Working Live Today
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 8:00 Key:
Tasks on list at start of day
Current Task
Actioned tasks (numbered in order of completion)
Tasks added during day
[Tasks marked for review]
—————————— = Start of Open List
(1156) timed log entry (at end)
THE LIST
13 Cancel Insurance Policies (1018)
15 Write Henry S. (1053)
[Contribute to P & Y’s Charity]
10 Buy Guillotine
[Weed Old Accounts]
[Ring Ben’s Gutters]
[Get Phoenix Insurance Claim signed]
[Investigate ways of marketing and selling E-book]
[Approaching businesses?]
11 Photo Plus Manual
[Sort out Domain hosting]
14 Photos for Facebook
12 “Taxi Driver”
[“Fanny Cradock”]
[“I Know Where I’m Going”]
[“The Edge of the World”] [1452][1534]
——————————————
Check details needed by Travel Agency
56 Schedule for Newsletters?
16 Restaurant for L’s birthday?
Card for L
Weed Noguchi
57 Portuguese 17
Aeneid
“Then She Found Me”
Write E-book
Write M
67 Read “Ultra Simple Guide”
Camera Manual
Return chalk to T
Brain trainer
17 Tidy Office
68 “Fleurs du Mal”
18 Make Bed
German 24/3
19 Facebook
50 Spanish 12/2
Mow Lawn
Sort out Google bar
Blog “7 Habits of Poor Time Managers”
“Saraband”
Write
20 Bureau Top tidy?
21 MicroPlaza
Reading List (oldest)
Reading List (newest)
G replied?
22 Desk tidy?
23 Exercise
Walk
Tax Return
Photo Galleries
Squarespace Videos
47 Check BP
Journal 10+
24 Investment Managers
25 RegZooka
26 Cut Hedge
27 NumberWatch
28 Carswell
69 “The Cell” (2300)
Paper
1 Comments (0800)
2 Voicemail
29 Fix date for lunch with Carol N
3 Email
4 FTSE (0833)
“Top Gear”
5 Lowest Point Forecast
30 Back Up
31 Reading
6 Doodle
Change Wallpaper
58 Reading List (quality)
7 Pitch C#
8 Wash Up
Autopager?
Firefox extension name?
9 Comments
Voicemail
32 Email
33 FTSE
Lowest Point Forecast
Doodle
34 Pitch C#
35 Wash Up
36 Comments (0904)
PhotoPlus Manual
“Taxi Driver”
Cancel Avon Policy
48 To Think About
37 L replied re Henry?
38 L replied re restaurant?
Check Porsche Tyres
Check Polo Service
Tidy Office
39 Read Newspaper
40 Check Site Visitors for today
Make Bed
Facebook
51 Find Driving Licence
Bureau Top Tidy?
52 Regenerate Friend Wheel
41 Ordo
Investment Managers
Carswell
59 Carol N replied re lunch?
Diaries of Adrienne v. Speyr?
42 Lunch
53 SpyZooka
RegZooka
54 Reading
Pitch C#
Write Henry
55 Book restaurant
43 Reserve District 9 and Tricks
44 Comments
45 Wash Up
46 Email
Voicemail
56 Site Visitors
Ordo
49 Comments
Wash Up (1450)(1709)(1847)(1849)
—————————————————
Check BP
60 Email
61 Comments (1528)
Check weeding schedule for old accounts
Find Phone Number for Ben’s Gutters
Prepare papers for Phoenix signing
Check domain hosting records
“Fanny Cradock”
Spanish 13
62 Tweetdeck
SpyZooka
63 Reading
64 Site Visitors (2046)
Newsletter Template
Portuguese 17/2
Try out issuu.com
Reading List (quality)
65 Email
66 Tweetdeck
Email (2057)
“Fleurs du Mal”
“The Cell”
0800. The list is divided into two unequal parts, divided by a line ———————. Different rules apply to each part. I am starting where I left off yesterday, near the end of the list. The method here is to move down the list taking action on those tasks which feel ready to be done. I will number tasks in the order they are done so you can follow the sequence. The numbers in brackets after some tasks are times, and refer to the log entries at the end of the list (of which this is the first).
0833. This is reminding me why I hate using electronic means of working a to do list! It’s slowing me down no end. The Squarespace editor is also being annoying - a blank line has appeared in the middle of the list which I don’t seem to be able to get rid of. Never mind!
0904. I’ve now reached the end of the list. My next action is to go to the beginning of the list - into the part of the list before the line (——————). Oooooerrrr!!!
1018. Within the first part of the list, I keep circling round the list until nothing further seems ready to do.
1053. I’ve now been round the first part of the list three times, and there’s nothing further that seems ready to do. So now I start on the second part of the list. I only do one pass of this before going back to the first part.
1450. Now reached the end of the list for the second time today. So back to the first part of the list (the “backlog”)
1452. None of the tasks in the “backlog” stand out for action so I have marked them all up for review (on paper I would have used a highlighter for this). At the same time I have drawn a line at the end of the list so that the whole current list becomes the “backlog”. All new tasks will now go below this line.
1528. Now reached the end of the list for the third time today. Notice how fast I moved through the list this time. Back to the beginning of the list.
1534. What I have now done is delete all the items marked for review. You will see that I have re-entered some after rephrasing them. One I have re-entered as it was (A recorded TV program that I haven’t yet had time to see). The rest I have dropped altogether because I decided the time wasn’t yet ripe for them.
1709. Reached end of first part of list - back to the beginning. On another subject, this page has been loaded 5,973 times today (and it wasn’t all by me!)
1847 End of first part of list again - back to beginning.
1849 I’ve been round the first part of the list again without any tasks seeming ready to do - so on to the second part.
2046. Page has been accessed 7,507 times today.
2057 Reached the end of the list again. Back to the beginning. I’ll select a next task, but what I’m really going to do is go and watch NCIS on tv!
2300 That’s it for today. 70 tasks completed. 8,604 page views. I hope that’s given everyone a good idea of how powerful the system is. Now I’ve just got to copy everything I’ve done today back into my paper notebook!
(Comments on this post are now closed. If you can’t see the existing comments, click on the post heading “Working Live Today”)
Mark Forster
There is a brilliant file by Andreas Hofmann which gives an animated version of this demonstration. This is an absolute must for quick understanding of the system. Many thanks, Andreas, this was a huge undertaking.
Reader Comments (188)
"Yes, but he did action several tasks above the line before that pass. So it could still be like a AF1 page. No action on first pass -> dismiss, no action on later pass -> leave backlog. "
Yes, I see what you mean - that would probably work quite well.
And then all the tasks in that first section get put on review - to be dismissed the following day if no action is taken.
In the meantime, the open list becomes the next closed list by moving the line to the bottom of the list.
Just to respond to my own comment... :)
I think instead it would work more intuitively if the tasks currently on "review" would be dismissed the next time the line is moved to declare a new "backlog".
(There must be a "review" element because Mark mentions that in the key to his list <wink> )
Any chance you might (assuming Mr. Forster is ok with it) someday post the whole series of lists to wiki? I'm in the U.S., and wasn't up early enough to watch the early iterations.
(I was trying to think of a way to log them, I didn't realize siteDelta could have done it. I laughed when you posted your comment about that because last night I had thought to myself "If anyone would know how to record blog post changes it would be Andreas. Guess I was right!).
Thanks,
Joseph
You can skip the need for having a line just by having two task lists, or two folders of tasks...one called "Backlog" and one called "Current", and just move tasks between them as required.
So far it feels like using AF1 again (which is great) but with the added advantage of the open list to handle urgent items.
Eating: ROTFLMAO ;-) ;-) It could be that he is doing all of this before lunch? Or, perhaps between lunch and dinner? LOL ;-)
If you're sorting by creation date, you could just add a task with the subject line of:
"-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
Looks OK in Outlook,
Matt
<< It could be that he is doing all of this before lunch? >>
Everything so far has been between breakfast and lunch. Time here in UK is currently 1.07pm
<< Any chance you might (assuming Mr. Forster is ok with it) someday post the whole series of lists to wiki? >>
You can follow the whole thing simply by looking at the tasks in order (each completed task is numbered) and reading the timed log entries (which are all referenced to the list).
Yeah, just subtract 5 ;-)
When I saw "change wallpaper" on your list I thought "Egad, this must be superman. It takes me a couple of days to wallpaper a room!" Then I decided you must mean the wallpaper on your computer monitor! LOL ;-)
This really is great fun.
<< I have a feeling we won't see any dismissing today. >>
I have a feeling you will!
Yes, I was watching a movie, but you ought to know me well enough to know that I do things little and often. I watched about 30 minutes of it.
<< Are we watching the live demonstration of a system that hasn't yet been fully explained to us? >>
It's being explained as I go along. By the time today ends (accidents excepted) you should have the entire system.
And, BTW, this is so much MORE instructive than just a list of rules and a "go try it" admonition. Seeing it in action reveals so much about how it works in practice. I, for one, really appreciate Mark's doing this.
Yes, you could use a "----" subject line separator but I've found from using AF1 on my Blackberry in the past that the closed list effect works much more effectively for me to have a reducing task list. It seems to focus my mind a lot more on those unpleasant tasks when I can see there are only a few items left.
Makes sense. I find it varies with me depending on screen size. The small BB screen gets too cluttered with done tasks. At work I run Outlook on a large monitor and the extra real-estate makes it comfortable to have completed tasks showing. Plus, strikethrough on Outlook completed tasks is more intuitive somehow.
So, I'm going for this new approach as well. At least I think I am from what's been posted so far. I assume I draw a line. Above the line I keep rotating thrugh AF1 style until nothing stands out. Then I parse below the line, once, before returning above the line.
Is that how everyone elses reads it?
Matt
Imagine doing AF1 with only 2 active pages, one of them being the last page (where you add new tasks and don't dismiss). Only difference: There is no limit in length. Page 1 is closed, that means, you can't add tasks anymore, you can only get tasks done. Page 2 is open, you can add to it. So, page 1 would be the first part of the list (the not-so-called "backlog"), and page 2 the second part.
I wonder how wrong I am...
Are you planning on posting the rules today for your new system -- which looks fantastic -- by the end of your online demonstration today? That would be great!
-David
- Two lists (or list parts)
- First is a closed list (not) called "Backlog"
- - Is cycled through until nothing stands out
- - Don't know about dismissal yet
- Second is an open list
- - It is worked when nothing stands out from the first list
- - Don't know about dismisal yet (I suspect there is no dismissal from the open list)
- Return to the first list after working the second list once through (?)
If there was nothing more to it than that, it would be pretty powerful, IMO.
I can see why it isn't a true backlog (because potentially a newish task could end up there) but that list does get treated like a backlog (i.e. it gets isolated and then chipped away bit by bit) and it's going to get awfully confusing if we don't standardize on some terminology.
<< I wonder how wrong I am... >>
Actually that's quite a good summary.
<< Are you planning on posting the rules today for your new system -- which looks fantastic -- by the end of your online demonstration today? >>
You've got most of it already, see Andreas and Mike's summaries.
Just the dismissal/review stage to come.
My theory is that dismissal is not based on time for this system but on whether any items in the "backlog" list can be done or not. I'm guessing that if no items stand out at all, then all these items are put up for review and then dismissed on the next "backlog declaration".
So really there is no concept of "yesterday" for this approach...my deductions are based primarily on the fact that Mark started where he left off yesterday...and, of course, I could be completely wrong :)
<< Isn't the not-backlog list just "yesterday's list"? >>
No, it's not day specific.
Now it's starting to sound like a Bob Dylan song!
<< I could be completely wrong >>
Not completely :-)
If the "backlog" list is operated as an AF1 list in this new system then you would only need to do one item on it in order to move to the open list again - so length would not really be a major issue.
Re: Sanity ;-) I agree that terminology is important so we ought to pick our terms carefully.
At one point I said to myself: "Self, his backlog is nothing more than my "hot list"." On further reflection that is not true at all. While it may be that much of what is on the backlog is "hot", that does not correctly describe it.
Likewise, I think "backlog" is not right because some things there may be current.
I think when mark states his "rule" for drawing the line (especially drawing it next time) we will have more insight into what that line really MEANS. Knowing that, we will be able to devise meaningful terminology (or perhaps Mark has already).
I'm happy to call it the (not) backlog list for now ;-) Or we could call it the Ostrich list ... no, I prefer the Cat list ... I love cats ;-)
Thank you for the advice on how to follow the progress. I see now how to read this blog post to "recreate" the sequence of events.
Since some comments have been speculation about the actual activities on the list, I want to add that I got excited when I notice ORDO on your list! Could that have been the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)? Happy feast of St. Rosalia!
--Joseph
Re: Length ... are you sure? Length seems to be a killer under any set of rules. I would say that if you can't get through the list AT LEAST once per day (and that is at the ragged edge of acceptable IMO) then the list (or list section) is too long.
I agree in general - the balance will almost certainly be key - but I think it includes an important mechanism that AF1 lacked... namely the option to "shortcut-out" to the newer items.
What I mean is, suppose you are feeling time-pressured by a recently added or nearly-urgent item (or items), or even just by a nagging feeling there's "something you're missing" in the second part of the list:
In AF4, this is likely to reduce the extent to which items in part 1 feel ready to be done, so you're likely to swiftly switch to part 2. In AF1 however, unless you adopted a 'tweak', you would have to do at least something on at least one item on every page between where you were and the last page, which would likely be a lot slower.
It looks like a more easily managed approach to an idea I was just about to test for an AF1 tweak (having found myself with AF2 doing 'more', but primarily lots of repetitions of less important stuff like reading RSS feeds) - which was going to be the choice every time I moved to the next page of instead flipping to the last (or perhaps last but one) page and then returning to the 'real' next page after I reached the end.
<< If the first list is so long that you do not often get to the second list you have a problem analogous to the one that some of us had with AF1 >>
No, not really. Notice how fast I progressed up the list immediately after closing it.
Now the question remains - when are the 'marked for review' tasks reviewed?
<< I would say you are a very clean person. >>
I work on a little and often basis. Washing up isn't a big chore if there are only a few items to wash up. If you wait until there are tons, then it becomes a huge task. Same with email, paper, tidying, cutting the hedge, etc. etc. I always work to zero with my in-box and similar items.
- Two lists (or list parts)
- First is a closed list (not) called "Backlog"
- - Is cycled through until nothing stands out
- - If nothing stands out:
- - - All items are put "on review"
- - - The "backlog line" is moved to the end of the second list making all of that a "backlog"
- - - All new items are added after the new line
- - - We don't yet know about dismissal
- Second is an open list
- - It is worked when nothing stands out from the first list
- - It is worked in only one pass then we return to the first list
- - Don't know about dismissal yet (I suspect there is no dismissal from the open list)
Waiting with baited breath for the dismissal rule ;-)
<< Could that have been the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)? >>
I write the Daily Ordo for the Divine Office Group, which uses the Anglican Breviary. This version of AF makes it very easy to stay on top of that task.
We have "current", "backlog" (or not) and "review".
Looks like on the next "rotation" of lists...
1. "Review" will be dismissed
2. "Backlog" becomes "Review"
3. "Current" becomes "Backlog"
4. And anything new or repeated goes into "Current"
Simple and elegant.
<< when are the 'marked for review' tasks reviewed? >>
You are about to find out!
Do we have it all yet? LOL ;-) Here is what I see:
------
Summary of AF4 Rules
AF4 consists of two lists (or list parts)
- The first is a closed list called "Backlog" (for the moment)
- - It is cycled through until nothing stands out
- - If nothing stands out and something was "actioned" on this pass
- - - Move to the second list
- - If nothing was "actioned" on this pass
- - - All items are put "on review"
- - - The "backlog line" is moved to the end of the second list making all of that a "backlog"
- - - All new items are added after the new line
- - If nothing stands out in one pass of the "on notice" section
- - - Dismiss all "on notice" items
- - - Add back any that seem to want to be done to the end of the second list
- Second is an open list
- - It is worked when nothing stands out from the first list
- - It is worked in only one pass then we return to the first list
- - (I suspect there is no dismissal from the open list)
- The two lists are treated as one with regard to where one is in the processing, IOW, start tomorrow where you left off today.