yourself current. (These are created during my weekly review of staging my weekly goals and obligations in a loose format.)
learning as I go
December 8, 2007 at 14:22 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
I'm wondering if what you're asking about is this:
* Come into the office in the morning. I look at my planner book. I see that I have a current initiative blocked out at the top. If possible, I'll work on that before I turn on my PC or make the coffee. If I need to access my email or files to do the CI, I'll do that but try not to skim the inbox.
* That done, I check my tickler file to see if there's any hardcopy I need for the day's work. Make the coffee, etc.
* I scan my email inbox. I can usually tell if something's an emergency; if it is, I'll respond to it or write in my planner book (BELOW the line) for that day.
* Project-related emails go into project email folders. Remaining stuff that isn't urgent goes into my "FU" folder (uh, meaning "follow-up"). I maintained for a time folders named 1 Monday, 2 Tuesday, 3 Wednesday, etc. But I experienced mixed success with this. Am trying just the one "FU" folder now.
* Whilst in the FU folder, look at yesterday's emails that I dragged there. If there are some quick responses needed, I'll do them then. Otherwise, I write them down as tasks in my planner book for TOMORROW. I'll then file the email in a project folder or keep it in FU (when I write the task down in my planner book, I'll note "see FU for em" or something like that).
* Work the tasks for today that I wrote down YESTERDAY, or, in the case of a multi-step project, tasks I may have sprinkled throughout the month.
* As new emails come in, decide if they're urgent. If not, into FU they go. I'll read them tomorrow.
* If an emergency comes up and I can't get to the tasks in my planner book, then for TOMORROW, I write "CI-BACKLOG" which is my code for "do the work I didn't do yesterday."
I don't have a end-of-day checklist for cleaning up my workspace or doing my timecard or anything like that. Some days I work right up to the minute, other days I get my major work done early and relax till quitting time.
Is this the kind of description you were after?
Mike
* Come into the office in the morning. I look at my planner book. I see that I have a current initiative blocked out at the top. If possible, I'll work on that before I turn on my PC or make the coffee. If I need to access my email or files to do the CI, I'll do that but try not to skim the inbox.
* That done, I check my tickler file to see if there's any hardcopy I need for the day's work. Make the coffee, etc.
* I scan my email inbox. I can usually tell if something's an emergency; if it is, I'll respond to it or write in my planner book (BELOW the line) for that day.
* Project-related emails go into project email folders. Remaining stuff that isn't urgent goes into my "FU" folder (uh, meaning "follow-up"). I maintained for a time folders named 1 Monday, 2 Tuesday, 3 Wednesday, etc. But I experienced mixed success with this. Am trying just the one "FU" folder now.
* Whilst in the FU folder, look at yesterday's emails that I dragged there. If there are some quick responses needed, I'll do them then. Otherwise, I write them down as tasks in my planner book for TOMORROW. I'll then file the email in a project folder or keep it in FU (when I write the task down in my planner book, I'll note "see FU for em" or something like that).
* Work the tasks for today that I wrote down YESTERDAY, or, in the case of a multi-step project, tasks I may have sprinkled throughout the month.
* As new emails come in, decide if they're urgent. If not, into FU they go. I'll read them tomorrow.
* If an emergency comes up and I can't get to the tasks in my planner book, then for TOMORROW, I write "CI-BACKLOG" which is my code for "do the work I didn't do yesterday."
I don't have a end-of-day checklist for cleaning up my workspace or doing my timecard or anything like that. Some days I work right up to the minute, other days I get my major work done early and relax till quitting time.
Is this the kind of description you were after?
Mike
January 26, 2008 at 19:09 |
Mike Brown
Mike Brown
I think Mark's "Getting Going Again" series would do this job well.
Gordon
Gordon
April 19, 2008 at 0:02 |
Gordon
Gordon
Gordon,
Where would I find that?
Where would I find that?
April 22, 2008 at 23:52 |
Mark in Texas
Mark in Texas
Mark in Texas
Either click here:
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2008/1/7/getting-going-again.html
or for future reference there is a search box at top left of this site and you can just type whatever the article title is into it and it should search this whole site to find it for you (i.e. not the whole web) - I find it invaluable. Sometimes all you need is to type in a keyword and if you pick the keyword well it usually displays what you're looking for in the top one or two article headings it's found.
Either click here:
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2008/1/7/getting-going-again.html
or for future reference there is a search box at top left of this site and you can just type whatever the article title is into it and it should search this whole site to find it for you (i.e. not the whole web) - I find it invaluable. Sometimes all you need is to type in a keyword and if you pick the keyword well it usually displays what you're looking for in the top one or two article headings it's found.
April 23, 2008 at 0:06 |
Hannah
Hannah
If any of you have the time and inclination to do this it may be appreciated by others like me too.