Discussion Forum > Task diary
Hi, Steve
I use an A5 diary which has room for 30 tasks if I write them in single column. There is room for two columns, should I need them. I find this sufficient - and I find it difficult to see how anyone could get through more than that number of tasks in a day!
I use an A5 diary which has room for 30 tasks if I write them in single column. There is room for two columns, should I need them. I find this sufficient - and I find it difficult to see how anyone could get through more than that number of tasks in a day!
January 19, 2008 at 18:22 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Thanks Mark. I have a habit of missing a line between each entry so my max is 15. There is only one column. Guess I need to change my habit, write smaller or buy a bigger diary! Cheers, Steve
January 20, 2008 at 10:32 |
SteveH
SteveH
Does anyone else find that as they get busier ( and in my case, more stressed), their diary gets messier and messier and it gets harder to focus on writing things down in an ordered way or even at all? I can tell when I was stressed by just looking back at my diary.
I use a diary that is 1 page for 2days but have used 1 page a day, A4 and actually prefer this as there is more room for notes whilst on phone or planning mini tasks.
Any tips how to stay focussed when really up to your eyes in unpredictable tasks that hit your desk or phone, all too frequently during the day that you have no control over?
I use a diary that is 1 page for 2days but have used 1 page a day, A4 and actually prefer this as there is more room for notes whilst on phone or planning mini tasks.
Any tips how to stay focussed when really up to your eyes in unpredictable tasks that hit your desk or phone, all too frequently during the day that you have no control over?
January 20, 2008 at 19:25 |
Debbie
Debbie
Hi, Debbie
The advice I give in Do It Tomorrow is always to write tasks down before you do them. That helps your rational mind get control, rather than your reactive mind.
Where you write them down is important. Tasks that need to be done the same day should be written "below the line" in that day's page in your diary. Tasks that don't need to be done the same day (hopefully the majority) should be written on the following day's page.
The act of writing them down and having to decide which page to write them down on will encourage you to assess rationally when you are going to do them.
The advice I give in Do It Tomorrow is always to write tasks down before you do them. That helps your rational mind get control, rather than your reactive mind.
Where you write them down is important. Tasks that need to be done the same day should be written "below the line" in that day's page in your diary. Tasks that don't need to be done the same day (hopefully the majority) should be written on the following day's page.
The act of writing them down and having to decide which page to write them down on will encourage you to assess rationally when you are going to do them.
January 20, 2008 at 20:15 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
What do you do with a task that you know you want to do, but are not certain when you will do it? Putting on tomorrow's page may be overloading that page if it is already crowded or apt to get so by end of day.
February 27, 2008 at 22:22 |
Stan Hoffman
Stan Hoffman
Dear Stan
The principle is that you always put the task down for tomorrow unless there are specific and concrete reasons why the task can't be done tomorrow.
The reason for this is that if you try to spread the load by scheduling a task more than one day forward you are losing the essential connection between one day's incoming work and one day's outgoing work.
If you are unable to finish the tasks on today's list, then you simply carry them forward to the next day. But you must catch up (i.e. complete all the tasks on your list) within three or four days.
If you don't succeed in catching up after three or four days, then you need to go through the audit procedure:
1) Do I have too much work?
2) Am I working efficiently?
3) Am I leaving enough time to do the work?
And do something about the answers!
Best wishes,
Mark
P.S. I've made a note in my Task Diary for tomorrow to write a blog posting covering the Audit Procedure in more detail.
The principle is that you always put the task down for tomorrow unless there are specific and concrete reasons why the task can't be done tomorrow.
The reason for this is that if you try to spread the load by scheduling a task more than one day forward you are losing the essential connection between one day's incoming work and one day's outgoing work.
If you are unable to finish the tasks on today's list, then you simply carry them forward to the next day. But you must catch up (i.e. complete all the tasks on your list) within three or four days.
If you don't succeed in catching up after three or four days, then you need to go through the audit procedure:
1) Do I have too much work?
2) Am I working efficiently?
3) Am I leaving enough time to do the work?
And do something about the answers!
Best wishes,
Mark
P.S. I've made a note in my Task Diary for tomorrow to write a blog posting covering the Audit Procedure in more detail.
February 28, 2008 at 9:06 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi Mark--
That's clear enough for things that are related to your ongoing business. But what about the many tasks you want to keep track of but know you won't have time for in the next few days, weeks, or months. For example, clean out the garage, touch up the paint in the front hall, think about X (but not yet!), etc.
I'm looking forward to your post on the audit procedure.
Stan
That's clear enough for things that are related to your ongoing business. But what about the many tasks you want to keep track of but know you won't have time for in the next few days, weeks, or months. For example, clean out the garage, touch up the paint in the front hall, think about X (but not yet!), etc.
I'm looking forward to your post on the audit procedure.
Stan
February 28, 2008 at 16:53 |
Stan Hoffman
Stan Hoffman
Perhaps it is premature for me to post, as I have not yet got far through reading DIT. (Some day soon? - only joking).
But it intrigues me, Mark, that you suggest that tasks must be completed within 3 or 4 days. I am a freelance translator, and sometimes I have translation jobs that last considerably longer than that. Other jobs are much shorter, of course, but there are times when jobs pile up and I have a stack of work that will take me a couple of weeks. That is OK if the deadlines are reasonable, but it means that my list of outstanding tasks will often take up several days more than the three or four days.
Perhaps I will find the answer as I progress through the book.
But it intrigues me, Mark, that you suggest that tasks must be completed within 3 or 4 days. I am a freelance translator, and sometimes I have translation jobs that last considerably longer than that. Other jobs are much shorter, of course, but there are times when jobs pile up and I have a stack of work that will take me a couple of weeks. That is OK if the deadlines are reasonable, but it means that my list of outstanding tasks will often take up several days more than the three or four days.
Perhaps I will find the answer as I progress through the book.
February 28, 2008 at 17:28 |
Victor
Victor
This is the concept of the someday/maybe list in GTD. Some people do not like a long list of things they may not get to. I personally find that I am more worried about forgetting something I might want to do than not doing it. You could always schedule it in your task diary for the future and move it forward or axe it if you do not want to do it when it comes up. I personally do not mind a list of projects in one place I may or may not do, but this is more of a GTD concept than a DIT concept.
Good Luck
Good Luck
February 28, 2008 at 18:33 |
Rave
Rave
Hi, Stan
Sorry, I slightly misunderstood your question, I think. I thought you meant tasks that have a deadline, but not yet. Those should be put down for tomorrow regardless as I said.
Tasks that have no deadline should be dealt with one at a time. It's good to have a list of them, sorted in the order you intend to do them, and then you can feed them into your Task List or Current Initiative one by one. That is far the quickest means of getting through them.
If a task is seasonally specific, e.g. introduce new plants into garden, then put it in your Task Diary for a future date.
Sorry, I slightly misunderstood your question, I think. I thought you meant tasks that have a deadline, but not yet. Those should be put down for tomorrow regardless as I said.
Tasks that have no deadline should be dealt with one at a time. It's good to have a list of them, sorted in the order you intend to do them, and then you can feed them into your Task List or Current Initiative one by one. That is far the quickest means of getting through them.
If a task is seasonally specific, e.g. introduce new plants into garden, then put it in your Task Diary for a future date.
February 28, 2008 at 18:40 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi, Victor
No, it's not the task that should be completed in 3 or 4 days - it's the Will Do list if you get behind. If you don't complete your Will Do for more than 3 or 4 days, then you mustn't continue getting further and further behind. If you do you're back in To Do list territory. You must carry out an audit to find out why you can't get through your work.
What you are describing (translation jobs, etc.) are projects, not tasks. They would be scheduled over a period of days, but each day's work on the project would count as a task.
I hope that's clear!
No, it's not the task that should be completed in 3 or 4 days - it's the Will Do list if you get behind. If you don't complete your Will Do for more than 3 or 4 days, then you mustn't continue getting further and further behind. If you do you're back in To Do list territory. You must carry out an audit to find out why you can't get through your work.
What you are describing (translation jobs, etc.) are projects, not tasks. They would be scheduled over a period of days, but each day's work on the project would count as a task.
I hope that's clear!
February 28, 2008 at 18:45 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi Mark--
Okay--thanks for the clarification. So I hear that you are recommending keeping a "Someday" list, as Victor pointed out.
It would be helpful to have an outline or diagram of all parts of the system as you are now recommending it.Perhaps this is already included in your post on the Audit Procedure, which I'm looking forward to.
Stan
Okay--thanks for the clarification. So I hear that you are recommending keeping a "Someday" list, as Victor pointed out.
It would be helpful to have an outline or diagram of all parts of the system as you are now recommending it.Perhaps this is already included in your post on the Audit Procedure, which I'm looking forward to.
Stan
February 29, 2008 at 1:01 |
Stan Hoffman
Stan Hoffman
Stan:
There are only two parts of the system:
The Will Do list
The Task Diary
That doesn't of course mean that you can't or shouldn't have any other lists, plans or pieces of paper relating to tasks or projects.
A "someday/maybe" list as recommended by David Allen is, as I understand it, a place for parking projects that you may or may not get round to. That's not what I am recommending here - which is to have a list of projects you definitely intend to do in the order you intend to do them. This is for projects which are desirable and/or necessary but do not have deadlines,
Generally speaking I recommend that projects with deadlines are actioned at the beginning of the available time window rather than at the end. This usually produces higher quality work and avoids last minute emergencies.
There are only two parts of the system:
The Will Do list
The Task Diary
That doesn't of course mean that you can't or shouldn't have any other lists, plans or pieces of paper relating to tasks or projects.
A "someday/maybe" list as recommended by David Allen is, as I understand it, a place for parking projects that you may or may not get round to. That's not what I am recommending here - which is to have a list of projects you definitely intend to do in the order you intend to do them. This is for projects which are desirable and/or necessary but do not have deadlines,
Generally speaking I recommend that projects with deadlines are actioned at the beginning of the available time window rather than at the end. This usually produces higher quality work and avoids last minute emergencies.
February 29, 2008 at 10:09 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
As I read your system, there are actually four components:
The Will Do List (includes projects and potential initiatives)
Recurring Task List (daily, weekly, monthly)
Backlogs
The Task Diary
I see these as separate components because they have separate physical locations. Maybe this is just my interpretation of what you said above. Have I misconstrued something?
I would add a someday/maybe list because there are things I want to hold onto but don't want to think about for awhile. Adding "review someday/maybe list" to my monthly recurring task list, ensures that I will prune it at regular intervals.
The Will Do List (includes projects and potential initiatives)
Recurring Task List (daily, weekly, monthly)
Backlogs
The Task Diary
I see these as separate components because they have separate physical locations. Maybe this is just my interpretation of what you said above. Have I misconstrued something?
I would add a someday/maybe list because there are things I want to hold onto but don't want to think about for awhile. Adding "review someday/maybe list" to my monthly recurring task list, ensures that I will prune it at regular intervals.
February 29, 2008 at 18:36 |
Stan Hoffman
Stan Hoffman
Stan:
Recurring tasks are items on the Will Do list.
Backlogs are not part of the system at all. They are projects, i.e. things the system acts on. Once you've got the system established, you shouldn't have any backlogs in any case.
Adding a someday/maybe list is fine if you feel the need for one.
Recurring tasks are items on the Will Do list.
Backlogs are not part of the system at all. They are projects, i.e. things the system acts on. Once you've got the system established, you shouldn't have any backlogs in any case.
Adding a someday/maybe list is fine if you feel the need for one.
February 29, 2008 at 19:04 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I'm just curious as to what size Task diary you use?
I'm using an A5 page to a day but am finding it quite easy to fill it each weekday. I use a separate list for repetitive daily tasks as you suggest and I think I'm following your model correctly.
I don't generally list anything that's in my Inbox from the previous day, I just attend to each item as I take it out of the tray and although I carried forward a large backlog of tasks dating from prior to using your system, this is all listed separately and I "chip" away at it when I can (it's mainly non-urgent personal stuff).
I use a Quarto week to view diary for appointments.
I like your system and have already noticed a leap in my productivity. I have also switched from using an Outlook/Palm system back to paper after 9 years, in an effort to spend less time in front of a computer, speed up my processes and be more productive.
I'm just reading your first book before re-reading DIT again.
Cheers, Steve