Using a list to manage executive function • Hacker News Board

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#21

Post by geoelectric » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 2:07 AM UTC

RobRivera wrote: post #15

idamantium wrote: post #5

This reminds me of some good practices I've learned from implementing GTD principals. Even with my massive GTD-style lists, which I love, having a small paper list for that day, even if it repeats what's on the massive digital list, is a very nice focus function. Also helpful is to have a list of no more than 3 weekly priorities. When I don't know what to focus on, I often look at those. They are most effective when…

I ctrl+F the OP and found no acronym GTD, and can only infer a def. I will assume GTD means Get Things Done. Perhaps pedantic, but is defining an acronym before using it no longer in vogue?

I think this is one of the exception cases where the initialism is better known than the full name.

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#22

Post by westurner » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 2:22 AM UTC

westurner wrote: post #18

todo.txt is a lightweight text format that a number of apps support: http://todotxt.org/ . From http://todotxt.org/todo.txt : (priority) task text +project @context (A) Call Mom @Phone +Family (A) Schedule annual checkup +Health (B) Outline chapter 5 +Novel @Computer (C) Add cover sheets @Office +TPSReports x Download Todo.txt mobile app @Phone From "What does my engineering manager do all day?" (2021) https://news.y…

Hipster PDA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipster_PDA

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#23

Post by largbae » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 2:45 AM UTC

This may not be optimal but it works for me: everything that I promise to do, even to myself, goes on the calendar. If I am really going to do something, I should have a plan of _when_, and that plan is in the form of a calendar invite to myself.

This does 4 good things and one bad one. Good: 1. It fills up my calendar, which gives me a better chance of getting time to do things. 2. It teaches me to say No to something when the calendar is full, or at least acknowledge the trade-off from saying Yes. 3. It helps me negotiate with people who I am willing to show my crazy to. "Ok which stuff on my calendar is your ask more important than?" 4. My phone reminds me to do all this stuff.

And the bad: 1. Every single night I have to rearrange items that I inevitably miss.

Rearranging is self-punishment, but it has a value. I rarely drop a commitment, and I am better at managing what commitments I make.

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#24

Post by simonw » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 4:10 AM UTC

I've been doing a version of this for the past few months using GitHub Issues. It's been working really, really well for me.

At the start of every day I create a new GitHub issue for that day, in a private repository. I throw one or two priority tasks for the day in there as GitHub TODO items (- [ ] description here)

As the day continues I add random notes and links and screenshots as comments on that issue. I edit that first issue description with new tasks, and check of tasks I've done.

A lot of these tasks are "- [ ] URL-to-issue-in-another-repo" - GitHub automatically marks those tasks as done when I close that issue, no matter what repo it's in.

I often add an "## Unplanned" heading to my issue description and list things under there that weren't in the plan but that I did anyway.

The next day I start a new issue. I sometimes revisit issues from previous days, just to remind myself what I did, but I don't try to close everything and I don't transfer items across unless they are REALLY important.

I automated the creation of the daily issues using the trick I describe here: https://til.simonwillison.net/github-actions/daily-planner

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#25

Post by tomjen3 » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 4:23 AM UTC

im3w1l wrote: post #11

idamantium wrote: post #5

This reminds me of some good practices I've learned from implementing GTD principals. Even with my massive GTD-style lists, which I love, having a small paper list for that day, even if it repeats what's on the massive digital list, is a very nice focus function. Also helpful is to have a list of no more than 3 weekly priorities. When I don't know what to focus on, I often look at those. They are most effective when…

I bought the GTD book. But then I went on to misplace it and didn't find it for over a year. I might be a hopeless case.

It is one of those books that are really good, and really a product of its time. Most of what you get out of it you can read online and its methods need more than a little tweak today, because our digital systems are so much more powerful than the folder based one he suggests (example, GTD is heavily against adding things to your calendar, because it confuses between things that you intend to do at a certain time and things that must be done at that time. With digital calendars, you can color code the difference).

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#26

Post by larrywright » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 4:47 AM UTC

im3w1l wrote: post #11

idamantium wrote: post #5

This reminds me of some good practices I've learned from implementing GTD principals. Even with my massive GTD-style lists, which I love, having a small paper list for that day, even if it repeats what's on the massive digital list, is a very nice focus function. Also helpful is to have a list of no more than 3 weekly priorities. When I don't know what to focus on, I often look at those. They are most effective when…

I bought the GTD book. But then I went on to misplace it and didn't find it for over a year. I might be a hopeless case.

True story: I bought a book on overcoming procrastination over 20 years ago. Still haven’t read it.

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#27

Post by pillefitz » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 4:49 AM UTC

tomjen3 wrote: post #25

im3w1l wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought the GTD book. But then I went on to misplace it and didn't find it for over a year. I might be a hopeless case.

It is one of those books that are really good, and really a product of its time. Most of what you get out of it you can read online and its methods need more than a little tweak today, because our digital systems are so much more powerful than the folder based one he suggests (example, GTD is heavily against adding things to your calendar, because it confuses between things that you intend to do at a certain time and…

Since switching to GTD, I've removed most of my pre-planned blockers and it's working well. How is color coding helping with the fact that according to GTD, only actual appointments should be put into the calendar?

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#28

Post by heywoods » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 5:13 AM UTC

smeej wrote: post #12

I've been (semi-)intentionally unemployed for a little over a year now, and I reached a point a couple months ago where I just LOST IT at the prospect of having to continue to make decisions at every moment of every day about what to do next. I even have a daily checklist of about 15 things I need to do every day to keep making at least minimal progress toward my goals, but because none of them had assigned times, I…

How do you juggle errands and other ad-hoc responsibilities? I really like your approach and I’ve implemented something similar but I struggle with that 3rd bucket I’m trying to get at. I would really appreciate your input!

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#29

Post by ulnarkressty » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 6:42 AM UTC

Making detailed lists is helpful to remember what you have to do and prioritize it, but is only one part (planning) of executive function. The other part, actually executing, is arguably harder since it requires more input energy than just writing something on a piece of paper.

For some people the energy required to do the simplest things, like taking out the pot from the coffee maker, is much greater than would reasonably be expected. As a result these tasks seem almost impossible to do, no matter how many times they write it down. Yet, all the advice out there after having written down the task seems to be 'just do it'.

Re: Using a list to manage executive function

#30

Post by Jarwain » Sat, Aug 17, 2024, 7:11 AM UTC

jasperry wrote: post #2

One reason this method seems good is that it requires you to write down a new list each day. For me at least, it's easier to write a fresh list and get started on that than to get motivated by a list I wrote before. Writing a new list makes me remember what I /want/ to get done, and why.

It reminds me of how Bullet Journaling wants you to write a new daily page every day