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Time: Getting Jobs Done
Mon, 28 Nov 2005

Time is a tough issue all around I'm sure - theres never enough of it, and when you do get a spare moment you'd really rather spend it on the couch with your significant other - a person perhaps, or maybe a PlayStation - than getting to work and clearing out the daytimer. Let me be the first to admit that I'm organized enough to see tasks for what they are, and realize that the number of tasks coming in exceeds the number put to sleep. But, as you likely know, I've built a time management system for myself and.. it bloody well works. I thought I'd share.

Now, there are many 'big hitter' time management systems out there - dozens in fact (such as the ever-popular Getting Things Done that I ripped off for the title of this posting), but I know I've never had the time to really dig through any of them. I call these guys the 'heavyweight' systems - they require a certain level of discipline before they pay off (and pay off they will!) My own system is simpler, and when I've got my marketroid hat on I'll even be heard to say its a 'lightweight personal frameworks' . Baby, don't you think that phrase would give a venture capitalist a stiffy? Anyway, I'm sure my system is just a boiled down variation of these other guys, but I'm going to lay it down for you.

Why? Easy - not too long ago I was 'under control' (a state by which I mean that tasks are recognized, entered into the system, and managed) but in the last year I've managed to get into a total information-slum (where-by tasks are either handled immediately in the order they arrive, or added to a growing but disorganized collection, or even lost in the recesses of my poor brain.) (Given I build and maintain a task management system, this is ironic, no?) Well, a couple weeks ago I decided that enough was enough and that it was time to get back into my controlled state and you know what? I've gotten so much done in the last couple weeks I'm amazed. <plug>Yep, Shadow Plan does work folks ;)<plug> OKay, we all knew this since theres thousands of people proving it all the time, but its nice to re-prove it to yourself, thats for sure ;)

Alright, back to business. My 'system' (if you could demean yourself to label it as such) has a simple goal - to keep the information from bubbling around in your head and fogging up your mind. The mind (or at least mine) is a bad place to store rapidly changing information, but a good place to figure out what to do with it. We just can't store 10, 20 or 5 items in our minds and fairly evaluate which is the most important on a consistent basis - we can't manage the information, though we can ineffectively store it. So get the information as it comes in, realize tasks from it, and get it into your system - a pad of paper, a textfile on your laptop, or some sort of outliner .. maybe even a handheld outliner for your PDA. (I will try and refrain from linking to my application, though it grows hard!) Get it off your mind so that your thinking can remain clear and sharp, and manage those tasks in your system. The key is the system must be readily available and trustyworthy.

The plan...

So there you have it; you can add any number of layers to this simple model, but I don't want to turn this post into some exhaustive study of time management systems. I want you to remember the basics - that once you get just a simple level of control over your to do list, you'll already be getting 80% of the advantages a larger system will get you.

Man, I'm seriously getting stuff done this week.

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