Capture refers to the process of offloading the mental burden of remembering everything and relying on a trusted system to store and organize information.
Clarifying is the step where you gain clarity on what needs to be done and align tasks with goals and priorities.
In the organize step, you prioritize and plan tasks to create an organized system that reflects your priorities.
Reflecting is the step where you regularly review and adjust priorities, helping you stay adaptable and make informed decisions.
Deep dives
Capture: Getting information out of your mind into a trusted system
Capture refers to the process of getting information out of your mind and into a trusted system. It involves using various methods, such as digital tools, notebooks, or even a designated inbox, to capture all the ideas, tasks, and information that come your way. The goal is to offload the mental burden of remembering everything and rely on a system to store and organize these inputs for later processing.
Clarify: Turning information into actionable tasks
Clarifying is the step where you turn all the captured information into actionable tasks or decide whether they need to be kept at all. It involves asking questions like, 'What is the desired outcome of this task? What is the next action needed to move it forward? And can I delegate or defer this task?' By clarifying, you gain clarity on what needs to be done and ensure that tasks are aligned with your goals and priorities.
Organize: Prioritizing and planning tasks
In the organize step, you prioritize and plan your tasks. This involves deciding when and how each task will be tackled. You can use tools like task managers or calendars to create an organized system that reflects your priorities and helps you stay on track. By organizing your tasks, you gain a clear overview of what needs to be done and create a roadmap for accomplishing your goals.
Reflect: Reviewing and reprioritizing
Reflecting is the step where you review and reprioritize your tasks. It involves regularly reviewing your task list to ensure that it remains relevant and adjusting your priorities and plans as needed. This helps you stay adaptable and responsive to changes in your work or personal life. Reflecting also allows you to zoom out and take a big-picture view of your goals and progress, helping you make informed decisions about what to do next.
Creating Buffers in Your Schedule
It is important to create buffers in your week to ensure productive use of time. These blocks of time don't need to be specified for particular tasks but should be dedicated to taking action and avoiding distractions.
The Importance of Reflection
Reflection is a critical and often overlooked aspect of productivity. Taking time to reflect allows you to assess your progress, clear your mind, and stay on top of your tasks. Regular reviews and check-ins help to identify open loops and maintain a sense of control.
Time Blocking and Focus
Time blocking and using a tool like Fantastico can be a powerful combination for efficient scheduling and task management. By allocating specific time blocks for tasks and utilizing digital calendars, you can effectively manage your workload and prioritize important work.
Inger and Jason have been on holidays, so there's a lot to catch up on. Jason was off the grid, finding boxes of romance novels in country opp shops while Inger borked all the authenticator apps on her phone and was locked out of ANU email. There's a brief foray into Power Ballads and the Australian 80s band Noiseworks.
There's a rather large mail bag to get through (13:53), which also prompts a bit of a discussion about AI (again) before the duo get to their work problems segment at 30:52. This time David Allen's classic 'Getting things done' gets a bit of an airing, along with some reflection on tools and techniques that the pair think will carry on into 2023. There''s a slide deck you can follow with the episode if you want more detail. For once, Inger does not have a feminist critique and wonders if Allen got a sensitivity editor.
Jason has read three books (starting at 1:18:39) - Inger guesses correctly they are all Navy Seal related so he feels both judged and seen. Inger has been reading a romance set in a Strictly Ballroom reality TV show world as well as a couple of useful things on managing events, thinking about ADHD and the Digital Zettlecasten.
In the Two minutes tips (1:35:52) Inger publicly commits Jason to the next On The Reg book project - listen to the end to find out!
