Comments on: Remember Everything in 2010 with Autofocus 4 http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/ Lead and Innovate with Integrity Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:55:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Claudia Volkman http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-5028 Claudia Volkman Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:44:04 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-5028 Hi David! I saw your recent entries on the AF blog - almost posted there, but thought Alec might enjoy being part of this discussion. Why did you return to AF1, and if you don't mind, could you summarize for me the differences between AF1 and 4? You sound as busy as me in my book publishing life... and it sure sounds like AF1 is working well for you. Thanks for sharing! Claudia Hi David! I saw your recent entries on the AF blog – almost posted there, but thought Alec might enjoy being part of this discussion. Why did you return to AF1, and if you don’t mind, could you summarize for me the differences between AF1 and 4? You sound as busy as me in my book publishing life… and it sure sounds like AF1 is working well for you. Thanks for sharing!
Claudia

]]> By: Claudia Volkman http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4878 Claudia Volkman Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:45:08 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4878 Hi David, I do agree! I have spent more time tweaking my systems than actually getting things done. I think that's what was so appealing to me about AF4! And I'm doing a modified version these days: using Omnifocus for Projects, Areas of Focus and NAs (contexts are Work, Home, Errands and Waiting For). I jot things down on paper as they come to me and process them later ... it's been working, and I am keeping it as simple as I can. I heard a podcast with David Allen this morning about his recent visit to a high school - he just told the kids, "Make a list of everything you need to finish..." Pretty good reminder! Claudia Hi David, I do agree! I have spent more time tweaking my systems than actually getting things done. I think that’s what was so appealing to me about AF4! And I’m doing a modified version these days: using Omnifocus for Projects, Areas of Focus and NAs (contexts are Work, Home, Errands and Waiting For). I jot things down on paper as they come to me and process them later … it’s been working, and I am keeping it as simple as I can. I heard a podcast with David Allen this morning about his recent visit to a high school – he just told the kids, “Make a list of everything you need to finish…” Pretty good reminder!
Claudia

]]> By: David Drake http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4876 David Drake Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:32:29 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4876 Hi Claudia, I hope your move has gone well! I am still working well with Autofocus 4, with a projects list in Word and a list of my Areas of Focus. As I said before, I keep hard due date tasks both in AF4 AND in Outlook 2007 as I can then track these in my Outlook calendar. All in all, things are working beautifully! One piece of advice....always, always strive to keep things as simple as possible. The more complexity one builds into their time management system, the more time one finds that they spend ON THE SYSTEM rather than getting their work done! Believe me, I have been there and that is why I love AF4 so much. Do you agree? Alec, how about you? Best wishes, -David Hi Claudia,

I hope your move has gone well! I am still working well with Autofocus 4, with a projects list in Word and a list of my Areas of Focus. As I said before, I keep hard due date tasks both in AF4 AND in Outlook 2007 as I can then track these in my Outlook calendar. All in all, things are working beautifully! One piece of advice….always, always strive to keep things as simple as possible. The more complexity one builds into their time management system, the more time one finds that they spend ON THE SYSTEM rather than getting their work done! Believe me, I have been there and that is why I love AF4 so much.

Do you agree? Alec, how about you?

Best wishes,
-David

]]> By: Claudia Volkman http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4845 Claudia Volkman Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:41:09 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4845 Great advice from you both! It's very helpful to hear how someone else is actually implementing the methodology - whether GTD or AF4 or a mixture of both. I think what you both describe is just about right. Since our move came up really quickly and then went from 4 weeks to 2, it's a good chance for me to experiment with an electronic setup (Mac and iPhone with Omnifocus) and see how it actually goes. I'll keep you posted! But I suspect that keeping the AF4 list of NAs on paper, hard due dates in iCal, and Projects and Areas of Focus in Omnifocus is probably the ideal setup... Now - on to the packing! Claudia Great advice from you both! It’s very helpful to hear how someone else is actually implementing the methodology – whether GTD or AF4 or a mixture of both. I think what you both describe is just about right. Since our move came up really quickly and then went from 4 weeks to 2, it’s a good chance for me to experiment with an electronic setup (Mac and iPhone with Omnifocus) and see how it actually goes. I’ll keep you posted! But I suspect that keeping the AF4 list of NAs on paper, hard due dates in iCal, and Projects and Areas of Focus in Omnifocus is probably the ideal setup…
Now – on to the packing!
Claudia

]]> By: David Drake http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4836 David Drake Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:13:00 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4836 Hi Claudia and Alec, I agree -- tinkering is fun, but think of how much time we waste on trying to create the "perfect" system. Boy, I know I have wasted a lot of time....and as busy as I am, that was time I could have spent....guess what....getting things done! Claudia, I am sticking with AF4. Since I came from a digital GTD setup, I still use many aspects of GTD, which are quite good. I still maintain a projects list, make sure there are next actions for each project on my AF4 list (or entries like "work on project X!"), perform a weekly review, maintain a list of my "Areas of Focus", etc. I track hard due dates for items in Outlook 2007 as that is where I keep my calendar. Our university maintains calendars in Outlook, so for scheduling meetings, it only makes sense to keep my calendar there. SO a mix of digital and paper (AF4 list), with the principles of GTD and AF4 for processing my actions. -David Hi Claudia and Alec,

I agree — tinkering is fun, but think of how much time we waste on trying to create the “perfect” system. Boy, I know I have wasted a lot of time….and as busy as I am, that was time I could have spent….guess what….getting things done!

Claudia, I am sticking with AF4. Since I came from a digital GTD setup, I still use many aspects of GTD, which are quite good. I still maintain a projects list, make sure there are next actions for each project on my AF4 list (or entries like “work on project X!”), perform a weekly review, maintain a list of my “Areas of Focus”, etc. I track hard due dates for items in Outlook 2007 as that is where I keep my calendar. Our university maintains calendars in Outlook, so for scheduling meetings, it only makes sense to keep my calendar there. SO a mix of digital and paper (AF4 list), with the principles of GTD and AF4 for processing my actions.

-David

]]> By: Alec http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4835 Alec Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:47:51 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4835 Hi David and Claudia, Tinkering with systems is a lot of fun (this coming from an inveterate tinkerer like you both)! Nevertheless, I too keep to my AF4 log. Is it perfect? The project and next action (NA) processing could be better. Is it good enough? Have to say yes - the only things that are not done in any given period of time are the ones that I have had in front of me and chosen repeatedly not to do. Pretty good system. Claudia, good luck with your move. Alec Hi David and Claudia,

Tinkering with systems is a lot of fun (this coming from an inveterate tinkerer like you both)! Nevertheless, I too keep to my AF4 log. Is it perfect? The project and next action (NA) processing could be better. Is it good enough? Have to say yes – the only things that are not done in any given period of time are the ones that I have had in front of me and chosen repeatedly not to do.

Pretty good system.

Claudia, good luck with your move.

Alec

]]> By: Claudia Volkman http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4834 Claudia Volkman Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:31:06 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4834 Hi David! I am playing with my system again too - sometimes for me it's part of the review process. We are moving in two weeks and there's lots that I don't want to fall through the cracks. I'm using paper and A4 but I confess to experimenting the past couple of days with Omnifocus and a more traditional GTD approach. I'll keep you posted! But as things come at me on the fly during the day, nothing beats collecting on paper. Later, processing into projects and/or NAs. I know AF merges these two steps, but in the long run, I'm wondering if it is as efficient. Any tips from my fellow tinkerers? Claudia Hi David! I am playing with my system again too – sometimes for me it’s part of the review process. We are moving in two weeks and there’s lots that I don’t want to fall through the cracks. I’m using paper and A4 but I confess to experimenting the past couple of days with Omnifocus and a more traditional GTD approach. I’ll keep you posted! But as things come at me on the fly during the day, nothing beats collecting on paper. Later, processing into projects and/or NAs. I know AF merges these two steps, but in the long run, I’m wondering if it is as efficient. Any tips from my fellow tinkerers?
Claudia

]]> By: David Drake http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4832 David Drake Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:34:58 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4832 Hi Claudia and Alec, As a completely helpless tinkerer on systems (must be the professor and scientist part of me), I have posted on Mark's website that the new book from Michael Linenberger did nothing for me. I have seen this kind of approach in one form or another at least 50 times over the past 10 years. So....once again....and am sure it will be hard because I love to tinker with systems....I have posted there -- and here -- that I am staying with I have found STILL to work best for me -- Autofocus 4. I tried AF1 for a while.....but AF4 really is a better system -- at least for me. -David Hi Claudia and Alec,

As a completely helpless tinkerer on systems (must be the professor and scientist part of me), I have posted on Mark’s website that the new book from Michael Linenberger did nothing for me. I have seen this kind of approach in one form or another at least 50 times over the past 10 years.

So….once again….and am sure it will be hard because I love to tinker with systems….I have posted there — and here — that I am staying with I have found STILL to work best for me — Autofocus 4. I tried AF1 for a while…..but AF4 really is a better system — at least for me.

-David

]]> By: David Drake http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4831 David Drake Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:55:00 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4831 Hi Claudia and Alec, So how are things going with you? -David Hi Claudia and Alec,

So how are things going with you?

-David

]]> By: David Drake http://blog.alecsatin.com/autofocus4/comment-page-1/#comment-4789 David Drake Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:22:19 +0000 http://blog.alecsatin.com/?p=2136#comment-4789 Hi Claudia, Thanks for this link -- very interesting! Ah, the power of Autofocus.....and on paper! Here is an interesting link from a blog of a very bright young man. It is a fresh look at how to work on projects. I am finding this approach compliments well with AF4. We all have to find ways to focus on specific projects to get them done. I am finding his approach to be quite useful. There is also a link at the bottom to an article entitled "The Einstein Principle: Acomplish more by doing less". I think this is good advice for all of us. We get SO busy with so many things that our focus becomes so splintered that it is hard to do great work....versus just good work....and for some....just staying "busy". Here is the link: http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2007/10/18/the-art-of-the-finish-how-to-go-from-busy-to-accomplished/ Best wishes, -David Hi Claudia,

Thanks for this link — very interesting! Ah, the power of Autofocus…..and on paper!

Here is an interesting link from a blog of a very bright young man. It is a fresh look at how to work on projects. I am finding this approach compliments well with AF4. We all have to find ways to focus on specific projects to get them done. I am finding his approach to be quite useful. There is also a link at the bottom to an article entitled “The Einstein Principle: Acomplish more by doing less”. I think this is good advice for all of us. We get SO busy with so many things that our focus becomes so splintered that it is hard to do great work….versus just good work….and for some….just staying “busy”.

Here is the link:

http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2007/10/18/the-art-of-the-finish-how-to-go-from-busy-to-accomplished/

Best wishes,
-David

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