To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done • Hacker News Board

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#11

Post by karmelapple » Sun, Nov 20, 2016, 11:20 PM UTC

refulgentis wrote: post #10

karmelapple wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Getting Things Done does not focus on concretely scheduling tasks for specific times and dates, unless I missed a huge piece of that book.

You're correct, in fact, it warns explicitly assinging a datetime unless it _has_ to be done by then. That being said, the biggest reason my GTD practice fails is I rarely spend time getting things done, but instead end up grooming an ever-growing to-do list. Assigning datetimes to trigger reminders is tempting...

Don't do it!

Instead, let your list go a little wild, and put the stuff you truly don't need to do in that "Someday" pile and don't look at it until you've gotten a few projects done from the pile you've determined is important.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#12

Post by vaibhavsagar » Sun, Nov 20, 2016, 11:40 PM UTC

There's a more comprehensive article here:

http://rz.github.io/articles/2016/oct/time-on-your-side.html

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#13

Post by crazygringo » Sun, Nov 20, 2016, 11:56 PM UTC

I don't know about most people, but this works terribly for me. Motivation is huge for my happiness, so I want to do something when I'm in the mood for it.

This means I do keep a list of the things I need to get done, so whenever I've got free time, I take a look at the list and see what I'm most in the mood to do.

Of course, this is the real world -- sometimes something has a firm deadline so you have no choice (so of course you do things you aren't in the mood for).

But I want to run errands when I'm in the mood to go outside. I want to go to them gym when I'm feeling energetic. I want to wash dishes or clean my apartment when my brain is conked out anyways. I want to work on a hobby when I'm feeling creative. I want to read a book when I'm feeling relaxed.

Or at work, I might be in the mood for writing e-mails, or working on a presentation, or chatting about a project, or catching up on reading. They'll all get done eventually, but why not do the one you'll most enjoy at the moment, as long as you can?

And I know myself well enough to know I never have any idea what I'm going to feel when. Will I be feeling energetic or creative or conked out tonight after work? Tomorrow when I wake up? The day after on my lunch break? Who knows!

Scheduling time to do my things is a disaster for my happiness. I'm sure it can work for other people, but it's not for everyone.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#14

Post by perlpimp » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 12:09 AM UTC

While scheduling is great sometimes you've really got to pareto your way to whats important. It is important to keep near and far perspective at all times, not to have your time be eaten by menial tasks... that something I am guilty of. If I am slipping I would take a break and try to reframe what is important as something interesting, ask yourself - how this can be exciting, interesting to you?

my 2c.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#15

Post by oddlyaromatic » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 12:47 AM UTC

I find that this fails if your job involves putting out fires and responding to unpredictable client needs. I used to make a very concrete schedule at the start of a week and by midweek most of it was out the window. I do usually keep small must-do-this-week list, and the key for me in planning is estimating the duration of each task so that I can take advantage of what time I do get, and choose the right task for the time I have.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#16

Post by nhebb » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 12:58 AM UTC

oddlyaromatic wrote: post #15

I find that this fails if your job involves putting out fires and responding to unpredictable client needs. I used to make a very concrete schedule at the start of a week and by midweek most of it was out the window. I do usually keep small must-do-this-week list, and the key for me in planning is estimating the duration of each task so that I can take advantage of what time I do get, and choose the right task for th…

When I was a manufacturing engineer, I used to have a short list of long term projects, a fair list of medium term projects, and a long list of tasks. A rolling todo list was the only way to stay on top of things.

You can't be the Pinball Wizard when the job requires you to be the pinball.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#17

Post by tra3 » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 1:10 AM UTC

As an aside, an important facet of self organization is time tracking. Does HN have a good way of time tracking? I dislike the stop/start method? Something like stochastic time tracking (https://github.com/dreeves/TagTime) perhaps (but that actually works).

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#18

Post by zzzmarcus » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 1:23 AM UTC

crazygringo wrote: post #13

I don't know about most people, but this works terribly for me. Motivation is huge for my happiness, so I want to do something when I'm in the mood for it. This means I do keep a list of the things I need to get done, so whenever I've got free time, I take a look at the list and see what I'm most in the mood to do. Of course, this is the real world -- sometimes something has a firm deadline so you have no choice (so…

This mentality can be a little dangerous. You're training yourself to cater to your moods. This can result in important but not urgent tasks that you're never really in the mood to do never getting done. Or, if it's a task that has to be done, a lot of resistance because you're used to waiting for motivation to kick in.

For me, a better approach has been to consciously force myself to do things I don't feel like doing. I push through low energy, distractions, or boredom and just get it done.

You might expect this to lead to sub-optimal performance or suffering through unenjoyable tasks. Sometimes it does, but in my experience, a more common result is the good feeling of having pushed through a barrier and found a second, or third wind.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#19

Post by Neliquat » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 1:30 AM UTC

Good article, but a quarter page nag screen (on mobile) I can not dismiss is pretty annoying and I nearly gave up reading.

Re: To-Do Lists Are Not the Answer to Getting Things Done

#20

Post by jkubicek » Mon, Nov 21, 2016, 1:39 AM UTC

zzzmarcus wrote: post #18

crazygringo wrote: post #13

I don't know about most people, but this works terribly for me. Motivation is huge for my happiness, so I want to do something when I'm in the mood for it. This means I do keep a list of the things I need to get done, so whenever I've got free time, I take a look at the list and see what I'm most in the mood to do. Of course, this is the real world -- sometimes something has a firm deadline so you have no choice (so…

This mentality can be a little dangerous. You're training yourself to cater to your moods. This can result in important but not urgent tasks that you're never really in the mood to do never getting done. Or, if it's a task that has to be done, a lot of resistance because you're used to waiting for motivation to kick in. For me, a better approach has been to consciously force myself to do things I don't feel like doin…

I used to try this method, but it's never worked for me. My productivity is so incredibly low when I'm trying to work on something I don't want to do that it's just a big waste of time.

If it's something actually important I'll do it eventually. If it's something I truly dread, I might do it at the last possible moment, but I'll do it.