Get Everything Done

A good sign is how long one has stuck with the system, and how much one has accomplished.
There are practical, logistical reasons that differ from one individual to another, that might make more of difference than the actual superiority of the system.

I have tried many software programs, but the only one I stuck with for many years is EccoPro. I liked that I could design folders, windows, tailor-make everything. But it always got too complicated. I liked that I could plan projects, and subdivide the projects, but then had trouble finding the next action within the nested project plan. It worked better as an outliner, or to store and retrieve information than as a way to get things done. Also, it needed to be used on a computer, and it wasn't always handy or accessible when I wanted.

I used Moleskine notebooks for several years. They were portable and smaller than a computer, and I could write in them anywhere, but at $20 they were getting expensive. I have been using composition books for several years. I need something that is light in weight, that I can take anywhere. They are cheap, a dollar or two, and don't mind them getting beat up, all my notes are in one place in chronological order, I can write large in them, and I can start over again with a new one. I go through about one a month. They do take up space eventually, so I haven't figured out what to do with the more recent ones.

I have tried writing on a separate page, and putting them in a folders, but organizing them and referring to them became a hassle. Same thing with putting them in a 3-ring binder.

There are systems that intellectually I think are superior, but I have not been able to keep with it. GTD comes to mind. I think everything is covered. Also systems with a lot of goal setting and project planning, forward planning, analysis of one's roles, and areas of life. They all seem superior, and I believe there are people that do it, and succeed. I don't think any of these have a good flow, but would have better consistency and leverage.

The one thing about the long list systems that I don't like is decision fatigue and task switching and overwhelm. There might be work-arounds for these. One can get a good flow for about a month before the list gets too big that it bogs down. The short list methods have the best flow.

So perhaps I would put some weight on the ease of use and practicality of the system for the situation as well. Does one enjoy using the system? One negative factor for some software programs is it seems more like work than work itself. If one's work is on computer, putting one's personal life on computer begins to feel like a drag, especially if it resembles a spreadsheet or database, with fields,and folders, etc. It feels like one's life is run by a computer.

Not sure I have a fully fleshed out thought here (and someone's probably expressed it on these boards somewhere before) but:

Productivity systems are like diets: follow a diet to the letter, and you will lose weight. Follow any time management methodology to the letter, and you will be "productive" for whatever definition of productive you decide on.

But sticking to the diet and then eventually moving to an eating plan that you can live with for years, that you will stick with and enjoy, that's what makes adoption a success. Having gone through many diet plans and regimes, I find myself changing eating strategies based on the day or week, how I'm feeling, my current weight, exercise frequency, weather, social plans, etc. My personal indicators of diet success are the scale and how tightly my belt fits.

And with productivity systems: so many prescriptions, so much advice. There is no one-size fits all solution for productivity (a human concept to describe human-created conundrums that don't exist in nature).

I suppose my key personal subjective indicator is one of Mark's self-questions: do I feel I am on top of things? I can give myself a 1-10 answer on that and gauge how I'm doing.

And depending on the day, the level of commitments, obligations to others, need for rest, urgency of tasks, free time during the day, etc. I will switch up systems and methods as I feel I need to. I think there are good basic habits and skills that can help make life easier, but you kind of have to come to them on your own.

Stephen Fry wrote in an essay somewhere about "idea-shaped" vs "human-shaped" solutions. Prescriptive diets/methods are "idea-shaped"; they *should* work but don't take human messiness into account. We have to massage those ideas into a Mike-shape or Mark-shape or Avrum-shape for them to be a real success.

Over the years I have become more self vs system focused when it comes to time management. Time management is a set of skills, techniques, and character traits or values that I am cultivating to be more effective. I use miscellaneous systems to help me keep track of what I need to do and manage it more effectively, but I’m careful to remember that it is me doing the work. And over time I’ve learned that when I am unproductive, it is often psychological factors or factors in the work itself that need improvement and not my methods of keeping track of and prioritizing work.

There are a few fundamental principles of time management that don’t really change, and a few types of system that fit people’s person style of harnessing those principles.

I have a handful of systems for different areas of life: a way of managing email, a simple to do setup in Todoist, a workout routine, a diet method, etc. When I find something low maintenance that works, I keep it. If something isn’t working, I change it.