Get Everything Done

Over the past couple years, I think the posts in Mark's forums have more or less divided into two camps: those seeking the fastest, least resistance ways to get stuff done, and those constantly tweaking Mark's systems and their own. Just look at the posts. The ones with the most replies BY FAR involve Electronic Implementation. And, most of those posts are about hacking the tools to make it work with FV, and then adding more and more of our own processes and features, all in the name of improvement. Evernote, Omnifocus, Taskpaper, Wunderlist, Nozbe, and the list goes on.

I look at my own endless tweaking of my systems as the most amazing form of procrastination. It doesn't feel like procrastination because I'm working on my productivity tools, so it has to be productive, right? I'm not procrastinating, I'm MAKING IT BETTER, and when I make this next change, then it will be perfect, and I'll stop. But oh, what's this, a new post with a way cool idea I should try..!

Well, I am regularly guilty of this, and I'm trying very hard to recognize it quickly and STOP TWEAKING.

"Does adding this feature help me follow Mark's FV rules better and faster than with paper? Does it help get The System off my mind, and help me actually get more real work done?" That's my new goal.

Mark's systems have always been HIGHLY effective on paper. Paper is my benchmark for "more doing, less tweaking". Mark has already done all the tweaking for us. It's like the selection of a chain. It's not about the absolute best dots in the absolute best sequence. It's about a great chain, and then another, and then another. It's not about the perfect app. It's about picking a good app, then getting to work.

Trust the rules, pick a good FV list-and-chain tool, and then get to work. :)

Scott

P.S. As an aside, the new BlancList (www.blanclist.com) was the eye-opener for me. It was built from the ground up for FV (bonus - no hacking to get started). It also was completely stripped down (no preferences to set, no options, no tags, just a running list). I plugged in a list to try it out, and over the course of the day my initial frustration with not being able to tweak the system slowly gave way to my amazement at actually getting a lot done. The system began to disappear, and I finally "got it". I was working, nothing more. The dots were fed to me one at a time, and I did them, and then built another chain. It was glorious. I realized that I had been using "tweaking the system" as an excuse to delay doing the tasks within it (especially the sticky ones).

I don't know what I will ultimately end up using, but I will use that feeling as my benchmark. Working in the system, not on the system. :)

Like! ;-)

Agreed! I have 2 rules when I'm tempted to tweak. One is more honoured in the breach, I'll let you guess which one.

The order of the list remains the same. The most-resisted task in one system has the same spot in the next. That's one reason the switch from AF to FV was easy.

The work of tweaking, including thought experiments and the forum, is equal in importance to the other tasks on the system. It's fair game during down-time, but when I'm supposed to be working, I can only work on it when the system suggests it.

As I said, I'll let you guess which rule I need to respect more.

Guilty pleasure - agreed! :)

Adding "work on the system" as just another task in the system - also agreed! :)

Interesting observation: I spent about 20 minutes writing up the original post. I realized the humor in that as I was finishing it up. Even in my commitment to reduce the tweaking, I'm still finding ways to tweak (or in this case, discuss not tweaking!) rather than actually work.

Yeah, procrastination is a sneaky one indeed.

But, scottmoehring, while you were 'procrastinating' you used your initiative to create something of value, because you wanted to. Which is almost the definition of capital-W 'Work'.

The joys of structured procrastination!

John,
I love the cap-W "Work"! I have used it for years to keep myself motivated in the face of a soul-sucking cap-J "Job". I thought I was the only one. :)

You've really given me something to think about. I believe my real problem here is that I feel like I should feel guilty for getting distracted from the tasks I think I'm supposed to be doing. But in the end, those are the tasks that are forgotten.

The few of mine that have endured all started as distractions that refused to be ignored because they had some deep link to my sense of self and my Work in the world. A couple examples, made for fun, distributed for free, and which paid me back a hundred-fold in ways I couldn't even imagine...
http://www.ericmackonline.com/ica/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/scott-moehring-to-provide-workflow-diagram-at-bp-conf.
http://desmoineskubb.com/rules-and-tools.php

I can't plan those moments. The drive shows up at the oddest times. I just need to have enough of the rest of my life in order so that I can pay attention to them when they show up. That's why I really love Mark's FV.

Thanks to you all for reminding me of why I value my tools, tweak my tools, and post and read here. Yes, it's about fun and subjects that interest me. Much more importantly though, it enables more effective execution of the Work I have yet to do. :)

Mark: that's a very succinct observation.

Although initially attracted to DA's GTD, the overhead just became too much.

Mea culpa with regard to tweaks, however FV really is different, its simplicity and rules are outstanding.

I've always wanted to go electronic, this time it's in Evernote using the tag for getting the chain set up, that's about all, however it's available to me on my Android smartphone even if that version cannot yet do the reverse date order for Date/Time Updated.

I wondered if my chains were too short, then I realised it's another way of little and often.

BTW, congratulations on the grandchild. First, tenth?