Abstract and Visual
Models of task management
@kobvel
Mikki Kobvel
CTO
protos.com.ua
Tech Lead
doubledutch.me
Why do we need task management system ?
Information era
Collect
INBOX
-
Missed calls
-
Messages stack (Slack, Telegram, FB ...)
-
Random ideas from your head (Africa trip)
-
Mail inbox
Collect
-
Instant promises
Clarify
1. All unnecessary will be cleaned
3. Some things will be delegated
2. All instant tasks will be done
4. All non-instant tasks will be sorted by projects
5. All new projects will be identified
inbox
actionable?
yes
no
atom action?
yes
< 2 min
Do it!
Someday
Trash
Materials
no
Planning
delegate?
yes
Waiting for
yes
Defer it
Specific date
no
no
Planning
Purpose / Guiding principles
Why are we doing this?
Mission / Vision / Goals / Successful outcome
What does success look, sound or feel like?
Brainstorming
How I will accomplish it?
Organizing
When will we do this things?
Atom actions
Where do we start?
Organize
-
Projects
-
Materials
-
Next actions
-
Waiting actions
-
Someday/ Maybe
(Work project, Trip, Hobby)
(links, documents)
(perform action X)
(await for X)
Projects
-
Professional
-
Subproject_1
- next actions
- waiting
- materials
-
Subproject_1
-
Personal
-
Subproject_1
- next actions
-
Subproject_1
-
Someday / Maybe
problems list
-
book X
-
design
-
monthly report
-
prepare GTD lecture
to-do list
-
read chapter Y from the book X
-
call Mike to ask about UX/UI developers
-
export monthly statistics for report
-
prepare a plan of GTD presentation
Checklists
-
Fitness activity
-
Camping list
-
Flight list
Focus area:
Family
Fitness
Someday
-
Movies
-
Books
-
New skills
-
Trips
-
Blogging
-
Food
-
Presents ideas
-
To Buy
-
Party ideas
Support
Your system can not be static!
Support
Morning Review
Weekly Retro
10
30
-
what have I done?
-
what is left?
-
why haven't I finished?
-
is my mind clear?
-
is my mind clear?
-
check all inboxes
-
all tasks without dates
-
project statuses
-
Someday/Maybe
Evening Review
10
-
what's the main focus?
-
what can I do?
6 floors of review
Ground: Current actions
1 floor: Current projects
2 floor: Areas of focus
3 floor: Goals (1-2 years)
4 floor: Vision (3-5 years)
5 floor: Purpose & Principles
Execute
- The 4-Criteria Model for Choosing Actions in the Moment
- The 3-fold Model for Identifying Daily Work
- The 6-floors Model for Reviewing Your Own Work
Execute
1. Context
2. Time
3. Energy
4. Priority
Choosing action in the moment
@Context
buy salt
call Mikki
listen audiocast X
read X chapter of Y book
clean emails
learn new skill
water flowers
clean the window
cook new dish
gym training
refuel the car
read article X
@Context
buy salt
call Mikki
listen audiocast X
read X chapter of Y book
clean emails
learn new skill
water flowers
clean the window
cook new dish
gym training
read article X
@ 🚙 city
@ 💻 computer
@ 📱 phone
@ 🏠 home
refuel the car
Time
buy salt
gym training
refuel the car
@ 🚙 city
visit Mom
buy new table in Ikea
🕐 15 min
🕐 1.5 h
🕐 15 min
🕐 3 h
🕐 30 min
1 hour
Energy
read X chapter of Y book
clean emails
learn new skill
@ 💻 computer
make research about GTD
create Event in FB for GTD lecture
Priority
M
S
C
W
o
o
p1
p2
p3
p4
Would have
Could have
Should have
Must
have
Priority
The Eisenhower Matrix
p1
p2
p3
p4
Read X chapter of Y book
clean emails
Learn new skill
Make research about GTD
Create Event in FB for GTD lecture
@ 💻
@ 💻
@ 💻
@ 💻
@ 💻
🕐 20 min
🕐 1 hour
🕐 10 min
🕐 1 hour
🕐 10 min
p3
p1
p4
p2
p1
🕐 40 min
💻
gym training
print documents
buy salt
make a photo for VISA
get a package from the post office
@ 🚙
🕐 1.5 h
🕐 15 min
🕐 5 min
🕐 15 min
🕐 15 min
🕐 3h
🚙
@ 🚙
@ 🚙
@ 🚙
@ 🚙
gym training
home
print documents
make a photo for VISA
get a package from the post office
🕐 2.5h
Instant work which shows up
P1 by default!
What do we want to achieve?
Working trance
To achieve flow your mind should constantly think about current particular task (1) ....
....while ignoring any outside coming information.
Bad news
Prefrontal cortex - is a small piece of your brain which trying to handle rest parts.
You have 0.3 seconds to stop your Raccoon
Good news
You have limited amount of cages
Another bad news
You should use them only in the exceptional cases !
Get rid of distractions
External
Internal
1. You have clear task (next action)
2. You want to finish it (defined by project)
What could went wrong?
External
- silent mode
- switch off
- mute channels
- remote work
do not disturb
Internal
- interest in the task
- reward
- stress level
stress level
“The loveliest trick of the Devil is to persuade you that he does not exist.”
― Charles Baudelaire
Procrastination
Demons
Wishful
Cause:
Antidote:
We predict positive outcomes to be more likely than negative outcomes.
The Lie:
Tomorrow will be perfect or at least much better than the present situation.
Reality check on what can go wrong in the future.
Fear
Cause:
Antidote:
Fear.
The Lie:
The consequences of your action will be horrific, end of the world.
Calculate the real risk objectively.
Stigmatizer
Cause:
Antidote:
The task has been staying on your list for too long.
The Lie:
This task is difficult, there must be a reason why it’s on my todo list for so long!
A quick 5 minute sprint with a precise tiny first step.
Elusive
Cause:
Antidote:
When you don't see necessary steps to reach your final goal.
The Lie:
You should stay idle until you see the exact path, otherwise you'd fail.
Embrace the fact that you lose more by standing still than by taking a first - potentially imperfect - step.
Gigantic
Cause:
Antidote:
The project ahead is so enormous.
The Lie:
I don't have chance, it's too HUGE!
Chunking the giant into digestible parts.
Resourceless
Cause:
Antidote:
Lack of an essential energy resource: sleep, food, fun etc.
The Lie:
A magical power will refuel you.
Get one shot of energy and move!
Someday
Cause:
Antidote:
The lack of a deadline - and usually motivation - makes the task less urgent.
The Lie:
You can do it anytime, there are more things on the list.
Deadline.
Boring
Cause:
Antidote:
You remember that the task ahead bored you to death previously.
The Lie:
This demon is not lying, the task IS probably terribly boring... 🤔
Gamification or Reward!
Last min junkie
Cause:
Antidote:
There is an adrenaline-rush close to deadlines and it makes you high.
The Lie:
Let’s postpone until the very last minute! It’s gonna be awesome!
Taking the first tiny step asap and get dopamine by achieving micro-tasks.
Tools
@kobvel
Mikki Kobvel
mikki@protos.com.ua