FV and FVP Forum > Impending Doom
I've been working against this myself. That's why FV is getting a strict two-week trial run from me. Before this, nothing has helped my procrastination more than scheduling, accountability, and triggers to spur me into action. For now, I want to see how FV stacks up on a limited basis.
March 19, 2012 at 22:06 |
MHW
MHW
I think the secret ingredient is having that one and only one resistive task at the top of the chain. All prior systems tended to pile up high-resistance tasks over time, which Mark himself eventually referred to as an "indigestible mass." An example is the edge of DWM's waterfall. Even in AF, the dismissals would sort of curdle into knots of these things, and then "Review dismissals" became a resistive task. The system is doomed when its infrastructure itself becomes a source of resistance.
I don't see this happening with FV. I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever.
Worst case ... I guess the list could grow and grow, and I'd not feel like scanning the whole thing for every new chain. Then I'd probably spend 30 minutes pruning it and restart. Not a bad price to pay. Very worth it, in fact.
I sure hope some other unforeseen gotcha does not pop up!
I don't see this happening with FV. I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever.
Worst case ... I guess the list could grow and grow, and I'd not feel like scanning the whole thing for every new chain. Then I'd probably spend 30 minutes pruning it and restart. Not a bad price to pay. Very worth it, in fact.
I sure hope some other unforeseen gotcha does not pop up!
March 20, 2012 at 6:05 |
Bernie
Bernie
Two observations:
1. Any change in way of working tends to bring an improvement in the short term. Often (but not always) this effect dissipates over time.
2. AF did not suffer this decline for me. I've been using it since day 1 (5 January 2009), with some changes when new versions came out, to end up with a system that is essentially AF1 with the management of urgent tasks taken from SF. Apart from a temporary slump after the initial 3 or 4 months, the system is still going strong for me (today entered line #4867). Of course there are some potential pitfalls, but globally it's still the best I ever used.
So in the case of AF, consistency pays off. Which is why I hesitate to switch to FV. I intend to start trying after reaching the end of my AF list today. I'll then restart procesing the list with FV and see what happens.
1. Any change in way of working tends to bring an improvement in the short term. Often (but not always) this effect dissipates over time.
2. AF did not suffer this decline for me. I've been using it since day 1 (5 January 2009), with some changes when new versions came out, to end up with a system that is essentially AF1 with the management of urgent tasks taken from SF. Apart from a temporary slump after the initial 3 or 4 months, the system is still going strong for me (today entered line #4867). Of course there are some potential pitfalls, but globally it's still the best I ever used.
So in the case of AF, consistency pays off. Which is why I hesitate to switch to FV. I intend to start trying after reaching the end of my AF list today. I'll then restart procesing the list with FV and see what happens.
March 20, 2012 at 9:43 |
Marc (from Brussels)
Marc (from Brussels)
The good news, Marc, is that there's basically zero overhead in switching between AF and FV. :^)
March 20, 2012 at 11:51 |
Sarah
Sarah
So if Marc's experience is general, a goodsystem goes through feeling great to lousy back to good. And persistence is all it takes to reach the good.
March 20, 2012 at 11:52 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I also suggest doing more with your done pile or how you cross something out. Tell a story with your success. Remember, even Stephen Hawking conceded that information can not be destroyed. Having your success sucked into a black whole where your completed items go is rather demotivating. So Instead of "another day, another dollar" note those activities that you really enjoyed. The FV instructions are just a skeleton; so long as you're not breaking them, everything else is fair game. Try new platforms, colors, etc.
April 22, 2012 at 19:22 |
James Levine
James Levine
Bernie wrote:
"I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever."
Can someone give an example of this?
"I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever."
Can someone give an example of this?
April 22, 2012 at 23:10 |
Tortoise
Tortoise
Alan:
<<There's this nagging feeling that current levels of success-feeling will decline as the novelty fades>>
I'm two days into a honeymoon phase with a self-designed analog system. Curious if it will last ;)
<<There's this nagging feeling that current levels of success-feeling will decline as the novelty fades>>
I'm two days into a honeymoon phase with a self-designed analog system. Curious if it will last ;)
April 23, 2012 at 0:45 |
avrum
avrum
Tortoise,
<<Bernie wrote:
"I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever."
Can someone give an example of this?>>
At the top of the chain is "yard toys pick up," meaning to clear the yard so the mowing company can do their job, and it is due tomorrow. When I get to that task, it is raining, which makes me glad, because I wouldn't have done it anyway (not in the mood to go outside). Now I extend the chain, but only by a manageable amount, because I do want the yard cleared before tomorrow. So maybe I gain another seven or eight tasks. Next time I get to the top, it's no longer raining, and it's closer to tomorrow, so I want to get out there and finish the task and get a new chain.
This is much better than the "indigestible knot" of DWM of SF's C2.
<<Bernie wrote:
"I'm always willing to tackle *one* resistive task, and if the timing is inconvenient, I can put it off by extending the chain once or twice. The list remains as fresh as ever."
Can someone give an example of this?>>
At the top of the chain is "yard toys pick up," meaning to clear the yard so the mowing company can do their job, and it is due tomorrow. When I get to that task, it is raining, which makes me glad, because I wouldn't have done it anyway (not in the mood to go outside). Now I extend the chain, but only by a manageable amount, because I do want the yard cleared before tomorrow. So maybe I gain another seven or eight tasks. Next time I get to the top, it's no longer raining, and it's closer to tomorrow, so I want to get out there and finish the task and get a new chain.
This is much better than the "indigestible knot" of DWM of SF's C2.
April 27, 2012 at 5:52 |
Bernie
Bernie
There's also the simple joy of getting closer to the life you want to lead. I hope crossing things off a list never becomes a surrogate for this.
May 5, 2012 at 20:10 |
James Levine
James Levine
<< There's also the simple joy of getting closer to the life you want to lead. I hope crossing things off a list never becomes a surrogate for this. >>
I find that FV is so simple that it fades into the background (most of the time, at least), and I really can focus on the results I want to accomplish.
I find that FV is so simple that it fades into the background (most of the time, at least), and I really can focus on the results I want to accomplish.
May 5, 2012 at 22:56 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
There's this nagging feeling that current levels of success-feeling will decline as the novelty fades and the sometime-drudgery of working climbs. Are the rules are sufficiently robust that the stack of tasks against the rules won't overcome my desire to get things done? For myself, I'm determinedly optimistic.