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I do something similar to this with my dead simple todo list. there is no TODO section a MAYBE section a DOING section and a DONE section, only one thing ever i
by mrbombastic 3y ago
I do something similar to this with my dead simple todo list. there is no TODO section a MAYBE section a DOING section and a DONE section, only one thing ever in the DOING section until it is crossed out, if you come across some rabbithole add it to TANGENT section and resist urge to do it, once you are done with your task pick another one from MAYBE. It sounds dumb because it is basically the same thing but TODO sections stress me out and bring about that foreboding feeling that you will never get it all done, and they always grow never shrink. A lot of times i’ll look at the MAYBE section the next day and some things just aren’t as important as I thought or somebody else did it. Like I said dumb and simple but thats why i like it.
- TeMPOraL 3y agoI have a question that's maybe super naive, but it's something I'm struggling with: that one designated item in the DOING session, what happens when it turns out to be a big challenge, perhaps a multi-day one, something you just can't possibly do in one sitting? I mean, obviously, you should push it back to TODO section and pick something else, but how do you deal with the associated feelings of frustration and powerlessness?
- borg16 3y agonot the author of the comment, but try breaking down the bigger task into smaller achievable tasks and add those into the DOING section? This should address the issue you are asking about.
- TeMPOraL 3y agoThis defeats GP's idea (and the idea from the article) of only having one task at a time in the DOING section.
- wtetzner 3y agoNot if you just do one of the smaller broken down tasks at a time.
- _annum 3y agoOne solution would be to nest sub-tasks into items in the MAYBE column, which could increase the chances of the larger task being accomplished/initiated. If a MAYBE task is insurmountable or too complicated for a single session, it should be returned to the MAYBE column and refactored accordingly.
- mrbombastic 3y agoI create another note dedicated to that big task with the same rules, and try to find the simplest first thing you can do for that task, and put that in DOING section, rinse and repeat until the big task is done. Or if it is too big to do in one go just call it Big task part 1 and timebox it with the same approach. Tomorrow if it is still a priority make a Big task part 2. Edit: about feelings of powerlessness when I am feeling particularly useless or like I am struggling to get things done I make my DOING items laughably tiny, like “get the project running” “find file related to the bug” or even something as simple as “create a branch” that way I get a little dopamine from checking boxes and I can build some momentum.
- theptip 3y agoIf you can split the task such that the current item is re-scoped to be tractable (say, “scope out <new challenge> and come up with a plan”) and you create new tasks for the unexpected work / finishing initial goal, then you can capture the best of both; you did make forward progress, you ticked an item off, and you learned something useful. You just didn’t complete what you originally hoped you would.
- colanderman 3y agoI use a similar system for my personal and work Trello. Only ever one thing in the "Doing" column. And completed things go into the "Done" column. It's the only way I've been able to manage what is likely undiagnosed ADHD and also avoid total burnout.