Discussion Forum > Any tricks to choose a system?
Something that has worked very well for me: pick a daily system that best supports some other thing that tickles your fancy. In my case, I have a daily journal that I'm quite proud of, and have been printing our hard copy versions on January 1 for approximately 6 years now. I'm currently using Simple Scanning (with Apple Notes and Apple Pencil), and copy/transcribe script to text into my journal at the end of the day.
So carrot (vs stick) adds meaning and stickiness to the system, for me anyway.
So carrot (vs stick) adds meaning and stickiness to the system, for me anyway.
November 30, 2021 at 12:36 |
avrum
avrum
Mix and match!
Currently I use a long list and do FV and/or AF most days. (On days I do both I start with FV, and when I feel my interest sagging, I move to AF. Some days I start by ignoring the list and do 5/3, and then maybe go to the list, or not, depending on how things are going.
As you said, all the systems work, to me the question is what will work for me *right now*.
Currently I use a long list and do FV and/or AF most days. (On days I do both I start with FV, and when I feel my interest sagging, I move to AF. Some days I start by ignoring the list and do 5/3, and then maybe go to the list, or not, depending on how things are going.
As you said, all the systems work, to me the question is what will work for me *right now*.
November 30, 2021 at 13:51 |
vegheadjones
vegheadjones
Interesting discussion.
For me, the two most common reasons for giving up on a system are:
1) it's not flexible enough
2) I get oppressed by the length of the list
For me, the two most common reasons for giving up on a system are:
1) it's not flexible enough
2) I get oppressed by the length of the list
November 30, 2021 at 23:00 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Try the perpetual Lenten Challenge: commit to a system for a premediated time eg. 90 days. After that period you can re-negotiate the contract and switch system if you want to do so.
The problem with commiting to a system "forever" is that suddenly the system now must be perfect. (This is good for provoking forum posts of course.)
The problem with commiting to a system "forever" is that suddenly the system now must be perfect. (This is good for provoking forum posts of course.)
December 1, 2021 at 5:11 |
Christopher
Christopher
Use a dice to select a method each day?!
December 1, 2021 at 8:18 |
michael
michael
michael:
No, I think that would be the very worst thing you could do. Not the dice bit, that's fine, but the changing the system every day. A system doesn't really come into its own until it's been going for a week or more.
No, I think that would be the very worst thing you could do. Not the dice bit, that's fine, but the changing the system every day. A system doesn't really come into its own until it's been going for a week or more.
December 1, 2021 at 18:55 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I have tried many systems; but every time I feel overwhelm with all I have to do or when I feel that I spend more time managing the system instead of actual doing the work I always get back to AutoFocus 1.
I vote for you to stick with AF for a month and maybe some day try another over the same list so you can come back to AF if you feel you're spending too much time managing the system instead of doing the work.
I vote for you to stick with AF for a month and maybe some day try another over the same list so you can come back to AF if you feel you're spending too much time managing the system instead of doing the work.
December 2, 2021 at 22:12 |
Mario
Mario
Okay, I think I've made a decision. I'm going to spend as long as I can with Autofocus 1. Here's why:
* I wanted a long list system in the end, as it just feels like it covers the gaps in my personality better than other approaches, it also is less mentally taxing.
* I don't have a problem with the oppressiveness of long lists (I don't have them) and I have designed my life to not have excessive urgency in it, so I don't care much about the flexibility of a system.
* I do have issues with taking enough action consistently enough on enough things to make a dent. This means that I want a system biased towards speed of action and comprehensiveness.
* I do struggle with deciding what to do if given too many choices, so the closed list effect of AF1 drives more action more often with less time spent working the system without any adverse cost to me, which I think feels better.
* A big psychological boon for me with AF1 versus simple scanning or FVP and other systems is that AF1 takes away the tendency for my mind to go "global" and start trying to identify the "absolute best" thing to do in the moment and getting gridlocked. Instead, by choosing to focus on actioning a closed list that I *know* isn't my whole set of options, I am a priori forcing my mind to give up on the idea of choosing the "best thing" and so I find it much easier to let my mind work intuitively via standing out this way.
* AF is the least mentally taxing system (with long list systems being the least mentally taxing overall) to get work done, which is a big benefit for me, while still scaling to pretty much most of my time during the day.
I'll give this a serious go and see how it works through the rest of December.
* I wanted a long list system in the end, as it just feels like it covers the gaps in my personality better than other approaches, it also is less mentally taxing.
* I don't have a problem with the oppressiveness of long lists (I don't have them) and I have designed my life to not have excessive urgency in it, so I don't care much about the flexibility of a system.
* I do have issues with taking enough action consistently enough on enough things to make a dent. This means that I want a system biased towards speed of action and comprehensiveness.
* I do struggle with deciding what to do if given too many choices, so the closed list effect of AF1 drives more action more often with less time spent working the system without any adverse cost to me, which I think feels better.
* A big psychological boon for me with AF1 versus simple scanning or FVP and other systems is that AF1 takes away the tendency for my mind to go "global" and start trying to identify the "absolute best" thing to do in the moment and getting gridlocked. Instead, by choosing to focus on actioning a closed list that I *know* isn't my whole set of options, I am a priori forcing my mind to give up on the idea of choosing the "best thing" and so I find it much easier to let my mind work intuitively via standing out this way.
* AF is the least mentally taxing system (with long list systems being the least mentally taxing overall) to get work done, which is a big benefit for me, while still scaling to pretty much most of my time during the day.
I'll give this a serious go and see how it works through the rest of December.
December 3, 2021 at 1:23 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Aaron - good luck. I gave Simple Scanning the ol' college try, and stopped using it yesterday morning. Similar to AF... the rules lose their hold on me after a few days.
A couple of years ago, I mentioned a book on this forum "Time Surfing". I still use some of those suggestions for my daily journaling practice. I've started to reread Time Surfing, and hope to get a deeper understanding of managing my day without any formal list/rules.
A couple of years ago, I mentioned a book on this forum "Time Surfing". I still use some of those suggestions for my daily journaling practice. I've started to reread Time Surfing, and hope to get a deeper understanding of managing my day without any formal list/rules.
December 3, 2021 at 3:57 |
avrum
avrum
Aaron Hsu:
AF1 is an excellent system. The main problems with it have been 1) the way the list keeps growing uncontrollably and 2) urgent tasks not being accessible.
Strangely enough I had both these in mind when I designed the system, and close adherence to the rules will prevent them both getting out of hand.
In respect of 1), it is essential to take the dismissal process seriously. Dismissal is not intended to be a punishment but the way the system rids itself of stuff that is going nowhere. Since the idea of AF is to put everything that occurs to you into the system and let the system sift it, getting dismissal wrong is fatal. A good rule is that if your list is growing too large, you are not dismissing enough tasks.
In respect of 2), there is a quite specific remedy. "If it needs doing now, do it". This is not a sign of failure but the way the system is supposed to work. Again a good rule is that if you are having a problem with urgent tasks, you are not using this rule enough. It is not a let-out - it is part of the system.
From what you have been saying you are going to be affected by 1) more than 2), but there are few of us who don't get some urgent tasks, so bear 2) in mind for those occasions.
AF1 is an excellent system. The main problems with it have been 1) the way the list keeps growing uncontrollably and 2) urgent tasks not being accessible.
Strangely enough I had both these in mind when I designed the system, and close adherence to the rules will prevent them both getting out of hand.
In respect of 1), it is essential to take the dismissal process seriously. Dismissal is not intended to be a punishment but the way the system rids itself of stuff that is going nowhere. Since the idea of AF is to put everything that occurs to you into the system and let the system sift it, getting dismissal wrong is fatal. A good rule is that if your list is growing too large, you are not dismissing enough tasks.
In respect of 2), there is a quite specific remedy. "If it needs doing now, do it". This is not a sign of failure but the way the system is supposed to work. Again a good rule is that if you are having a problem with urgent tasks, you are not using this rule enough. It is not a let-out - it is part of the system.
From what you have been saying you are going to be affected by 1) more than 2), but there are few of us who don't get some urgent tasks, so bear 2) in mind for those occasions.
December 3, 2021 at 10:29 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Your assessments Mark are spot on. I've ended up somehow defaulting into Simple Scanning after running AF1 for a bit not because of hating the dismissal process so much, but because I was going around the list so much that I would end up dismissing things too quickly, resulting in needing to pull things back out too often. I think this is fundamentally because I want to use a single list rather than a "Work" and "Home" list. Additionally, there are some things I *want* to stick around on the list for a while, because they're some things that I want to keep reminded and abreast of, but they just don't require action very often, and I find it easier to let them sit around alone on a page for a while to let me see them but do nothing on them as they "soften up" in my mind. I find that if I dismiss them and then try to bring them back in, they don't get actioned appropriately, whereas if I just leave them on the list for longer, then they find their balance a little better.
I probably could have fixed this simply by using two lists with AF, but that didn't feel right, so I've ended up doing Simple Scanning.
I probably could have fixed this simply by using two lists with AF, but that didn't feel right, so I've ended up doing Simple Scanning.
December 9, 2021 at 12:11 |
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu
Aaron Hsu:
<< I find that if I dismiss them and then try to bring them back in, they don't get actioned appropriately, whereas if I just leave them on the list for longer, then they find their balance a little better. >>
Well, remember that I'm writing the rules for the average user and there is no reason on earth why you can't amend my rules to suit your own particular needs. So if you want to leave some tasks sitting alone on a page for a while, then do it!
<< I find that if I dismiss them and then try to bring them back in, they don't get actioned appropriately, whereas if I just leave them on the list for longer, then they find their balance a little better. >>
Well, remember that I'm writing the rules for the average user and there is no reason on earth why you can't amend my rules to suit your own particular needs. So if you want to leave some tasks sitting alone on a page for a while, then do it!
December 12, 2021 at 18:40 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I know that there has been a lot of discussion about this, but specifically, does anyone have any suggestions or tips on the specific issue of settling in to a single system when I like so many? I'd even take something as simple as, "You know, from what you have said on the forum and what I think I know of you, I think you should use X!" as that might help me in the same way as flipping a coin might, or might not. :-) I'm currently ruminating over these systems to spend a long time on (I want to make it more than 3 months of solid use):
* AutoFocus 1
* 5/2 or NL-FVP
* Dreams method
* A One Thing method of doing my MIT first in the day
My main struggle right now is getting sufficient high energy focus into the completion of a single large project with many linear deliverables that require intense concentration and mathematical problem solving (think like writing a book) while trying to ensure that this project generates attention, interest, and value.
Any advice and suggestions are welcome! I enjoy playing with systems too much, and I want to let myself really get into a single one for an extended period.