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GETTING ORGANIZED EXPERIMENT - WEEK TWO+THREE ASSIGNMENT

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mouser:
of course, anyone is welcome to jump in whenever they discover this.

nudone:
i've got the lists and notes of what to do. i'm busy doing things. sounds good doesn't it?

well, it seems very clear to me that i'm not going to get things done in the timescale i first thought to use.

why? because being busy and going through the list is good as it feels like you are on top of things, i can see that i'm making progress but i'm still not putting in enough effort to meet my invented deadlines. maybe i'm being too harsh on myself (and unrealistic).

it's certainly better to be doing things this way - the biggest revelation and help to me was simply being made aware of how procrastination manifests itself and how to recognise it - and define it as something intrusive.

if i can meet my deadlines i'll be happy - just need to know how to become more disciplined about doing it.

mouser:
I'd say i'm in somewhat the same position in that i'm writing new todo item cards constantly and it feels like i suddenly "have more to do" than i did before.. However in reality i know what's happening is much more beneficial.  What's happening is i'm writing out and filing ideas and tasks that before just floated around in my mind and got lost and re-found over and over again.. Doing it this was at least means i can scan through my list and find little things i can work on if i ever get a free moment to spend, rather than not being able to think of something and wasting time.

One of the things D. Allen mentions that I'm finding is true is that having a nice long/diverse list/collection of "actionable" items that require different amounts of energy means you can frequently reach in and find something to match your energy level, instead of casting about trying to remember something to do.

nudone:
i agree. (i think.)

the lifestyle i've lead for most of my life has meant i've had way, way too much time on my hands - but i've always had things that i could do to fill this free time - hence my lists going back 10, 15 or even 20 years.

but it is all too clear that i obviously haven't used that time wisely - the lists are still there, waiting, challenging me, taunting me.

the thing i'd like to make a point of that really hasn't been mentioned anywhere is the notion/concept of BOREDOM. up until recently - a few days before the beginning of this experiment - i would have been BORED quite often. i used to find this disturbing and very annoying as i knew there were many things i could be getting on with - all my lists said so.

so, it obviously isn't enough just to make and compile lists - you have to make a leap of faith - reinterpret yourself as someone that 'does' things 'now' rather than 'plans' things for 'tomorrow'. you have to believe you've changed and recognise your progression - keep it rolling.

so, yes, it's definitely better to keep busy working through the list - even if the bigger goals aren't getting done, it certainly beats being bored and doing nothing.

(i realise that i may be talking about a personal situation that doesn't really reflect anyone else - i assume that most people will have a life that has been full of things that just had to be done so boredom has never been an issue.)

mouser:
I guess I might interpret the situation a little differently.

I very much value the time i spend *contemplating* and *planning* things to do.  There is a real pleasure in that.
And I think all evidence shows that sometimes we just need to spend time mulling over ideas before they are "ripe" enough to put into action.

The danger though is that you start to enjoy the thinking and planning and imagining too much and the actual "doing" suffers.. So one needs strategies to ensure you dont spend ALL your time planning and cogitating..

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