81–90 of 235 posts
I recently started making small handwritten TODO lists that I keep in my pocket. It has significantly improved my productivity. Every morning while I'm getting ready, I usually think of about seven or eight things I really want to get done that day, and if I'm lucky, I'll actually do one or two. With this method I find I'm getting about four or five things done. I find that the act of actually handwriting the TODO li…
> pneumonic mnemonic?
Getting Things Done is by far the most influential book I've read. It has changed the way I think about everything. However, I have never been able to find a good implementation of the system. I know that David Allen (GTD) and Charles Simonyi (Intentional Software) were working on something at some point, but I haven't heard anything since.
Getting Things Done is by far the most influential book I've read. It has changed the way I think about everything. However, I have never been able to find a good implementation of the system. I know that David Allen (GTD) and Charles Simonyi (Intentional Software) were working on something at some point, but I haven't heard anything since.
Like another answerer to this comment, I finally rolled a custom Sheets layout that works the way I think about things, and over the last few months, have slowly tweaked it closer and closer to my personal thoughtflow.
It's not the details of the system that matter, it's the relieving of the stress that makes it worthwhile.
To all the people with the little and big todo lists, live a little. Let life surprise you.
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There is a second step to this: 'You can stop if you want to.' Just washing one plate does not mean I have to wash all of them. Stopping after only half of them is acceptable and preferable to not starting. So I can pick up and wash one without worrying about the full task.
But can you leave your friends behind cause they don't stop and if they don't stop they're no friends of mine? The beauty of telling yourself "I can stop" comes in when you're really just lying to yourself to reduce the barrier of the first dish. "Oh, I'll just do a couple and then stop. Well I only have a few left..."
This was mercifully shorter than the Cal Newport book. That's about all I can say for it. Ivan Sutherland had the secret, and it only took one paragraph to share it: ' I used to hate washing dishes. I would delay as long as possible. Eyeing the daunting pile of dishes, I would say to myself, “I'll be here forever at this dumb task.” The enormity of the task deterred me from starting. I still dislike washing dishes, b…
There is a second step to this: 'You can stop if you want to.' Just washing one plate does not mean I have to wash all of them. Stopping after only half of them is acceptable and preferable to not starting. So I can pick up and wash one without worrying about the full task.
(When you finally eat whatever it was you so much desired, you didn't really fail, because you are only consuming 1 unit for those 3/5/whatever days, instead of one every day...)
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Personally I used the same approach to start running: “just lace the shoes”. After you finish this, you are almost running.
Haha! that´s genius. Could technically be applied to lots of unpleasant tasks. I sometimes have difficulties with getting out of bed in the morning. Might a "just stand up" help with that problem? I will test that tomorrow.
This was mercifully shorter than the Cal Newport book. That's about all I can say for it. Ivan Sutherland had the secret, and it only took one paragraph to share it: ' I used to hate washing dishes. I would delay as long as possible. Eyeing the daunting pile of dishes, I would say to myself, “I'll be here forever at this dumb task.” The enormity of the task deterred me from starting. I still dislike washing dishes, b…
Personally I used the same approach to start running: “just lace the shoes”. After you finish this, you are almost running.
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I used this numerous times. It works often but not always.
That´s interesting. In which case hasn´t it helped you? I mean, breaking up tasks into smaller pieces does make the "big task" way more manageable.
Sometimes having a low entry barrier and then have some inertia in the activity does create a good rhythm/regular schedule. But sometimes I just give up.
Other times what I need is some god damn good old drive to start rolling up my sleeve and get done with that pile of whatever.
So yes in theory, breaking things down is good, but it's not always the determining factor. I hope it's a bit clearer.
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I’m not seeing your joke. Confused. Maybe you’re like an evil hypnotist. “You will stop following your diet. You will stop following your diet. You will stop following your diet.” :-) Seriously though — I think these two claims are both frequent and harmful: 1. It’s impossible to stay disciplined in the long run. 2. Discipline sucks the joy out of life. On the contrary, I think discipline gives you freedom.
Relying on discipline alone is whats harmful. Studies repeatedly show that most people can not reach their goals by only relying on willpower. Good systems/diets etc define strategies that _reduce_ the amount of discipline required to stick to it. Saying "be disciplined" is roughly in the same category as telling someone to "be happy". It's a great goal, but no help at all for someone who is not already there.