Discussion Forum > The Real Purpose of To-Do Lists
Once again, Seraphim, you and I are thinking about the same topic at the same time. Great minds, I guess!
I find it difficult to pigeonhole the to-do list into one singular purpose. I find the Reminder function of a list at least as helpful as the Positive Reinforcement function of checking off an item. However, those of us who have followed Mark for a while know that the list also serves as a means to compare the relative value of tasks so that we can determine the best activity right now.
I have been following «Dreams» for a couple of months now, and I have to say that if I want some *real* positive reinforcement, I describe the success in my journal (as myself), and then switch roles to my "inner coach" and write a note of congratulations. Your mileage may vary, but I think it's worth a shot.
I find it difficult to pigeonhole the to-do list into one singular purpose. I find the Reminder function of a list at least as helpful as the Positive Reinforcement function of checking off an item. However, those of us who have followed Mark for a while know that the list also serves as a means to compare the relative value of tasks so that we can determine the best activity right now.
I have been following «Dreams» for a couple of months now, and I have to say that if I want some *real* positive reinforcement, I describe the success in my journal (as myself), and then switch roles to my "inner coach" and write a note of congratulations. Your mileage may vary, but I think it's worth a shot.
February 14, 2024 at 19:02 |
Voluntas
Voluntas
http://books.google.com/books?id=uEnZasjNqP0C&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=John+Perry,+The+Art+of+Procrastination+to+do+list&hl=en#v=onepage&q=John%20Perry%2C%20The%20Art%20of%20Procrastination%20to%20do%20list&f=false
I could not recall this author or the book, so I searched, and the quote is in this book, on page 22.
There is a chapter on todo lists.
This is the author that advocates structured procrastination, which, as I remember, has influenced Mark Forster, in his use of long lists.
This might be a good book for me to read. I couldn't tell from the quote, but he advocates to do lists.
He recommends writing a list the night before of the first few things to do after wake in the morning. I often put this on my daily list, but perhaps it would be good to make a separate list.
He also recommends breaking tasks down into smaller subtasks, and admits that it would make the daily list pretty detailed. This is what I am doing, but I find that my daily lists are getting to sometimes 100 items, and I am thinking that I need to reduce them.
I think with all the advice we receive around this subjects, that there is a limit to have far to take any advice - that the list can get too long, that we need breaks from a list, that we don't need to follow a list all the time.
I could not recall this author or the book, so I searched, and the quote is in this book, on page 22.
There is a chapter on todo lists.
This is the author that advocates structured procrastination, which, as I remember, has influenced Mark Forster, in his use of long lists.
This might be a good book for me to read. I couldn't tell from the quote, but he advocates to do lists.
He recommends writing a list the night before of the first few things to do after wake in the morning. I often put this on my daily list, but perhaps it would be good to make a separate list.
He also recommends breaking tasks down into smaller subtasks, and admits that it would make the daily list pretty detailed. This is what I am doing, but I find that my daily lists are getting to sometimes 100 items, and I am thinking that I need to reduce them.
I think with all the advice we receive around this subjects, that there is a limit to have far to take any advice - that the list can get too long, that we need breaks from a list, that we don't need to follow a list all the time.
February 14, 2024 at 19:54 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
I've been thinking similarly. I'm starting to value engagement over efficiency with my "to-do" systems.
February 14, 2024 at 20:30 |
Brent
Brent
"The main function of the daily to-do list is to give the procrastinator the experience of checking off tasks as they are finished."
While that is definitely a valuable feature of the to-do list, the main function to me is that if I don't see the item on the list, or even if there is no list, I tend not to do the thing.
It's not that I need to see the items, but I need to be thinking of them, and reading (or writing to) a list of items is what gets me there.
Yes, the list needs to be kept short, as to my mind a long list is clutter, and clutter is a thing I prefer to avoid. (Only my tendency is to hide myself from the clutter, rather than reduce it; something that needs to be combatted.)
While that is definitely a valuable feature of the to-do list, the main function to me is that if I don't see the item on the list, or even if there is no list, I tend not to do the thing.
It's not that I need to see the items, but I need to be thinking of them, and reading (or writing to) a list of items is what gets me there.
Yes, the list needs to be kept short, as to my mind a long list is clutter, and clutter is a thing I prefer to avoid. (Only my tendency is to hide myself from the clutter, rather than reduce it; something that needs to be combatted.)
February 14, 2024 at 21:06 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I bought the book on Kindle.
February 14, 2024 at 22:14 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
I meant the ebook on Google Play. It is 113 pages, so it should be a short read.
February 14, 2024 at 22:16 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
I am 5 minutes into the book. There is much that seems to harmonize the long lists, AF, FVP, etc
Advice on what to put on the list.
Advice on what to put on the list.
February 14, 2024 at 22:25 |
Mark H.
Mark H.
Wow, I am kind of astonished at the number of responses!
I think the author's comments on the purpose of a to-do list were tongue-in-cheek, although with a point. Kind of like his whole book. :)
I just thought it was funny. :)
(And I love how Asana sends flying unicorns and other things across your screen whenever you mark something done hahaha)
I think the author's comments on the purpose of a to-do list were tongue-in-cheek, although with a point. Kind of like his whole book. :)
I just thought it was funny. :)
(And I love how Asana sends flying unicorns and other things across your screen whenever you mark something done hahaha)
February 16, 2024 at 1:46 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
BTW for an intro to the author's time management work, see this hilarious and insightful short article:
http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/
http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/
February 16, 2024 at 2:53 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
If I saw unicorns flying across my todo list, although it would be pleasant, it would likely distract me into a rabbit hole of thinking about unicorns and related things!
February 18, 2024 at 15:08 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
—John Perry, The Art of Procrastination