Also, how do you keep sticking to that schedule?
Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
1–10 of 37 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#2I don't have any strict schedule really, but I've made one weird thing recently, which seems to be making a difference. Not really long term yet, but over this weekend I seemed to actually do more useful things, than usually.
I've listed all the things I tend to do while procrastinating, instead of doing things that matter. Then I've layered them on top of each other, like "I should do X", but "instead I think about doing Y", and then "instead of doing Y, it seems I am actually doing Z instead". X -> Y -> Z -> U -> V -> (...). On some levels it splits into branches too, when I consider things of equal importance.
These layers seemed to align pretty well with my priorities, i.e. further "down the chain", I get less and less important things. (The last, least important activity, seemed to be "desperately seeking attention". :D)
Then I've noticed that this realization about doing many useless things, actually motivated me to do things from "the top of the chain" (important/useful/urgent). Not sure if it would work for everyone, but maybe worth a try. :) Personally at least I'm going to try to keep using this approach.
UPDATE: there, I've obfuscated it a bit, and put it online with sources - https://bl.ocks.org/nnrtw/43c0b5d4fed216c7d98bb65645212495
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#3Getting things done and time blocking are good methods. The worst ist setting all up so you can start over with this methods. It's a lot of work but in the end, it's an awesome feeling. In the beginning, after setting it up, you really need to stay focused on this methods and stick to them. After a while, you get used to it and it becomes much easier.
If you want to learn more about it, I can recommend this articles about GTD https://zenkit.com/en/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-getting-thin...
Time Blocking https://zenkit.com/en/blog/why-you-should-be-time-blocking-a...
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#4I got married (answers both questions, I'm afraid). I often wonder if that is a really bad way of doing things since I tend to simply do what my wife wants. If I want "me time", I need to tell her in advance so she can put it in my schedule. However, I've always been super easy going in that respect. My wife loves organising things and trying to optimise stuff so that everything fits. She even optimises the meal preparation so that we never throw out any food (it's a miracle as far as I'm concerned). However, on the weekend I often want to cook and my wife will say, "I'd like paella. Please use up the mushrooms, milk, sauerkraut and pickles". So, I have to be pretty creative.
To be a bit more helpful (because I don't really want you marrying my wife -- it would be inconvenient for me), I think the real key is to ask yourself why you want a schedule. Where are the places you are hurting? It might be better to address those pain points directly rather than trying to overhaul your approach to living life. At least as far as I'm concerned (being very easy going in this respect), there is nothing wrong with not having a schedule. In fact, it is completely liberating. However, you need to have priorities and make sure that your priorities are addressed.
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#5I got married (answers both questions, I'm afraid). I often wonder if that is a really bad way of doing things since I tend to simply do what my wife wants. If I want "me time", I need to tell her in advance so she can put it in my schedule. However, I've always been super easy going in that respect. My wife loves organising things and trying to optimise stuff so that everything fits. She even optimises the meal prep…
For me, at home, it works in a similar way.
There is a downside though.
I'm very very forgetful, so sometimes, my wife needs to remind me to do a certain task 3 or 4 times before I actually do it. I started noting things down to avoid forgetting as this puts some strain on our relationship.
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#6Getting things done and time blocking are good methods. The worst ist setting all up so you can start over with this methods. It's a lot of work but in the end, it's an awesome feeling. In the beginning, after setting it up, you really need to stay focused on this methods and stick to them. After a while, you get used to it and it becomes much easier. If you want to learn more about it, I can recommend this articles…
Another GTD explanation I found helpful: https://hamberg.no/gtd/
I use Airtable to manage GTD.
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#7I've got a few different complimentary systems for different things:
- For working out, I rely on habit. I forced myself to go to the gym at a certain time for long enough that I just feel like doing it now, so I go automatically.
- For personal projects, I work off a queue based system. While I'm working on a task, I try to minimize task-switching, but if I come up with a new idea, or something else I want or need to work on related to the project, I note it down in my project management software. Then when I'm ready for a new task, I pick up the one I most want or need to work on from the queue.
- As far as the actual scheduling/time management strategy, I work from the model that will power and focus are limited resources, and that distractions and issues interfering with work tend to accumulate over the course of the day. Therefore, I start each day by pulling tasks from the queue which need the most focus, and put off communication with the outside world for at least an hour or so (or until my "first wind" starts to wear down). Getting up early helps with this.
- Other than that, I work more or less intuatively. When I find myself no longer able to focus effectively, I put down the work and knock out whatever administrative tasks I have to take care of, and when that's sorted I relax and do something I enjoy.
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#8I've got a few different complimentary systems for different things: - For working out, I rely on habit. I forced myself to go to the gym at a certain time for long enough that I just feel like doing it now, so I go automatically. - For personal projects, I work off a queue based system. While I'm working on a task, I try to minimize task-switching, but if I come up with a new idea, or something else I want or need t…
> I forced myself to go to the gym at a certain time for long enough that I just feel like doing it now, so I go automatically.
Character is destiny. The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become. ― Heraclitus
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#9I've got a few different complimentary systems for different things: - For working out, I rely on habit. I forced myself to go to the gym at a certain time for long enough that I just feel like doing it now, so I go automatically. - For personal projects, I work off a queue based system. While I'm working on a task, I try to minimize task-switching, but if I come up with a new idea, or something else I want or need t…
I'm the same when it comes to work out. I set 4PM every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as a workout time and I always plan around it.
I've been trying to do something similar with learning a language but to do it as a first thing every morning. After about 6 months I still din't manage to make a proper habit out of it.
Re: Ask HN: How do you schedule your life?
#10I got married (answers both questions, I'm afraid). I often wonder if that is a really bad way of doing things since I tend to simply do what my wife wants. If I want "me time", I need to tell her in advance so she can put it in my schedule. However, I've always been super easy going in that respect. My wife loves organising things and trying to optimise stuff so that everything fits. She even optimises the meal prep…
For me, at home, it works in a similar way. There is a downside though. I'm very very forgetful, so sometimes, my wife needs to remind me to do a certain task 3 or 4 times before I actually do it. I started noting things down to avoid forgetting as this puts some strain on our relationship.
I've been trialing the Things app recently. Pressing F12 anywhere, even when using some other app, pops up a window where you can quickly add a todo. When you're doing something else, and suddenly remember something you might want to do later, it's very easy to store it.
When you have the popup open it has shortcut keys for associating it with a certain project or date. If you're in a hurry, you can skip that and move it to the proper place later. Because of the shortcut and being able to organize later, it's completely effortless to note something.
Everything you add shows up on your phone as well, so it's really convenient for taking notes around a topic and not forgetting stuff. You can have daily repeating tasks too, which are nice for habit-building.