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A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

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Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#11

Post by apabepa »

moagstar wrote: post #6

I have been doing something similar this past year and it has really boosted my productivity. I start the day by writing down things I want/need to do that day. Generally things like 'fix test on failing pr', 'reply email from Dave', 'process feedback on design document'. As the day goes on the list grows, and I rarely finish everything. The next day I start by copying undone items from the previous day. The key for…

I had the exact same experience! I found that copying things by hand it keeps the backlog in check and avoids long running tasks.

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#12

Post by dcolkitt »

christophilus wrote: post #10
moagstar wrote: post #6

I have been doing something similar this past year and it has really boosted my productivity. I start the day by writing down things I want/need to do that day. Generally things like 'fix test on failing pr', 'reply email from Dave', 'process feedback on design document'. As the day goes on the list grows, and I rarely finish everything. The next day I start by copying undone items from the previous day. The key for…

I prefer pen and paper because it is meditative. But markdown files in my text editor of choice is fast, easy, and simple. Both blow the doors off of Trello/Jira.

Have you tried org-mode?

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#13

Post by macintux »

djeiasbsbo wrote: post #3

I like the method but for me personally as a young unexperienced person, the problem usually lies in evaluating whether a task is possible in a day. I tend to be overly excited and thus think that I can finish something that takes a week in a day. Then when I give myself more time for something I finish it more quickly...

Note the last sentence:

> Typically the goals I choose are things that might take one to two hours of focused effort.

Very few of us can accurately estimate what will take a day, but an hour is much more manageable.

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#15

Post by chrisweekly »

moagstar wrote: post #6

I have been doing something similar this past year and it has really boosted my productivity. I start the day by writing down things I want/need to do that day. Generally things like 'fix test on failing pr', 'reply email from Dave', 'process feedback on design document'. As the day goes on the list grows, and I rarely finish everything. The next day I start by copying undone items from the previous day. The key for…

Sounds like bullet journal (which I endorse, having used it for 4 years this month).

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#16

Post by andi999 »

dhsysusbsjsi wrote: post #4

I find if I write down 5 tasks and cross them off one by one, I will gravitate to the short easy ones first for instant gratification. Completing larger tasks gives a much deeper satisfaction yet despite a long time trying to teach my body/brain this, it still craves the easy path instant gratification. So one thing I do is split up the big task into lots of small tasks so I can cross more off and get the gratificati…

Some people advise 'eat that frog' aka force yourself every morning to start with the most unpleasant (and you know which one that is...) task first, and the rest of the day is a breeze.

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#18

Post by motohagiography »

Setting the intention to do "one thing, no matter what," I also have done for the last few years, and it has a huge compounding effect. I tend to usually do more than that one thing, but accepting that commitment to do the one thing before getting out of bed provides the calm that is necessary to achieve the other things.

Understanding and internalizing compounding effects is liberating. The big and distant goals become much closer when your progress toward them accelerates exponentially. The compounding effect means iterating consistently, no matter how small the proportional increment.

Re: A Simple and Dynamic Method for Consistent Productivity

#19

Post by thomaspaulmann »

I’ve been planning my week and day like this for a long time. It helps me prioritise and makes sure I progress.

There is a great metaphor [1] about big rocks that captures this idea well: Put the big rocks first to fill a jar quickly, then fill it up with marbles, sand and water. Not the other way around!

Think about the big rocks as your 1-2 hour long tasks. The important pieces of work you want to get done each day. If you don’t plan them, it’s easy to get distracted by small things that fill the day but stop you from progressing with your projects.

So, make sure to put the big rocks first to get stuff done.

[1] http://www.appleseeds.org/Big-Rocks_Covey.htm

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