Hi.
Once in awhile I experiment with an idea that most of the time I DON’T like:
I create contexts called 0800, 0900, 1000, 1100, and so on. Each represents
time. Each has hours set to, for example 10:00-17:00. Then I assign tasks to
each so the day is more balanced. In other words, at 0800 a bunch of tasks
become active. Then an hour later another bunch starts.
It doesn’t matter what the start dates are for each task, since they won’t be
visible until its context becomes active.
I do this so I don’t start the day with 100 tasks staring at me.
Again, most of the time I DON’T use this idea, though it has merits in my
opinion.
HTH
From: mylifeorganized@googlegroups.com
[mailto:mylifeorganized@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John . Smith
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 05:23
To: MyLifeOrganized
Subject: [MLO] Running out of fields! How do you plan today's periods of time?
How do you allocate goals to tasks?
Hello
How do you allocate tasks to specific goals to tasks?
How do you plan today's periods of time?
i.e. For any given day, how do you plan which Contexts you are going to do in
which order?
[I apologise in advance that this is so long. Partly I am trying to get my own
thoughts clear!
I've marked it up to make it easier to skim-read. ]
BACKGROUND
For any task like to know, some or all of the following:
1. What Area of Life it's in
==> this I do through which MLO Folder I've put it in.
2. (If it's part of a larger project) what major project it's part of
===> this I do by
a) using a hierarchy
b) using the MLO Projects field in the parent task
3) "Priority" - what is the real-world Importance & real-world Urgency
==> I use the MLO Importance field, but because I find it too hard to enter
both values for all tasks
Importance means importance, except if it's importance is "max" in which case
it means must be done urgently, irrespective of importance!
4) "Do today" status
==> I use the MLO Star field to flag up at the start of each day what I want to
take on today.
5). Different types of "contexts"
A) What "where context"
i.e. Physically where must this be done
==> Use of MLO Contexts field (e.g. @PC, @Office(paperwork), @Home,
@Errands...)
B) What "mood context"
==> I *also* use the MLO Contexts for this (e.g. @Calls, @DeepThought,
@LowEnergy ...)
C) What "task size"
This helps me pluck any quick wins - low hanging task
==> I *also* use the MLO Contexts for this ( @Quickies..)
D) What "time of day context"
I only use this occasionally, but it can be important.
Normally tasks get done at the correct time of day depending on their Area of
Life
But sometimes a work task must be done during the evening
And sometimes a person task MUST be done during working hours
==> I *also* use the MLO Contexts for this too (e.g. @Evenings,
@WorkingHours...)
E) What resistance history?
For tasks that have been around too long, I also want to flag up "Frogs" -
harder/high resistance stuff (witness by the fact that I have put them off). I
like to start the day with tackling one of these tasks.
This ALSO goes into the MLO Contexts field (e.g.@Frog)
6) What "Executable Status" (when would I like see again & execute)
==>
a) Partly I kick into the future (change MLO Start Date field) so task
disappears of Active view [GTD "Tickler" file]
b) Partly I also use the MLO Context field too [@Soon/Later, @SomedayMaybe,
@Bonus ]
GATHERING MY THOUGHTS
So I am now using the MLO Contexts field for SIX different types of thing:
A) What "Where context" ==> (e.g. @PC, @Office(paperwork), @Home,
@Errands...)
B) What "Mood context"==> (e.g. @Calls, @DeepThought, @LowEnergy
...)
C) What "Size" is the task ==> (e.g. @Quickies )
D) What "Time of day context" ==> (e.g. @Evenings, @WorkingHours... )
E) What "Executable Status"==> (e.g. @Soon/Later, @SomedayMaybe, @Bonus )
F) What "resistance history" ==> (e.g. @Frog )
But I'm now running out of fields!!
a) How does one track which personal GOAL any task is part of?
[Explanation: I do find by using task management software it's all too easy to
keep yourself busy executing lots of tasks... but it's not clear WHY you are
doing stuff. In fact it's very easy to do all the wrong stuff.]
==> So I am really going to allocate Goals using the MLO Context field, as well
as for the other SIX things listed above?
b) How (the heck) does one plan which Contexts I'm doing to do today and in
which order...
...And hopefully tie in which task area part of those Context?
