FV and FVP Forum > Handling on-going, non-consistent tasks with urgency
Immediately, or in 1/2 an hour or even an hour? The longer you can make the interval, the easier it will be to focus. And then you would be able to finish a stretch, make another latter, and handle those interruptions right away.
If you can't finish the selection, then add the interruption on the end, tag it, and do it as soon as your current task is done or interruptable. Basically when you feel a lull in inspiration on your current task, ponder what's sticking for a moment and switch out to respond. When you get back, you should find it easier to restart.
If you can't finish the selection, then add the interruption on the end, tag it, and do it as soon as your current task is done or interruptable. Basically when you feel a lull in inspiration on your current task, ponder what's sticking for a moment and switch out to respond. When you get back, you should find it easier to restart.
March 19, 2012 at 21:40 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
If I need to respond immediately after an email arrives, I'll turn on that little Outlook feature that pops up a window when the email arrives and shows you a little preview.
In case I miss the pop-up, I'd also add a reminder for every 30 minutes (or whatever) to check my email to see if the email has arrived yet. When the reminder pops up, either quickly pop over to Outlook and check, or write "check email" at the end of your FV list with a dot.
Then as soon as the email arrives, add "process email" (or whatever) at the end of the list, and dot it.
I've had several things like this happen lately, and this method of handling them has worked great.
In case I miss the pop-up, I'd also add a reminder for every 30 minutes (or whatever) to check my email to see if the email has arrived yet. When the reminder pops up, either quickly pop over to Outlook and check, or write "check email" at the end of your FV list with a dot.
Then as soon as the email arrives, add "process email" (or whatever) at the end of the list, and dot it.
I've had several things like this happen lately, and this method of handling them has worked great.
March 20, 2012 at 20:58 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Similarly I write bid and tender documents for companies and this follows a similar pattern - I send my offering and await a response, but when I get a response I tend to have to action it quickly.
In between times I may have some time to conduct some other tasks or projects. However because of the nature of this work it's often hard to get into something else which is substantial, and the temptation is to fiddle about with nothing projects or just have a good attempt at feeling busy with nothing whilst I wait.
I'm trying to figure out how best to use FV in this context - I want to be more productive, but responsive. I almost feel they have to stay on the 'mini list' and not go back onto the main list at the bottom as I may not get to them again quickly enough and could spend a lot of time constantly scanning my list.
Any suggestions?