Discussion Forum > AFTM - Deadlines?
Seb:
My experience is that the "release" that one feels when an item is ready to be done ("stands out") is not the same as "feeling like doing it". Often it is items that I *don't* feel like doing that get released, but the strange thing is that the resistance then disappears too. It's important to remember that the system encourages "little and often". You don't have to do the whole of the task the first time you tackle it (or even the second or third time!)
Also remember: One of my DOs in the instructions is "use your common sense". If something needs doing immediately, then do it immediately.
My experience is that the "release" that one feels when an item is ready to be done ("stands out") is not the same as "feeling like doing it". Often it is items that I *don't* feel like doing that get released, but the strange thing is that the resistance then disappears too. It's important to remember that the system encourages "little and often". You don't have to do the whole of the task the first time you tackle it (or even the second or third time!)
Also remember: One of my DOs in the instructions is "use your common sense". If something needs doing immediately, then do it immediately.
January 5, 2009 at 11:10 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi Mark,
Can you please respond to the second point raised by Seb above about having important items on page 14 while you're still working your way through page 1. How do you trust the system to handle tasks that need to be processed within the next few days if you're not confident about whether you'll even catch up to the right page in time?
Can you please respond to the second point raised by Seb above about having important items on page 14 while you're still working your way through page 1. How do you trust the system to handle tasks that need to be processed within the next few days if you're not confident about whether you'll even catch up to the right page in time?
January 5, 2009 at 13:00 |
Simon O'Keefe
Simon O'Keefe
Simon:
My experience of the system is that I pass through the list quite quickly, i.e. most pages get worked on at least twice a day. That's even though I have deliberately tried to overload the system while testing it myself. So the answer is work the system and then you will learn to trust it.
Remember too that by the time you have 14 pages there will probably only be one or two items on page 1.
My experience of the system is that I pass through the list quite quickly, i.e. most pages get worked on at least twice a day. That's even though I have deliberately tried to overload the system while testing it myself. So the answer is work the system and then you will learn to trust it.
Remember too that by the time you have 14 pages there will probably only be one or two items on page 1.
January 5, 2009 at 13:28 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I'm a lawyer and so my work-life is very deadline-driven and missing a deadline could, in the worst case scenario, be very harmful to a client and cost me my law license. So I don't feel I can just trust the system when used at work. (I could, however, trust the system to be effective on home stuff, which is much more flexible.) Also, I have a lot of items on the list that are big projects (e.g., Write brief for client x, which might be a 20-page brief and take many hours/days to do); this means it could take me a lot of days to get through just one page. I realize I could break down a big project into smaller parts and so have many lines per project rather than just one. But either way, I worry about the 2nd issue Seb raised. I'd be grateful for any additional recommendations on how to deal with this.
January 6, 2009 at 14:27 |
Molly
Molly
My problem is that I don't get much free time to work on tasks each day. I'm a trainer, and most of my working day is spent in the classroom teaching. So I might only get a few minutes at break times or half an hour after class has finished to work on the tasks on my list. It's quite possible that I won't get past the first page, so tasks that must be done that day wouldn't be reached unless they happen to be on the first page.
For example, there is something that I have to do at the end of the day today, which couldn't have been done any earlier, but must be done before I go home tonight. If I add it to the last page of my list, it won't get touched, as I might have time to do only one or two quick tasks after class, from page 1.
So I can't see that I can add this task to the list - it seems to me it'll have to be kept outside of the system, noted down somewhere else.
This issue of not having time to do many tasks each day seems to be the biggest problem I face with this system. There's no way that I could cycle through all my pages several times a day - in fact, I might not get past page 1.
For example, there is something that I have to do at the end of the day today, which couldn't have been done any earlier, but must be done before I go home tonight. If I add it to the last page of my list, it won't get touched, as I might have time to do only one or two quick tasks after class, from page 1.
So I can't see that I can add this task to the list - it seems to me it'll have to be kept outside of the system, noted down somewhere else.
This issue of not having time to do many tasks each day seems to be the biggest problem I face with this system. There's no way that I could cycle through all my pages several times a day - in fact, I might not get past page 1.
January 6, 2009 at 14:54 |
Annette
Annette
I didn't get past page 1 yesterday and I'm still kicking. ;-) But I had a call come in this a.m. and I promised to do a task TODAY. I am concerned that I may not get to page 5 in time to do it, so I scheduled it. I don't know if that's really how Mark envisions the system working and I won't abuse that, but for something that absolutely positively has to be done today, I will try this as so far I am not making it through my lists several times a day. I hope to soon though!
January 6, 2009 at 15:09 |
Mel
Mel
Some ideas for handling important deadlines:
If you're not passing through the pages frequently, make the pages shorter. This way you'll pass through all pages more frequently. If the system works well you will instinctively select the right tasks and prevent any mishaps from happening. You unconscious usually knows acutely what is important, urgent and ready to do.
It's quite likely your un/subconscious knows there's something more important on page 3 for example, even if you're not consciously thinking about it. You might instinctively feel like the page 1&2 tasks can be skipped for the moment, only to go to the third page. Practice going on your intuition.
Highlight your deadlines, you can add the dates to the description, or encircle them, underline, or use a red marker to denote deadline tasks.
If you're not passing through the pages frequently, make the pages shorter. This way you'll pass through all pages more frequently. If the system works well you will instinctively select the right tasks and prevent any mishaps from happening. You unconscious usually knows acutely what is important, urgent and ready to do.
It's quite likely your un/subconscious knows there's something more important on page 3 for example, even if you're not consciously thinking about it. You might instinctively feel like the page 1&2 tasks can be skipped for the moment, only to go to the third page. Practice going on your intuition.
Highlight your deadlines, you can add the dates to the description, or encircle them, underline, or use a red marker to denote deadline tasks.
January 6, 2009 at 15:39 |
Peter
Peter
Molly:
The basic fact about this system is that it helps you to make BETTER decisions than you would with your purely rational mind. You do after all know when the projects are due in, and it still your brain which is making the decisions.
"Little and often" is also a much BETTER way of getting a complicated project ready for a deadline.
The basic fact about this system is that it helps you to make BETTER decisions than you would with your purely rational mind. You do after all know when the projects are due in, and it still your brain which is making the decisions.
"Little and often" is also a much BETTER way of getting a complicated project ready for a deadline.
January 6, 2009 at 15:46 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Annette:
Have you actually tried it yet to see how it works in practice? My recommendation is that you use the system then make adjustments, not the the other way round.
I also in the instructions say you need to use your common sense. If something needs doing immediately, then do it immediately.
Have you actually tried it yet to see how it works in practice? My recommendation is that you use the system then make adjustments, not the the other way round.
I also in the instructions say you need to use your common sense. If something needs doing immediately, then do it immediately.
January 6, 2009 at 15:48 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Mel:
See my advice above to Molly and Annette. But I am concerned if you didn't get past page 1, whether you are using the system properly. I suggest you read the instructions again and make sure you are actually following them exactly.
See my advice above to Molly and Annette. But I am concerned if you didn't get past page 1, whether you are using the system properly. I suggest you read the instructions again and make sure you are actually following them exactly.
January 6, 2009 at 15:50 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Peter:
If you make the pages shorter you will INCREASE the time that it takes to get to the last page, not decrease it. That's because there will be more pages, and you have to work on at least one task per page (or dismiss it).
If you make the pages shorter you will INCREASE the time that it takes to get to the last page, not decrease it. That's because there will be more pages, and you have to work on at least one task per page (or dismiss it).
January 6, 2009 at 15:52 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Hi Mark
I'm also going quite slowly through my pages but like I said on another post in the forum I had to go out yesterday on a previously scheduled trip, and today I 'cheated' by letting something that came in the post take over most of the day (but this was expected anyway and is an important thing that needs tackling).
What I found helped yesterday was to follow the instructions with one slight change - I read through all my pages even though I was only working on the 1st or 2nd page and that way had there been anything that was more urgent than could wait for its turn to arrive I wouldn't have overlooked it - there wasn't though so I was actually running Autofocus as per instructions.
These last 2 days have been somewhat out of the ordinary and also, being self employed (and in a seasonal lull) I'm not too bothered about the fact that I've been adding extras out of sequence (like checking the discussion forum which because it's early days is HUGE!). I know I'm slightly cheating but I am still reaping rewards, am not bothered by my pages taking longer to go through and am still making huge headway with tasks that previously had been left undone for months.
It's working for me even with my cheating and slow processing speed. I know that once I stop cheating and add ALL tasks to the list, and get more familiar with running through my pages, then my speed will increase.
PS I certainly don't recommend my way to anyone it's just it's suiting me at the moment and I know that by next week at the latest I'll have tightened it up to run properly...
I'm also going quite slowly through my pages but like I said on another post in the forum I had to go out yesterday on a previously scheduled trip, and today I 'cheated' by letting something that came in the post take over most of the day (but this was expected anyway and is an important thing that needs tackling).
What I found helped yesterday was to follow the instructions with one slight change - I read through all my pages even though I was only working on the 1st or 2nd page and that way had there been anything that was more urgent than could wait for its turn to arrive I wouldn't have overlooked it - there wasn't though so I was actually running Autofocus as per instructions.
These last 2 days have been somewhat out of the ordinary and also, being self employed (and in a seasonal lull) I'm not too bothered about the fact that I've been adding extras out of sequence (like checking the discussion forum which because it's early days is HUGE!). I know I'm slightly cheating but I am still reaping rewards, am not bothered by my pages taking longer to go through and am still making huge headway with tasks that previously had been left undone for months.
It's working for me even with my cheating and slow processing speed. I know that once I stop cheating and add ALL tasks to the list, and get more familiar with running through my pages, then my speed will increase.
PS I certainly don't recommend my way to anyone it's just it's suiting me at the moment and I know that by next week at the latest I'll have tightened it up to run properly...
January 6, 2009 at 16:30 |
Hannah
Hannah
Mark,
Yes, I'm using the system already, and it's certainly helped me get some tasks done that otherwise might have been put off, and done with enthusiasm and little resistance. I'm trying to run it as written for the time being.
Yes, I'm using the system already, and it's certainly helped me get some tasks done that otherwise might have been put off, and done with enthusiasm and little resistance. I'm trying to run it as written for the time being.
January 6, 2009 at 17:02 |
Annette
Annette
Ref the issue of deadlines, I have a job which often presents short notice deliverables. For those that come in on the day or close to when they are needed they go on the list as a specific item and I put a coloured marker against them so i can quickly see them as I scan through. This method has survived two days and i haven't missed an urgent deadline. The thoughtful nature of the Autofocus system has also driven me to have also really thought about why something is an urgent request and if appropriate I have challenged the requester (nicely!!) to clarify the urgency and been able to reschedule their timeframe. That has re-timed three requests in two days!
For those with "future" date i use my dated tickler system and have a daily entry on my Autofocus list to check my tickler file. That way i have no loose papers lying around and I am confident in being able to do or progress a task on time.
For those with "future" date i use my dated tickler system and have a daily entry on my Autofocus list to check my tickler file. That way i have no loose papers lying around and I am confident in being able to do or progress a task on time.
January 7, 2009 at 7:44 |
titch
titch
I'm liking the sound of the new system - it does seem to tackle the problems I've had before.
The only thing that worries me are things with deadlines, and I hope you can help here. If you're, for example, given a report that has to be in within two days I see two problems for me:
1) I'll never 'feel' like doing it and it will reach the deadline with the only excuse I have being "I didn't feel like it!" - which probably doesn't go down too well.
2) If I, for example, have a lot of pages going and it enters on page 14 - and I'm still on page 1 - what if I don't reach it until the last minute?
These are just things that worry me a bit, if you can clarify them I think I should be find to give it a proper start.
Thanks and good luck yourself, I hope it works out!