FV and FVP Forum > "What do I WANT to do?"
If you are off-list for several days, but only turn up the heat on one day of the list, does the gap grow, or do you find that enough days disappear without extra attention? E.g. on day 10 you clear day 1. On day 11 you clear day 2. Take off day 12 and 13. On day 14 clear day 3. What started as 10-1=9 day gap is now 14-3=11 day gap. Or did all the tasks on one of those days get done without you paying attention?
Second thinking says you wouldn't add on days 12 and 13, so the actual days with lists is constant, but I tend to add to the list even on days that I don't work from it, like weekends.
Second thinking says you wouldn't add on days 12 and 13, so the actual days with lists is constant, but I tend to add to the list even on days that I don't work from it, like weekends.
September 18, 2012 at 19:48 |
Cricket
Cricket
Your "second thinking" has been my experience.
The larger point for me, is that I need to create urgency in situations where urgency is not obvious.
To use a non-FV example, I teach one day a week. This week, I have to grade about 30 papers. I set myself a quota of 5 per day. At the end of the day, if I haven't graded them, I feel an intense sense of urgency.
It is artificial. I could just grade 15 on Thursday and 15 on Friday. But I would certainly do a worse job of it and I would be more unhappy. So, I give myself an artificial deadline and say that I have to grade 6 by the end of today.
I use a similar trick with FV. Today I told myself that I had to action all the items dated September 12. Some of them I rushed through. This was not David Allen's "mind like water." Urgency creates anxiety and tension (for me, anyway).
But I never had "mind like water" when I did GTD and I got a lot less done. Now, when I feel the urgency, I feel a bit stressed but I get a lot more valuable and useful stuff done.
Maybe it's "eustress."
The point of these urgent deadlines is to force me to do a little on each item. If I do a little once every 6 days or so, is that "often"? It's more often than I used to do.
The larger point for me, is that I need to create urgency in situations where urgency is not obvious.
To use a non-FV example, I teach one day a week. This week, I have to grade about 30 papers. I set myself a quota of 5 per day. At the end of the day, if I haven't graded them, I feel an intense sense of urgency.
It is artificial. I could just grade 15 on Thursday and 15 on Friday. But I would certainly do a worse job of it and I would be more unhappy. So, I give myself an artificial deadline and say that I have to grade 6 by the end of today.
I use a similar trick with FV. Today I told myself that I had to action all the items dated September 12. Some of them I rushed through. This was not David Allen's "mind like water." Urgency creates anxiety and tension (for me, anyway).
But I never had "mind like water" when I did GTD and I got a lot less done. Now, when I feel the urgency, I feel a bit stressed but I get a lot more valuable and useful stuff done.
Maybe it's "eustress."
The point of these urgent deadlines is to force me to do a little on each item. If I do a little once every 6 days or so, is that "often"? It's more often than I used to do.
September 18, 2012 at 22:32 |
moises
moises
What you call "artificial deadlines", I call milestones. That projects by week chart I described elsewhere had enough of them that when a week of insomnia and two weeks of insane schedules hit, everything that other people depend on was done. My personal projects are in disarray, again, but I know how much time I can devote to them without losing ground on the more important ones.
I make my kids use milestones, too. Neither one will work ahead of their schedule, even when they're bored, but I don't worry (much) since the schedules are pretty good. A normal afternoon has most of the homework done before they get tired. They've experienced how much longer it takes if they leave it too late. Schedules for projects include three days for printing, in case we run out of ink. (I was out and Daddy didn't know where I kept the spare cartridge.) They fall off the wagon just often enough that they get practice climbing back on (very important skill), but they're on often enough that the house stays sane.
I found I worked more when I started FV, but most of that work was re-activating old projects that I really didn't have time for. The extra energy wasn't enough to compensate for having too many things on the go. I think, though, that I need some sort of dismissal. I've gotten numb to my oldest page because it has three tasks that I keep finding excuses to avoid.
I make my kids use milestones, too. Neither one will work ahead of their schedule, even when they're bored, but I don't worry (much) since the schedules are pretty good. A normal afternoon has most of the homework done before they get tired. They've experienced how much longer it takes if they leave it too late. Schedules for projects include three days for printing, in case we run out of ink. (I was out and Daddy didn't know where I kept the spare cartridge.) They fall off the wagon just often enough that they get practice climbing back on (very important skill), but they're on often enough that the house stays sane.
I found I worked more when I started FV, but most of that work was re-activating old projects that I really didn't have time for. The extra energy wasn't enough to compensate for having too many things on the go. I think, though, that I need some sort of dismissal. I've gotten numb to my oldest page because it has three tasks that I keep finding excuses to avoid.
September 19, 2012 at 3:39 |
Cricket
Cricket
What am I motivated to do? vs What will I force myself to do?
As Mark (sort of) says in "Dreams" : when you are forcing or pushing yourself to do X then accomplishment is more important than satisfaction, for what you are doing is not genuinely what you want to do but something you are forcing yourself to do. When you are forcing and pushing that is impatience, due to fear or lack of self-trust, or delay due to not being psychologically ready.
When you are pushing, you actually genuinely do not want to engage an action, and you are forcing yourself to generate it regardless. When you accomplish the action, you are not satisfied with it, for it was moving in a push, in a force - it wasn’t genuine to you, from your authentic motivations. Your emotional communication is telling you - you do not want to do this action.
As Mark (sort of) says in "Dreams" : when you are forcing or pushing yourself to do X then accomplishment is more important than satisfaction, for what you are doing is not genuinely what you want to do but something you are forcing yourself to do. When you are forcing and pushing that is impatience, due to fear or lack of self-trust, or delay due to not being psychologically ready.
When you are pushing, you actually genuinely do not want to engage an action, and you are forcing yourself to generate it regardless. When you accomplish the action, you are not satisfied with it, for it was moving in a push, in a force - it wasn’t genuine to you, from your authentic motivations. Your emotional communication is telling you - you do not want to do this action.
September 20, 2012 at 16:27 |
michael
michael
I think Michael's point is an extreme. Yes, it's a good lens to use, but often I need to push through some steps to reach the goal that pulls me.
The goal of longer, healthier life is very attractive. It pulls me. Many studies find moderate exercise even helps the brain. People think better for years longer. Even so, it's often a struggle to put on the shoes and music and go do it. (It's less of a struggle to keep going once I'm on. I like treadmills with pre-set programs!) Some days, the pull of the end goal isn't strong enough. If I focus only on the goal, I'll put it off. I need to push to do it today. One could say the pull of the goal is strong enough to power the push needed for today's session.
(I don't need to tell you that, while the pull is enough for me to promise to do it tomorrow, when tomorrow becomes today,... Actually, that knowledge becomes part of the pull. Accept that it's today or never, and it's easier to do it today.)
That's not to say that we shouldn't look at the pull vs push ratio. If the pull of the end goal isn't strong enough to power the push needed for today's bit, there's a problem.
The goal of longer, healthier life is very attractive. It pulls me. Many studies find moderate exercise even helps the brain. People think better for years longer. Even so, it's often a struggle to put on the shoes and music and go do it. (It's less of a struggle to keep going once I'm on. I like treadmills with pre-set programs!) Some days, the pull of the end goal isn't strong enough. If I focus only on the goal, I'll put it off. I need to push to do it today. One could say the pull of the goal is strong enough to power the push needed for today's session.
(I don't need to tell you that, while the pull is enough for me to promise to do it tomorrow, when tomorrow becomes today,... Actually, that knowledge becomes part of the pull. Accept that it's today or never, and it's easier to do it today.)
That's not to say that we shouldn't look at the pull vs push ratio. If the pull of the end goal isn't strong enough to power the push needed for today's bit, there's a problem.
September 20, 2012 at 23:04 |
Cricket
Cricket
Thanks Cricket - let me use that as a springboard to elaborate my thoughts.
People are motivated toward what is pleasurable and away from the painful.
I always avoid or delay activities I assume or perceive as the most painful. So I choose what I believe or assume is the most pleasurable (or the least painful), given the state I'm in. That doesn't mean I won't do painful things. A painful thing to do is just something assumed or perceived as more pleasurable than the alternatives.
"Good procrastination" is when I'm postponing or delaying until the situation is more supportive of my aims, "bad" procrastination is avoidance due to anxiety or self-doubt (postponement or delay time is to enable or allow the reduction of my anxiety or building my self-belief or self confidence). Either way I'm creating a delay until the activity is perceived as more pleasurable. In other words it's a bad time to do it because of the state I'm in or the state the circumstances are in (preparation has not synched with opportunity).
The choices I make today are motivated from the belief I have attached that it is the best choice to make.
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."Lucius Annaeus Seneca
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
Using health goals and motivation I believe physical exercise is seen as painful due to the amount of exertion and at high levels is an away-from motivation for me. I have re-framed the issue by including factors I am motivated-towards: better oxygenation, hydration, reduced stress, a lighter diet, and detoxification of heavy metals etc.
To expand and amplify pleasure I use coaching questions:
What would need to happen - inwardly or outwardly - to have more pleasure today?
What am I like when I'm feeling at my best?
People are motivated toward what is pleasurable and away from the painful.
I always avoid or delay activities I assume or perceive as the most painful. So I choose what I believe or assume is the most pleasurable (or the least painful), given the state I'm in. That doesn't mean I won't do painful things. A painful thing to do is just something assumed or perceived as more pleasurable than the alternatives.
"Good procrastination" is when I'm postponing or delaying until the situation is more supportive of my aims, "bad" procrastination is avoidance due to anxiety or self-doubt (postponement or delay time is to enable or allow the reduction of my anxiety or building my self-belief or self confidence). Either way I'm creating a delay until the activity is perceived as more pleasurable. In other words it's a bad time to do it because of the state I'm in or the state the circumstances are in (preparation has not synched with opportunity).
The choices I make today are motivated from the belief I have attached that it is the best choice to make.
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."Lucius Annaeus Seneca
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
Using health goals and motivation I believe physical exercise is seen as painful due to the amount of exertion and at high levels is an away-from motivation for me. I have re-framed the issue by including factors I am motivated-towards: better oxygenation, hydration, reduced stress, a lighter diet, and detoxification of heavy metals etc.
To expand and amplify pleasure I use coaching questions:
What would need to happen - inwardly or outwardly - to have more pleasure today?
What am I like when I'm feeling at my best?
September 22, 2012 at 12:15 |
michael
michael
I try to link unliked tasks with liked. When I work out, it's linked to liking the end result and listening to podcasts about things that interest me but I never have time for. Milestones also help. Little things like the next stage of the program or meeting the number of workouts for a week give me joy and pride.
I find it easy to work ahead on projects where I'll be embarrassed if I don't. I'm right on schedule for a class I teach Monday, even though I took yesterday off sick. The websites I maintain are up to date. Other things, though, like birthday present mailing, have a habit of sticking. I don't like what that says about how important my parents are, but it goes from too early to "errands day after tomorrow" to "didn't do errands" to "too late".
I find it easy to work ahead on projects where I'll be embarrassed if I don't. I'm right on schedule for a class I teach Monday, even though I took yesterday off sick. The websites I maintain are up to date. Other things, though, like birthday present mailing, have a habit of sticking. I don't like what that says about how important my parents are, but it goes from too early to "errands day after tomorrow" to "didn't do errands" to "too late".
September 23, 2012 at 15:46 |
Cricket
Cricket
I found a while ago now that I need to use DWM-like methods to get FV to really hum. I used to think that I was tweaking FV when I did this. But not any longer.
If I start a day and there is an extant list, I finish it. I then start a new list each day by selecting every item item with the oldest date. That is, every item with the oldest day. And then I continue down the list selecting other items that I want. I know, of course, as I select that I will be doing items from the bottom of the list up.
Why do I do this? Because I WANT to. Why do I want to? Because otherwise my system builds up a lot of plaque and get sclerotic.