Mark Rösler’s notes
(Thank you, Mark!)
- There are many productivity systems.
- However, most are not stable, not sustainable.
- time, resources, scope: You can’t constrain all three.
- E.g. scope is the output of the first two.
- psychological readiness: How much energy and focus you have at a particular time.
- You can’t just “command” things to happen.
- “You’re not just a robot.”
- Do I have the energy to do this now? Sometimes the answer is no. Doing something that doesn’t seem as important can build momentum.
- Slippery slope between trying to build moment with other tasks and procrastination.
Questions & Comments
- What if my health/energy fluctuates a lot?
- Be more flexible and define success appropriately.
- Deadlines can be helpful but also stressful.
The Now List
- “now list”: a short term list of things to do right now
- productivity system depends on personality / life stage
- ABC: Checking off tasks one by one.
- non-linear
- we’re not robots, some people feel constricted by a linear approach
- make a now list of handful of things that need to be done right now
- atomic habits: make it a goal just to put on your jogging shoes in order to get into the habit of jogging
Time Blocking Tasks on the Calendar
- idea: time block tasks so they get done
- however, it doesn’t work for everyone
- tasks get “shoved down your throat”, like a conveyer belt of tasks
- often requires reshuffling tasks
- example: writing a book and mowing the lawn — you don’t want to put off mowing the lawn until the book is written
- split big tasks into smaller chunks (e.g. finishing a chapter)
Productive Bursts
- for some personality types, productive bursts can be helpful
Questions & Comments
- deep work: Maybe a myth?
- You might not be as deeply focused as you think in order to get things done (e.g. you don’t always need 4 hours of free time to get work done).
- Start by diagraming what needs to be done. It just takes a few minutes and breaks up the work. You can take a break and continue without much issue.
Presenter notes
