From Psychology Today:
- Thread starter Daniel E.
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Getting Things STARTED vs To-Do Lists
by Dr. Neil Fiore, author of The Now Habit and Coping with the Emotional Impact of Cancer and Awaken Your Strongest Self
Start times: Use a schedule to list Start and Leave times and appointments rather than creating an overwhelming list of things you have to do.
1. Personal life: 3-5 things you don’t need a list for such as daily contact with your children; your spouse; your body, health, exercise; and Nature, breathing, meditating
2. Top Priority list—no more than 3-5 items that you start on every day. Know when you will start on AAA priority; followed by AA or BBB. These are the bottom line activities that will change your life, keep your job, and may take 40-1000 hours to complete.
3. Low Priority, C-level tasks. For these tasks a list is useful to clear your mind so you can focus on top priorities and as rewards for getting started. They might include: Put gas in the care on the way home; buy milk; pay phone bill or hire an assistant; fix the garage door; or empty the closet. This is a list that is looked at AFTER starting on AAA projects. This is also the list of activities you may choose to Let Go of – a “Things I want but can’t afford or don’t have time for now.”
4. Procrastination/Retirement List: things to put off until I’m retired and can consider at my leisure, if I choose: Learn Swahili, Salsa dancing, to play the piano, or write a book. This is your Guilt-Free Play list of things you don’t have to do now. Feel free to procrastinate and day dream on these projects.
?2009 Neil Fiore, PhD All rights reserved. Permission to reprint is granted provided this copyright and contact information are included:
www.neilfiore.com neil@neilfiore.com 510 525 2673 For coaching see: www.neilfiore.com/coach.shtml
by Dr. Neil Fiore, author of The Now Habit and Coping with the Emotional Impact of Cancer and Awaken Your Strongest Self
Start times: Use a schedule to list Start and Leave times and appointments rather than creating an overwhelming list of things you have to do.
- Avoid "I have so many things I have to Get Done."
- Remember: “done,” “finish,” “accomplish,” “deliver” are all in the imaginary future. Your body can’t get there so these images create anxiety -— stuck energy trying to get into a nonexistent future place.
- Keep Starting. The last time you start is when you’re finish. Don’t worry about finishing. Your new deadline is seeing what you can get started in 30 minutes.
- Deadlines in the distant future will keep you anxious and don’t tell your mind and body when to start. Back-time from the deadline to create a 3-dimensional path back to When, Where, and on What you can start.
1. Personal life: 3-5 things you don’t need a list for such as daily contact with your children; your spouse; your body, health, exercise; and Nature, breathing, meditating
2. Top Priority list—no more than 3-5 items that you start on every day. Know when you will start on AAA priority; followed by AA or BBB. These are the bottom line activities that will change your life, keep your job, and may take 40-1000 hours to complete.
3. Low Priority, C-level tasks. For these tasks a list is useful to clear your mind so you can focus on top priorities and as rewards for getting started. They might include: Put gas in the care on the way home; buy milk; pay phone bill or hire an assistant; fix the garage door; or empty the closet. This is a list that is looked at AFTER starting on AAA projects. This is also the list of activities you may choose to Let Go of – a “Things I want but can’t afford or don’t have time for now.”
4. Procrastination/Retirement List: things to put off until I’m retired and can consider at my leisure, if I choose: Learn Swahili, Salsa dancing, to play the piano, or write a book. This is your Guilt-Free Play list of things you don’t have to do now. Feel free to procrastinate and day dream on these projects.
?2009 Neil Fiore, PhD All rights reserved. Permission to reprint is granted provided this copyright and contact information are included:
www.neilfiore.com neil@neilfiore.com 510 525 2673 For coaching see: www.neilfiore.com/coach.shtml
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