Comments on: Get Things Done Like a Zen Master http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/ Get Focused in an Age of Distraction Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:51:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Oliver http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-45824 Oliver Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:49:51 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-45824 All good stuff :-) Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple said (in the 1940s) that distraction had the the biggest obstacle to happiness. How much more so today?! I smiled about pen-and-paper todo lists, I know what you mean about getting bogged down with electronic ones. A stranger once dud me an unexpected favour - they stole my my psion organiser. Last autumn my step son gave me an iPhone, but I've become less organised and am thinking about going back to my paper pocket diary. A good stress relieving method is to write down in the diary only things to do that you know how to do, and if you don't know how, you put down that you will sit think about it and decide what to next as your todo item. If you don't do it, you reschedule it., taking into account it's level of urgency. The discipline of either doing or rescheduling is easy. If something gets rescheduled several times, ask if you really are going to do it at all. I use a Mothers Union pocket diary which has one page of days opposite a blank page which I can use for notes. A few years ago I implemented a similar system for running the tech support department of a company I owned. It needed to be online so as to integrate the lists for several staff, but the principle was the same. It worked very well, things got done, the workload was always under control and clients kept informed of progress. All good stuff :-)
Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple said (in the 1940s) that distraction had the the biggest obstacle to happiness. How much more so today?!
I smiled about pen-and-paper todo lists, I know what you mean about getting bogged down with electronic ones. A stranger once dud me an unexpected favour – they stole my my psion organiser.
Last autumn my step son gave me an iPhone, but I’ve become less organised and am thinking about going back to my paper pocket diary.
A good stress relieving method is to write down in the diary only things to do that you know how to do, and if you don’t know how, you put down that you will sit think about it and decide what to next as your todo item. If you don’t do it, you reschedule it., taking into account it’s level of urgency. The discipline of either doing or rescheduling is easy. If something gets rescheduled several times, ask if you really are going to do it at all. I use a Mothers Union pocket diary which has one page of days opposite a blank page which I can use for notes.
A few years ago I implemented a similar system for running the tech support department of a company I owned. It needed to be online so as to integrate the lists for several staff, but the principle was the same. It worked very well, things got done, the workload was always under control and clients kept informed of progress.

]]> By: Vicky Klopp http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-23772 Vicky Klopp Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:08:35 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-23772 The Monty Python movie THE MEANING OF LIFE, addresses distraction as the reason most of us do anything but effective living. I think that "honed in lists" are vitally important. But, first we need to ask the right question, or we shall be busy completeing short lists, and still not living. The Monty Python movie THE MEANING OF LIFE, addresses distraction as the reason most of us do anything but effective living. I think that “honed in lists” are vitally important. But, first we need to ask the right question, or we shall be busy completeing short lists, and still not living.

]]> By: John http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-20105 John Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:15:22 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-20105 Hey Scott Fantastic article! The voice of calmness in the midst of a 2.0 storm :) But seriously, this is a much needed point of view in today's extremely distracted society. You're right, without the ability to focus, you end up spending time where you shouldn't be and lots of it. I honestly miss the pen and paper and, oddly enough, I did use a weekly planner when I felt my best. From a app perspective, I find toodledo.com provides a good alternative. Yes, it includes all of those "distracting" features such as priority, folders and so on. But what's really neat is that it also contains a Calendar feature, which lets you view your tasks on a monthly view. And guess what? I don't have more than 3 tasks on a given day. So from your article, clearly it seems '3' has a significance of simplicity and focus. Great work! Hey Scott

Fantastic article! The voice of calmness in the midst of a 2.0 storm :)
But seriously, this is a much needed point of view in today’s extremely distracted society. You’re right, without the ability to focus, you end up spending time where you shouldn’t be and lots of it.

I honestly miss the pen and paper and, oddly enough, I did use a weekly planner when I felt my best. From a app perspective, I find toodledo.com provides a good alternative. Yes, it includes all of those “distracting” features such as priority, folders and so on. But what’s really neat is that it also contains a Calendar feature, which lets you view your tasks on a monthly view. And guess what? I don’t have more than 3 tasks on a given day. So from your article, clearly it seems ’3′ has a significance of simplicity and focus.

Great work!

]]> By: Mo Mastafa http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-17853 Mo Mastafa Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:19:24 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-17853 Hey Scott, great post. Keeping it simple is such an important point. I have always used pen and paper & post it notes and refuse to budge, whilst all my friends use apps, web 2.0 gadgets and gizmos etc, but are always all over the place. In my opinion, lack of focus is one of the greatest reasons for personal and business failure. The ablity to focus is so important, but often overlooked. Robert Kiyoaski defines focus as "F"ollow "O"ne "C"ourse "U"ntil "S"uccessful... I love it. I like to apply Brian Tracy's method outlined in his book "Eat The Frog" where he says something along the lines of creating your to-do list the night before and then put the most important task at the top of the list. Then the following day, if you are to achieve only one task that day, it's the most important one... normally the ugliest one too (the frog), but it needs doing the most! As entrepreneurs, especially those of us work a lot online, we have to eliminate destrations. Personally I make a habit of closing any browser windows that are not being used, else my subconscious will pick up on them and I might find myself getting disctracted. I also make sure that my workspace is very clean and minimalistic for the same reason... no distractions. Anyway, I could go on about it forever, but great post my friend. Keep up the good work! Hey Scott, great post.

Keeping it simple is such an important point. I have always used pen and paper & post it notes and refuse to budge, whilst all my friends use apps, web 2.0 gadgets and gizmos etc, but are always all over the place.

In my opinion, lack of focus is one of the greatest reasons for personal and business failure. The ablity to focus is so important, but often overlooked.

Robert Kiyoaski defines focus as “F”ollow “O”ne “C”ourse “U”ntil “S”uccessful… I love it.

I like to apply Brian Tracy’s method outlined in his book “Eat The Frog” where he says something along the lines of creating your to-do list the night before and then put the most important task at the top of the list.

Then the following day, if you are to achieve only one task that day, it’s the most important one… normally the ugliest one too (the frog), but it needs doing the most!

As entrepreneurs, especially those of us work a lot online, we have to eliminate destrations. Personally I make a habit of closing any browser windows that are not being used, else my subconscious will pick up on them and I might find myself getting disctracted.

I also make sure that my workspace is very clean and minimalistic for the same reason… no distractions.

Anyway, I could go on about it forever, but great post my friend. Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Stay In the Moment Get Things Done :A Touch of Business Blog http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-17114 Stay In the Moment Get Things Done :A Touch of Business Blog Mon, 30 May 2011 18:19:38 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-17114 [...] Get Things Done Like a Zen Master [...] [...] Get Things Done Like a Zen Master [...]

]]> By: Jeff padgett http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-16454 Jeff padgett Wed, 18 May 2011 13:29:11 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-16454 Very very helpful article ! I have very bad Add ! This has already helped me tremendously! More than anything else . I agree with A list you write on as opposed to computer Or phone . When you write you create More and remember Wgat you write more .. Also the weekly daily schedulers are the best , that Way you can see quickly what you need to move To the next day ! Very very helpful article ! I have very bad
Add ! This has already helped me tremendously!
More than anything else . I agree with
A list you write on as opposed to computer
Or phone . When you write you create
More and remember Wgat you write more ..
Also the weekly daily schedulers are the best , that
Way you can see quickly what you need to move
To the next day !

]]> By: O que eu tenho feito da vida ou Links sobre temas variados | 1up4developers http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-15034 O que eu tenho feito da vida ou Links sobre temas variados | 1up4developers Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:37:19 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-15034 [...] Se tiver paciência (acho que o post já é um teste!) leia: http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master [...] [...] Se tiver paciência (acho que o post já é um teste!) leia: http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master [...]

]]> By: Patrick http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-13480 Patrick Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:42:48 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-13480 Good insight.It is useful Good insight.It is useful

]]> By: Stay In the Moment Get Things Done http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-12849 Stay In the Moment Get Things Done Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:25:29 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-12849 [...] Get Things Done Like a Zen Master [...] [...] Get Things Done Like a Zen Master [...]

]]> By: Chris http://howtogetfocused.com/chapters/how-to-get-things-done-like-a-zen-master/comment-page-1/#comment-11134 Chris Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:07:31 +0000 http://howtogetfocused.com/?p=1396#comment-11134 I use Todo+Note=Getthingsdone app on my android phone and it works perfectly for me. https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sandroid.taskmaster I use Todo+Note=Getthingsdone app on my android phone and it works perfectly for me.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sandroid.taskmaster

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