Get Everything Done

I've been lurking 'round these parts for several moons now. I finally strapped on a notebook to try out AF4, the system that actually seems to fit (1) my brain and (2) my needs.

I've got sort of a technical question about the algorithm, specifically when it becomes ok to jump out of the list.

Say I've got 5 items on my Active List, and I just worked on (and dismissed) number 5. But now I really want to do number 2. So much so that I'm just going to do it. And I know that if I go through my backlog, I'm not going to want to do any of those and suddenly my entire backlog is marked for review (most of which will be simply reentered) just so i can loop back around to doing number 2.

This situation causes me some stress because I feel like if I don't mark the entire backlog for review, I'm abandoning (and therefore dooming to failure) the AF4 system. I mean, if i'm just arbitrarily jumping around doing things willy-nilly, I've got to be getting in the way of letting the system do its work. But at the same time, I'm lazy and I don't want to reenter all of those items just because I want to do a task on the list (I mean, I shouldn't be penalized for actually doing the things I'm supposed to be doing).

Any advice? Am I being too rigorously algorithmic? Is there an easy way out that I don't see? Am I being completely ridiculous?

I just realize something: this kind of situation will also come up for scheduled activity.

And yes, I know that scheduled activities aren't intended for use with AF4, but there are different "types" of scheduled activity, such as conditional activities. For example, brushing one's teeth in the morning. Trivial example, but a condition such as "upon waking" or "just before sleep" or "before a meal" isn't handled well by either AF4 OR a reminder/tickler system like MS Outlook.

It would be nice if these could be handled by AF4, as there is a purity and elegance that comes from not having to use umpteen different systems.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Because so far, I'm really enjoying and being productive with AF4, I just want to make sure it will continue.

Mark's always said that if something really needs to be done, just do it. Personally I find that I'm quite often in that situation - I'll often jump to the task and just continue from that point. Having said that - if I instead force myself to stick to AF4 and loop through the Closed List I'll often find just one item that I can get out of the way quickly, and then I'll bend the rules by allowing myself back into the Open List after just one pass of the Closed List. The benefit being that I don't need to worry about dismissing everything. Hope that makes sense.

Rulfzid,

usually I mark the "old stuff" for review and then wait until my weekly review and then go through those items to decide what to do.

Regarding those conditional activities I think they should be trained as habits.

If you can get AF4 to be a persistent habit, you can also make it into a habit-builder by linking those conditional tasks to the corresponding trigger.

In the example, put Eat Meal and Brush Teeth both in your list. Now of course you don't need Eat Meal in Autofocus, but for the purpose of habit building, throw it in, and eat meals when you are ready. And after, your next task is Brush Teeth and you will do it. Reenter this task pair at the end of your list. Once your habit is established you can dismiss both of them.

For this to work, you need to master the "little and often" principle. You need to be getting through your full list regularly. (Make sure your list isn't too big. That will get in the way.)

Oh and if you're really hungry and you haven't found that Eat task, you have my permission to go eat anyway :-)

@Simon W

So you're saying that there's some flexibility in the system. I've just been hesitant to make any alterations, given Mark's numerous warning to "try the system as-is before making any tweaks".

@Alan Baljeu

"For this to work, you need to master the "little and often" principle. You need to be getting through your full list regularly. (Make sure your list isn't too big. That will get in the way.)"

My list is actually relatively small, so I keep getting through it very quickly. It feels good, and I feel productive, but I just don't enjoy writing down half the list (or more) again and again as i speed over the Backlog to get to something I know I'm going to be doing anyway.

"Oh and if you're really hungry and you haven't found that Eat task, you have my permission to go eat anyway :-)"

This cuts to the heart of my question. What are you supposed to do with the Eat task once you've "gone ahead and eaten anyway"? Simon W suggests jumping straight to it or allowing yourself a "single pass" through the Backlog (assuming "eat" is in the Active list).

Let me put it this way: the system has been set up to handle emergencies that aren't on the list: with Mark's "if something needs to be done, just do it". How is it supposed to handle 'emergencies' that ARE on the list? Just ignore the list and then get to say "hey, I've already done that!" when you get to the task? Do either of Simon's workarounds? Do something else entirely?

I just want to make sure that I"m "doing AF4" and not "just whatever the hell I want".

Thanks (and sorry if I'm being obnoxious - I just want to get this right)

>>> So you're saying that there's some flexibility in the system. I've just been hesitant to make any alterations, given Mark's numerous warning to "try the system as-is before making any tweaks". <<<

It is not so much flexibility in the system as that the system ITSELF has a provision in it to do what makes sense.

>>> My list is actually relatively small, so I keep getting through it very quickly. It feels good, and I feel productive, but I just don't enjoy writing down half the list (or more) again and again as i speed over the Backlog to get to something I know I'm going to be doing anyway. <<<

Then just DO the exception that you know you have to do and continue on with the backlog as usual. Don't make it any more complicated than necessary ;-)

>>> This cuts to the heart of my question. What are you supposed to do with the Eat task once you've "gone ahead and eaten anyway"? Simon W suggests jumping straight to it or allowing yourself a "single pass" through the Backlog (assuming "eat" is in the Active list). <<<

Yeah, just eat and be done with it ;-)

>>> Let me put it this way: the system has been set up to handle emergencies that aren't on the list: with Mark's "if something needs to be done, just do it". How is it supposed to handle 'emergencies' that ARE on the list? Just ignore the list and then get to say "hey, I've already done that!" when you get to the task? Do either of Simon's workarounds? Do something else entirely? <<<

Do what you want, but personally I just do it and wait until I see it next then mark it done. It is pretty simple. Don't try to make yourself a robot.

>>> I just want to make sure that I"m "doing AF4" and not "just whatever the hell I want". <<<

AF4 is designed to help you get things done, not to manage AF4. Make whatever exceptions you wan so long as they help you keep doing things.

>>> Thanks (and sorry if I'm being obnoxious - I just want to get this right) <<<

No problem. Just remember to do what makes sense and keep doing things.

@Mike

Thanks for the reply, it helped remind me that I was getting a little too caught up in "getting the system right".

As it turns out as well, Mark (and you) had already responded to basically the same concern: http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/916458

Thanks!

rulfzid,

I should have also said that I'd still write the task on my list even if I'm going to jump straight to it. That way I have a record of everything I've done, I know where I am in the list and I get to cross something off.

To elaborate a bit - it's definitely worth, as Mark says, sticking with the 'rules' to begin with because that is how you get a proper understanding of AF4 effectiveness. For me it has also allowed me to understand what flexibility makes sense. Nearer the beginning with AF4 I found myself jumping out of the list and just getting on with tasks that weren't written down. I find that to be a slippery slope and ultimately stop using AF.

Also Mike makes an interesting point, which is to just do the task and cross it out next time you see it. I do this quite often and don't actually change my position in the list, thereby keeping the main flow going. I hadn't really noticed that I do this.

Simon, are you still using AF condensed? Or are you using AF4 now?

Jacqueline, I'm using AF4.