Tag Archives: task management

Planning Session 3 – Clear out!

Posted on by acrystelle
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I can’t stand clutter. Organised desk, organised mind, I say. Clutter is almost a reflection of one’s state of mind. It certainly rang true for me last year. At a point of total chaos, my study area reflected much what I was thinking and feeling about the (more than) plateful I had going on.

Well, planning session three, for me, was to attack my study area with utmost brutality. I simply could not begin another year with remnants scattered about the place. I was determined to head into this year with increased clarity and freedom in my mind.

I can tell you it was liberating. I felt the weight of last year’s workload and items I had neglected come off my shoulders. Now I want to spend time in my study. I have set up my area with what I need handy, according to how I like to work.

I’m a big fan of ‘Getting Things Done’ and I highly recommend grabbing a copy of the book, or you can even download a bunch of helpful PDFs from David Allen’s website for free to get you started.

First of all, emptying inboxes had to begin with identifying all inboxes. Where do all the ideas, tasks, filing, readings, etc end up?
My inboxes: -

  • Google Reader (I have Instapaper too, but I’ve created an RSS feed from my ‘Unread’ folder to my Google Reader)
  • Evernote
  • (physical) In-Tray
  • Gmail
  • University (study) email
  • Task manager
  • Twitter favourites

Next, is to go through each of these inboxes and process EVERYTHING.

  1. Determine what the item is.
  2. Decide what needs to happen with it.
  3. If the item requires an action, or a series of actions, either enter into the task manager or write it down. Place a note on a post it and stick on the physical item.

DO NOT place anything back where it was before.

For physical items, such as scanning to do or statements to file, I grouped items into piles of similar tasks. I have a ‘To Action’ folder, a ‘To file’ folder and an ‘Inspiration’ folder on my project files rack for the physical items (courtesy of Kikki K). The key outcome of this process was each item’s next action was determined. When I go to my ‘To Action’ folder now, I don’t need to think about what items are or what needs to be done. I can just DO IT! A similar system can be applied to email inboxes and Evernote. I now ‘clip’ items directly to an ‘Inbox’ notebook and ‘empty’ this notebook on a weekly basis as part of my review. I also now use the task manager ‘Things’ and am finding the tagging function useful to apply contexts to my tasks. If a task doesn’t need to be completed immediately, I enter the task into my inbox in ‘Things’, then apply scheduling and tags, file into a project, at my weekly review. The most important thing here is the task’s entry into the system.

After the initial clear out, getting rid of stuff I didn’t require anymore (I must say a shredder was very helpful!), I then had a look at all the items needing to be actioned. As a general rule, if an action took less than two minutes, it got done right there.

I don’t employ every part of the GTD system, just bits and pieces integrated into my existing system of organising myself. Part of implementing GTD is being able to trust the system. If systems and consistent processes can be put into place, then I believe you can trust items to be captured and dealt with more effectively. When setting up a system, it is important inboxes are handy and easy to process.

Here are some other tips and hints to clearing out and planning: -
Getting Things Done FAQ by zenhabits
Get all inboxes to zero, and have fewer inboxes by zenhabits
5 Ways GTD helps you achieve your goals by zenhabits
7 Steps to achieving your goals by Alexandra Samuel

Know Your Limits

Posted on by acrystelle
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Know your limits, know when to stop.

 

This is a lesson I’ve learnt over the last few semesters of my LIS studies. I’ve found I cannot work into the wee hours of the morning doing assignment work. I honestly don’t know how people do it. When people say they have to pull an “all nighter”, I have to say I’m not sure if I believe they’d actually do it. Are they for real?

I remember peers from my undergraduate degree talking about doing “all nighters” the night before an assignment was due. I continue to wonder….how on earth do these people’s brains work at that hour?

I believe in quality over quantity. I’d rather do a job right or don’t do it at all. I’ve learnt to recognise when my limit is up, when I simply cannot think about, draw connections with, or just cannot think clearly enough to produce quality work. The last few nights I’ve had to stop at 11pm. I could’ve pushed through the tiredness, kept soldiering on. After all, ‘no pain, no gain’ right? But I stopped. It wasn’t worth the time, my effort, nor my partner’s patience for me the next morning when I unleash my wrath. It’s unfair. When I can’t think anymore, when I see myself (and my thoughts) go in circles, I stop. No amount of tea or port can get me through to the wee hours. I know I can’t do it.

Producing quality work doesn’t come from the amount of hours you put in. It’s what you do with your time that counts. A good balance of task/time management and knowing your limits is key to quality work. Know when to put that pen down, close that book, stop looking for those last few references, shut down your computer. Recognise your limits, listen to your body.

Now I’ll admit my last few posts have not been what I’d call quality, I feel bad about that, but nonetheless I intend to continue to have purpose in every post. I’ve finished and submitted my last assignment for the semester today. So I look forward to writing some ‘deep in thought’ posts as I see out this challenge of blogging everyday in June.

Abstract Accepted!

Posted on by acrystelle
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What an exciting achievement….

Whooooaa! Hooooooo!!!  Yippeeee!!!  Woot! Woot!

I had to do that, and now its over with. Thank you for bearing with me.

I’ve never written a conference paper or presented before, so the New Librarians’ Symposium (NLS) this year will be a significant milestone for me as a new information professional, as well as a stepping stone towards presenting in the future. Presenting at the New Librarians’ Symposium will provide the opportunity to share my learning and experiences with establishing and developing my PLN, (hopefully) encourage and guide my peers in developing one of their own, to benefit from collaborative learning, current awareness of issues and professional development opportunities.

Time to report on how I’m going with the project….

I’m currently (still) doing the literature review on key, supporting concepts – personal learning networks and the e-learning theory of connectivism. From my initial findings and the #CCK11 course, I’ve found two more concepts, network theory and personal learning environments (PLE). All four concepts are highly relevant to my paper, but the question that keeps running around my head is, when do I stop looking for, reading and reviewing literature? I’ve also thought about the kind of literature I should be seeking. I’ll explain….in terms of academic literature, there really isn’t a lot out there, both for personal learning networks and connectivism. However, does the PLN concept have a place in formal, academic literature? There are large amounts of opinions and thought sharing on the concept through blog posts and presentations, so should I be looking at these resources? And if so, where do I start to find quality content? The very nature of a PLN suggests the best place to start would be my own PLN, twitter and RSS feeds, and having a look for content authored by the leaders I already follow.

I ran into the same issues with the last literature review I completed for my studies. Not so much the source of the literature, but the “where do I stop?” dilemma. I need to learn to set boundaries for myself and stop “the hunt” when I start going in circles. I guess these skills come with (loads of) practice. I’ll get there.

I’ve developed a concept map, initially on paper (which always works!), however I tried using the free version of MindNode to replicate. (On a side note, I’ve found MindNode to be quite limiting, I can’t show connections between concepts on different “branches”.) The concept map is not ideal, but its a start (at least for one in electronic format). Suffice to say I’m on the look out for more useful concept/mind map software, if anyone has any suggestions?

Other tools I’ve been using to help me out with managing the project and methodologies are: -

  • Evernote – to record random notes and capture web content and links
  • Mendeley – to store and organise PDF articles/literature
  • Twitter/ Hootsuite
  • EasyTask – task management program
  • Calendar – tried and true month by month print outs to show project-specific due dates/schedule (I need a constant visual at my desk)
  • Diigo – to store bookmarks I envision I’ll use after the project
  • Dropbox
  • WordPress blog (of course!)

While on the subject of methodologies, I had a “lightbulb” moment approximately a week ago about my approach to collecting data on my participation and contributions to my PLN – on Twitter and my blog. I’ve been recording what I’m contributing, but not the return conversation – my “mentions” on Twitter, or the comments I receive on my blog. Tah-dah! Of course! PLNs are about “give and take”, so ideally I need to capture both sides of the conversations I’m having.

So up to this point, I’m a bit behind in my schedule I’ve set for myself, but all in all, I think I’m doing well. I did miss a scheduled post two weeks ago due to illness. I don’t like falling behind or skipping tasks. As long as I keep reverting back to my abstract, I can maintain focus on my goal and purpose of the paper.

My next steps for the project are: -

  1. Finishing up the literature review
  2. Review notes made/ thoughts captured in Evernote
  3. Start to organise my notes into a structure for the paper
  4. Review my abstract (also to assist with outline and structure)
  5. Get writing!

 

 

PLN Participation Update

# of Tweets for fortnight 60

# of Followers gained 2

# of Mentions 40

# of People I started following  1

# of Blogs/Feeds added 1

Top 5 Blogs I’m reading at the moment

  1. Freestyle Mind
  2. David Lee King
  3. Hmmm….
  4. New Grads News Online (ALIA New Graduates Group blog)
  5. Opinions from an OPL

Semester Goals and Task Management

Posted on by acrystelle
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This past week marked the first of Semester 1, 2011 of my Masters course in Library and Information Science at Queensland University of Technology. This is my third semester, completing the course part time. The main issue I’ve had in the past is expecting too much from myself. Since last semester I’ve realised I can’t do everything. Learning will continue far beyond my formal studies. I can only do what I can. 

A few weeks ago a member of my PLN on Twitter sent me a fabulous link to a blog post entitled “30 Habits that will Change your Life”. I highly recommend the read, for LIS students and established professionals alike. The habits outlined in the post have inspired me to implement Goals (& Rules) for my semester ahead. (I’ve since subscribed to the blog feed – Freestyle Mind.)

  • Maintain 7am – 3pm work days (The last few weeks I’ve managed 7.30am – 3.30pm. This is ok as I get home by 4pm)
  • Go to bed at 9.30pm during the week
  • Exercise for 30 minutes at least every second day
  • Check my email inbox only twice per day
  • One day off per week

By keeping an ‘early start, early finish’ at work (and I’m very grateful my hours are flexible) I can fit in two to three hours of study before my partner is due home. I have a rowing machine and I’ve booked in my skeletal/postural assessment to begin Pilates classes. These goals/rules are completely achievable.

Task Management

I can maximise outcomes by organising and prioritising tasks. Effective task management has always been a priority for me and it plays a key role in achieving productivity goals. I say “task management” instead of “time management” because by managing tasks efficiently and decisively, results in the best use of my time. In October, I stumbled across a wonderful web/desktop application called EasyTask. Then in December, discovered the book (and mastermind) behind the “Getting Things Done” methodologies and practices. A key tip I’ve gained from the book is to identify where all my ‘in trays’ were. Where do I place my thoughts and ideas? Where do I place my incoming mail to be processed? Where do I receive email? Save journal articles?

The following are a few tips I’ve incorporated into my day-to-day productivity: -  

Tip #1 Identify where all your inputs are gathered.

I have four email inboxes – Gmail, Work, Uni and Hotmail (which I’m trying to get rid of); Evernote for recording thoughts and ideas; Diigo for bookmarking; a physical tray for my mail; Google Reader for feeds; GoodReader app for documents opened on my iPhone. (I think I’m still working on this one)

Tip #2 Minimise the number of ‘in trays’.

By minimising the number of places you have to look for inputs to process, the more efficient you are at capturing everything you need to pay attention to and decide next actions. Make your applications work for you. For example, I’ve created an RSS feed from my Instapaper “Unread” folder to deliver straight to my Google Reader – one less ‘in tray’ I have to check.

Tip #3 Review and reassess your tasks and due dates regularly.

I was reminded of this by another member of my PLN. I have a habit of entering a task, setting a due date and priority level and expect I’ll have time to complete it on that day. This isn’t always possible, so I’ve tried limiting the number of tasks I set for myself per day and implement a weekly review of my upcoming tasks for the week. Pushing back due dates should not feel like failure.

Tip #4 Empty your ‘in trays’ on a regular basis. Action all ‘two minute’ tasks straight away. Any tasks which will take more than this, input into a task management application or diary.

Another valuable lesson from the “Getting Things Done” book. My Gmail inbox remains at zero. Fantastic, doesn’t feel so overwelming.

Tip #5 Never, ever place something back into your ‘in tray’.

If you’re undecided about what to do about an input, don’t place it back in the tray. You have to think about and process that item again at a later date. Time wasted right there.

Finally, I can’t put in all the hard work without rewards. Lucky for me football season starts this month. One motivator for me is attending Sunday afternoon games. If I can accomplish a reasonable amount of work before lunchtime Sunday, I allow myself the treat and go to a game. I guess we all have to find motivators for ourselves. Whether it be a little retail therapy, a hair cut, cooking, crafting, chilling out with friends or a book, whatever it may be.

Don’t forget your ‘me’ time.