Autofocus System - Get Everything Done | Hacker News Reader

Autofocus System - Get Everything Done

markforster.net

111 pointskqr219 comments

I think this approach has some rather nice features:

1. There is no need to try and break a task down into smaller steps before entering it into the list. When you come to work on it you probably have had a chance to think about it some more and it will be obvious if there are any sub-tasks.

2. There is no schedule and the granularity is (inifinitely) variable. This helps avoid needless analysis or planning.

3. Garbage-colletion. If you perform a task that invalidates some easlier items on your lists the dismissal process should catch that without having to review or re-analyse the complete list looking for dependencies.

So for a system that is appears free-form and light on rules it actually has some substance. The only issue I can see is one that asimjalis commented on where one task can take too much time. I think that then it is appropriate to wind up the pomodoro.

I've been using this for a year and a bit now. Its stuck for me because it is light on rules I think. No other system has been as successful for me at harnessing structured procrastination.

Be aware there at least 5 variants of this system. His latest is called Super Focus and tries to account for the arrival of unscheduled urgent tasks, see the discussion forum for the most recent description.

Link?

The discussion forums seem to be the place where the ideas are being iterated.

Here's how 'Super Focus' differs from Auto Focus : http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1317396

But there are iterations from there... ('approved' current summary from forum): http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/1321345

Love it. Seems like the perfect compromise between no system and a too-rigid system.

I wouldn't call it "Getting Everything Done" so much as "Getting (Some) Things Done".

One of my problems is that sometimes I get sucked into tasks and lose track of time. Some small bug at work or some quirk in the build system can suck up my whole day if I am not careful. It can easily suck up hours. Not sure if this Autofocus idea will address that. There is no time built into it. There is no egg timer.

It does take time into account : "This system can be quite addictive (at least that’s what I’ve found) so you may find it a good idea to set strict working hours. Stop dead when the time is up, and start again at the same place when it’s time to start again. I admit I am not very good at following this advice myself!"

Try it in conjunction with the Pomodoro technique http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/ where Autofocus helps you pick the task to do and Pomodoro helps you track blocks of time (and reminds you to take essential short breaks)

So, I'm sorry I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer here but basically his 'system' is; make a big long list, scan that list for things you want to do, ignore the things you don't want to do, do the thing(s) you 'feel' like doing and, when completed, draw a line through the thing you just did.

That qualifies as a 'system'?

um, yes?

I'd love to see this as a small app, but couldn't find anything with a quick googling. Does anyone know of a small app to help with this (on OS X or the web) and help save trees?

IMHO it's really best as a lo-fi paper based system. The act of having to rewrite re-entered tasks lets you revise the description as you go.

Any normal todo-list app could do. Actually any text editor such as notepad.

This is funny - people are slowly forgetting that our computers are cabable of running software other than the browser.

Imagine a future where your typical homeuser buys her computer from a browser company. Instead of buying Macs or PC's, instead of IBM's or HP's, people go and buy a Firefox terminal, or an Opera terminal, or a Safari terminal.

Ofcourse, the computer could run any browser, but the browser is locked into it and starts automatically on start up. Kinda like how people are buying Vodafone cellphones these days. Vodaphone doesn't make the phone, Nokia or Samsung does, but Vodaphone has it's SIM-card locked into it. The phones could just as well be sold without a SIM-card so you could buy one yourself from any phone company, but it's just more handy and easy this way.

Seems like you could almost use TeuxDeux http://teuxdeux.com/ with this system.

1. To start add everything to the 'Today' column

2. Look through, action what catches your eye, dismiss any items to the 'someday' list

3. Completed items just get crossed off, if it's a recurring task, cross off and re-add to the next days column or for speed just drag it across

4. Incomplete tasks auto rollover at the end of the day

Granted it's not perfect for this system but it might work.

Seems nice to me. I've always had issues with getting stressed out by an overly large list and feeling like I was forgetting things in the clutter.

Interesting system. Might make a decent smartphone app.

It seems to me that the actual writing of things in ink on paper makes them more real to your emotional mind, which is the point of the system. (Your mileage will almost certainly vary.)

If I didn't have to wake the family up to rummage around for a notebook, I'd start right this minute.

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