Get Everything Done

Mark

Would you recommend putting continuous projects, such as learning a language or taking exercise, into Autofocus? Or do you think it's best to have a set time of day for doing these things and treat them like you would an appointment of some kind? I would appreciate your advice on this. Still enjoying using AF2 and looking forward to trying the AF2/AF1 switch.

Looking at my own practice (although I'm far from being a concert pianist :-), I could imagine putting practice schedules into AF. That is, don't put "practice the piano" in there, but rather "memorize 3rd page of Chopin Nocturne" or "learn broken chords C-sharp minor" or something like that. That way, I remind myself what the really hard parts are that I want to pay extra attention to during practice, instead of wasting time / having fun on parts I already know.

Everything combined with fixed practice times, of course.

Mark and Nicole

Thanks for your replies. I think I will try putting these activities into AF and see what happens. As with other recurring items I will automatically re-enter them at the end of the list each time. I like the idea of being quite specific about what I'm going to do/practise, Nicole. For learning languages I think I will write a note for myself at the end of each session about what I could do next time; that way I won't waste time at the beginning of the next session. I can keep these notes in a small jotter along with my textbooks. Thanks again.

Jill:

You could always try a hybrid approach - either permanently or just for an initial period to find out which way seems to fit best with your own personal work-style.

Set your target regular time, but also put the activity on your AF list. If you come to that task while scanning the AF list and you've already done the activity in that day's regular slot, then you simply mark it as having been actioned, and re-add it (for the next scheduled slot). If it stands out at any other time you could (perhaps *should*, if it's standing out!) do it then, regardless of the fact it's not your "scheduled" time.

The list item if effect acts as a "reminder" (and completion-tracker) for the scheduled activity. Whether you tend to end up doing the activity either within or outside your intended schedule may help decide how best to work with those kinds of activities/projects.

I should add that I try to stick with fixed practice times whenever I feel my practice routine is slipping. Establishing fixed practice times for a week or so gets me back into the habit of sitting down at the piano for at least 20 minutes every day. Most of the time that's just enough to get myself motivated again for whatever I'm working on.

Occassionally I try to do the same with my 'regular' work, but somehow that doesn't work as well. Same with workouts, LOL!

SteveB, I think that's a good idea thank you. I put my runs/workouts in my diary (not scheduled at a specific time but to be done on specific days) because I need that level of discipline or it just doesn't happen. However, I am finding that the more I put into AF the better (even to the point of writing things on the list just before I'm going to do them) because that gets me "on list". Otherwise days can slip by when I don't open the book! I think that makes it worth duplicating my exercise in AF and who knows, it might even stand out at other times and I'll end up doing extra!! (Well, alright, I'm probably getting carried away now.)

I have a much greater desire to actually "do" the tasks with AF2 or the switch version. With AF1 I was getting a massive amount done but it was the system that became almost an entity in itself - with AF2 the system just gets things done. If I enter a task into AF now I am very confident that it will be done - and done pretty quickly.