For some reason I tend to forget about task management apps. So whenever I got back to them, it was depressing to see all the unfinished tasks that I haven't touched.
My solution is extreme time boxing. Every Sunday, I sit down and time box the next week. Work and personal stuff goes into the same calendar. I've learned to keep enough slack to not get stressed out. I also know how much unplanned time I need to coordinate with co-workers.
It's kind of absurd that less freedom when to do things, gives me more happiness.
In the beginning I thought that this cannot work because sometimes you just need uninterrupted time to finish something. However, such uninterrupted long spans don't exist anyways for many people. There are stand-ups at work, you have appointments with some of your team members and at 5pm you need to pick up your kids.
I understand, and I've tried this for a long time, but unfortunately it didn't work very well for me.
First, the level of uncertainty is very high right now, and I can't afford to have a fixed calendar for the whole week. In fact, it's pretty rare that I manage to stick to the same schedule for even half a day. :X
Also, it's often extremely difficult to estimate how long certain tasks will take because they involve both spending time with people (who, by definition, are highly unpredictable) and thinking strategically (which can take anywhere from 2 minutes to 2 hours).
That said, I do relate to the idea that "less freedom" can lead to "more happiness"! I try to apply this as much as possible when it makes sense, especially in my personal life.
Yes, this was also a concern when I started this approach. However, restricted time can also be a yard stick for accomplishing something in a short amount of time. But there are, of course, other factors that influence the success of such a method.
The overall method is very similar to what I use - at its core, it is simply a combination of an Eisenhower matrix and the Ivy Lee method.
The only thing that I must add is explicitly listing 'strategic reserve' time as an 'important' task - otherwise "triaging" can have you focusing solely on short-term priorities (e.g. "emergencies") and never giving you the space and time to consider the larger picture.
You are absolutely right—I should keep some slots for higher-level items, like the week's objectives or even longer-term goals. This is something I'm actually struggling with right now, so thanks for the tip!
As for the Ivy Lee method, I'm not familiar with it, but I'll definitely check it out!
Ever feel like you’re always behind, no matter how many tasks you cross off your list? I’ve been there—and it almost buried me in stress. Learn how I stumbled upon a triage-based organization method that changed my life and my work as a CTO.
For some reason I tend to forget about task management apps. So whenever I got back to them, it was depressing to see all the unfinished tasks that I haven't touched.
My solution is extreme time boxing. Every Sunday, I sit down and time box the next week. Work and personal stuff goes into the same calendar. I've learned to keep enough slack to not get stressed out. I also know how much unplanned time I need to coordinate with co-workers.
It's kind of absurd that less freedom when to do things, gives me more happiness.
In the beginning I thought that this cannot work because sometimes you just need uninterrupted time to finish something. However, such uninterrupted long spans don't exist anyways for many people. There are stand-ups at work, you have appointments with some of your team members and at 5pm you need to pick up your kids.
I understand, and I've tried this for a long time, but unfortunately it didn't work very well for me.
First, the level of uncertainty is very high right now, and I can't afford to have a fixed calendar for the whole week. In fact, it's pretty rare that I manage to stick to the same schedule for even half a day. :X Also, it's often extremely difficult to estimate how long certain tasks will take because they involve both spending time with people (who, by definition, are highly unpredictable) and thinking strategically (which can take anywhere from 2 minutes to 2 hours).
That said, I do relate to the idea that "less freedom" can lead to "more happiness"! I try to apply this as much as possible when it makes sense, especially in my personal life.
Yes, this was also a concern when I started this approach. However, restricted time can also be a yard stick for accomplishing something in a short amount of time. But there are, of course, other factors that influence the success of such a method.
The overall method is very similar to what I use - at its core, it is simply a combination of an Eisenhower matrix and the Ivy Lee method.
The only thing that I must add is explicitly listing 'strategic reserve' time as an 'important' task - otherwise "triaging" can have you focusing solely on short-term priorities (e.g. "emergencies") and never giving you the space and time to consider the larger picture.
You are absolutely right—I should keep some slots for higher-level items, like the week's objectives or even longer-term goals. This is something I'm actually struggling with right now, so thanks for the tip!
As for the Ivy Lee method, I'm not familiar with it, but I'll definitely check it out!
Ever feel like you’re always behind, no matter how many tasks you cross off your list? I’ve been there—and it almost buried me in stress. Learn how I stumbled upon a triage-based organization method that changed my life and my work as a CTO.