FV and FVP Forum > Should we intend to complete a chain within current block of available discretionary time?
I take the last sentence back. In my experience it's best to create the list with the understanding that you're going to work through the whole list in one go unless unexpectedly interrupted. Does anyone agree/disagree from your own experience?
Mark, what is your own practice and what do the rules intend?
Mark, what is your own practice and what do the rules intend?
December 27, 2012 at 18:58 |
Austin
Austin
A big part of my job is to get interrupted. Phones ring. People come into my office. More often than not, I take more than one session to complete a single chain.
But that's part of the fun of FV. Sometimes I can make really long chains and other times I can make them really short.
But that's part of the fun of FV. Sometimes I can make really long chains and other times I can make them really short.
December 27, 2012 at 19:08 |
moises
moises
My experience is that it's best to pick a chain completable today. Small interruptions don't matter. Think of it like "I will go home at the end of the day. I will do this first thing before I go home. What do I want to do before this first thing?" Nothing needs to be completed (unless it really must be).
I find doing otherwise results in me coming back the next day and needing to add to the list because other things have become urgent. The net effect is I never get to that first item.
I find doing otherwise results in me coming back the next day and needing to add to the list because other things have become urgent. The net effect is I never get to that first item.
December 28, 2012 at 14:18 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I agree with Alan. It has been my experience that taking the "time available" into consideration is the most effective way to build/work a chain.
It really influences the choices you make when you think about it in terms of what you want to do "now" rather than what you want to do "in general" (with this last one I always end up with too much on my plate).
Whenever I find myself choosing chains as "stuff I want to do" without a timeframe, I end up adding to it constantly and loosing sight of that first task that started it all, like Alan mentions.
It really influences the choices you make when you think about it in terms of what you want to do "now" rather than what you want to do "in general" (with this last one I always end up with too much on my plate).
Whenever I find myself choosing chains as "stuff I want to do" without a timeframe, I end up adding to it constantly and loosing sight of that first task that started it all, like Alan mentions.
December 28, 2012 at 16:52 |
Hugo Ferreira
Hugo Ferreira
I am inclined to agree. I think that the preselected chain is supposed to be constructed by pushing things forward from "now" rather than pulling things backward from "some future time". The former is structured procrastination whereas the latter is more like scheduling. So I guess we shouldn't be asking, "What do I want to do before I do X, absolutely, within the grand scheme of things?" but rather, "What do I want to do before I do X now, in the current context and time situation?"
As far as using the whole remainder of the work day, Alan, I think it simply suggests that "time available" can mean different things for different work environments. If you are going to be the same place the whole day, except for that meeting at 2, then you could readily account for the whole day rather than "now until 2". But someone with a schedule that places them regularly in very different contexts (e.g., me) might not be able to regard the whole rest of the work day as their current time and context.
As far as using the whole remainder of the work day, Alan, I think it simply suggests that "time available" can mean different things for different work environments. If you are going to be the same place the whole day, except for that meeting at 2, then you could readily account for the whole day rather than "now until 2". But someone with a schedule that places them regularly in very different contexts (e.g., me) might not be able to regard the whole rest of the work day as their current time and context.
December 28, 2012 at 17:40 |
Austin
Austin
My own way of looking at the chain is that the first task is due to be done *now*. So the question is basically "I'm due to do X now, but is there anything I want/need to do before I do it?"
Another way of looking at the list is that you do the tasks on it in order, but you are allowed to complete any particularly pressing tasks out of order. They may be pressing because of time constraints or simply because you want to get them done.
Both these ways of looking at the list encourage shorter rather than longer chains.
Another way of looking at the list is that you do the tasks on it in order, but you are allowed to complete any particularly pressing tasks out of order. They may be pressing because of time constraints or simply because you want to get them done.
Both these ways of looking at the list encourage shorter rather than longer chains.
December 28, 2012 at 21:34 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
That's what I was hoping! It gives it a nice feel of "structured procrastination" and does indeed tend to keep the chains short in my experience as well. Glad I'm not crazy. Thank you.
December 28, 2012 at 22:02 |
Austin
Austin
I discovered early on with the Final Version that I tend to make better chains when I approach the list-forming using this mental exercise:
"Okay, I'm going to do <first task> right now. All right, let's get started. WAIT! Is there anything I'd rather do first? Okay, what do I want to do before I do X?"
Then when I select the next task -- call it Y -- I say, "Okay, I'm going to do Y right now. Let's get started. WAIT! Isn't there anything I'd rather do first? Okay, what do I want to do before I do Y?"
That combined with only picking things that strongly stand out as "I definitely want to do this before whatever" results in a very efficient system for me.
"Okay, I'm going to do <first task> right now. All right, let's get started. WAIT! Is there anything I'd rather do first? Okay, what do I want to do before I do X?"
Then when I select the next task -- call it Y -- I say, "Okay, I'm going to do Y right now. Let's get started. WAIT! Isn't there anything I'd rather do first? Okay, what do I want to do before I do Y?"
That combined with only picking things that strongly stand out as "I definitely want to do this before whatever" results in a very efficient system for me.
December 28, 2012 at 22:13 |
Austin
Austin
Thanks Mark for your Perspective. It helps to refresh ones thinking patterns.
December 29, 2012 at 5:13 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Indeed. Very helpful, Mark. You might want to consider appending the info in your above comment to the FV instructions, or sending out a follow-up email or blog post. I know that it is already implied in the original instructions, but from reviewing recent threads on the FV forum, it is clear that a lot of people who struggle to make FV work are, in fact, making long lists of "I generally want to do this before X" with no sense of "now" to them. FV has proven to be very powerful and responsive when done in the way you described above, Mark -- so perhaps it would be useful to point this out for those who might not see this thread, if you have time.
December 29, 2012 at 15:14 |
Austin
Austin
Austin:
Yes I might do that. Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes I might do that. Thanks for the suggestion.
December 30, 2012 at 14:11 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Just wanted to bump this thread into view. I've had trouble using FV from the start but the comments from MF and Austin have finally got me into using FV effectively.
July 29, 2013 at 17:43 |
Caibre65
Caibre65
This thread has been extremely helpful to me, especially Mr Forster's phrasing of the question on what to do before doing the initial task.
April 17, 2014 at 2:02 |
Christopher E.
Christopher E.
I have tried it both ways and I'm not entirely sure which is better.