GETTING ORGANIZED EXPERIMENT - WEEK FOUR+FIVE ASSIGNMENT

[markf]

In response to Urwolf and Nudone.

There's a saying "Don't try to teach pigs to fly. You won't succeed and you'll annoy the pigs!" I think it's very true that we should concentrate on our strengths rather than our weaknesses (or the things we enjoy v. the things we don't enjoy). In my book "How to Make Your Dreams Come True" http://tinyurl.com/k7ogc I recommend a "What's Better" list, in which at the end of the day you list everything that has been better about that day. The definition of "better" is entirely up to you. The idea is that you will be focussing on the growth points in your day, rather than the problems. And what you put your focus on will tend to grow.

However experience has taught me that if you can't deal with the routine things of life efficiently, they will start to choke your creativity. When you have mountains of unpaid bills, unanswered queries from your clients, urgent demands from the taxman, and ultimatums from your nearest and dearest, it's very difficult to concentrate on anything - whether you're good at it or not!

[markf]

In response to Tomos.

Start a file entitled "Scrappy Bits and Pieces". 

[nudone]

Mark, i first read 'Do It Tomorrow' (the first time-management book i ever looked at - urlwolf recommended it) and it really grabbed me. i've praised it elsewhere on the forum and i think it still stands out as the best, most direct, material i've read for self-motivation.

i then read 'How To Get Everything Done' which was almost as good but i could see that DIT had improved on the ideas it contained.

i then went on to read 'How To Make Your Dreams Come True' and i felt completely lost and confused. i could see the positive ideas but overall it seemed at odds with the DIT theories that i had really been struck by.

now, a few weeks have passed and i have to say that my 'natural' way of working is more akin to what you were doing with HTMYDCT - perhaps because i've neglected to make any lists recently or do much else besides just get on with the tasks i wanted to do.

i made a request, that urlwolf would ask you in the phone interview about how you reconcile the your 2nd book with your first and third books. at the time i made the request i was sufferring from wanting to have strict guidelines given to me about how to procrastinate less - now, i think, i'm beginning to see that you can choose a method for a particular time and task, so i'm not entirely sure if i still think there is anything at odds with your 2nd book.

still, if urlwolf gets the chance to put the question to you then i hope you can provide an answer for the podcast. if not, then i hope you'll be able to say a few words here. i don't think it's such a problem for me now but it would be nice to know what your thoughts are.

(i think i will even reread HTMYDCT this week as i feel i need to look at it without my original prejudice.)

[markf]

In reply to Nudone

Yes, a lot of people have a problem reconciling "How to Make Your Dreams Come True" with the two other books. All I will say is "Does it really matter?" If the books were each by a different author you wouldn't have a need to find an inner consistency, you'd just take what was useful to you and move on. I suggest you do the same here!

[nudone]

thanks.

i will do.

[Silvia]

A personal question to Mark Foster:

I am trying DIT but I am failing. The problem is lack of energy and lack of focus. I never go to sleep on proper time. The following day I see the consequences. I don't have any sleep problem. I just keep doing "just one more thing " before going to bed. one more website, one more blog, just a chapter in this book, a paragraph in another.

This has been a big problem for many years. Of course, if I only have discipline. Is there any thing you can suggest me, please?

Thanks a lot,
Silvia

[markf]

Dear Sylvia

We always tend to follow the path of least resistance. So the question you have to ask yourself is "Why is it easier for me to go to bed too late, than to go to bed at the proper time?"

Once you've answered that question, set about changing all the reasons you gave in answer to the question so that they no longer apply.

So for instance if one of your answers was "I haven't defined what the proper time to go to bed is", then define a time. And so on with all the other answers you gave to the question.

If you do this exercise thoroughly you should end up making it easier for yourself to go to bed on time than to stay up late.

Good luck!

Mark

[brownstudy]

I just keep doing "just one more thing " before going to bed. one more website, one more blog, just a chapter in this book, a paragraph in another.

-Silvia (October 04, 2006, 11:10 PM)

One thing I've been using successfully lately is Mark's idea of writing everything down. So I keep a little pad of post-its or index cards by the computer, and when I have the urge to surf or read or whatever, I write it down as a task to be done. Then I put the card or post-it in my inbox for later processing. Just getting the idea out of my head and making it tangible on paper seems to be enough to tell my brain, "OK, it's noted and I'll follow up later." Sometimes I generate an insane amount of dribbly tasks that the next day don't look all that important.

This is also part of Mark's advice to adjust your environment so that it supports what you want to do. Just taking the time to write those "just one more thing" tasks on a nearby piece of paper doesn't take a lot of discipline. Try it for a few days and see if it helps.

mike

[markf]

That's very good advice from mike (brownstudy). Another way the same technique can be useful is with insomnia. If you tend to lie in bed worrying about things, you can have a notebook and pencil beside your bed and just jot down a reminder to yourself to take it further the next day. That way you have parked it safely and can go to sleep again.

Mark

[urlwolf]

two quick things...
I have added a review of DIT here:
http://www.academicp...oductivity.com/blog/

Also the Forster Interview is finally a fact!
It is pure content, Some really nice chuncks there, for example:
= Why people drop off time management systems
= Why having a day with no long blocks of time available (e.g., if you have to teach a class at 12 and another at 2:00) may actually work in your favour
= Why you should write down any task before doing it
= stuff for programmers estimating a day's work
= Why we should stick to one system (instead of trying many as in the GEO experiment).

I'm really happy with the result. I also want to thank Mark for being so generous with his time. Mukestar will do the sound post-processing, and it should be ready for a podcast soon.