Comments on: Separating the Thinking Process from Doing http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/12/31/thinking-and-doing-an-effective-division-of-labor/ Thinking beyond productivity Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:54:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Andre http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/12/31/thinking-and-doing-an-effective-division-of-labor/#comment-4967 Andre Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:22:03 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/?p=616#comment-4967 <b>@Sean:</b> I didn't suggest writing it down on a list; I identified it as a two-minute action in the text: <i>“Look up Menken quote on presidential qualifications,” a two-minute action that would supply the missing piece necessary to assemble the article, can make the difference between starting and procrastinating.</i> The point of that example was to clarify what the next action was. Until the next action is clear, it's impossible to know whether or not it will take two minutes. Once you know what the next action is, then you're in a position to know whether or not to act on it immediately. @Sean: I didn’t suggest writing it down on a list; I identified it as a two-minute action in the text: “Look up Menken quote on presidential qualifications,” a two-minute action that would supply the missing piece necessary to assemble the article, can make the difference between starting and procrastinating. The point of that example was to clarify what the next action was. Until the next action is clear, it’s impossible to know whether or not it will take two minutes. Once you know what the next action is, then you’re in a position to know whether or not to act on it immediately.

]]> By: Sean McManus http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/12/31/thinking-and-doing-an-effective-division-of-labor/#comment-4965 Sean McManus Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:21:11 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/?p=616#comment-4965 Next actions are important, but the risk is that to-do lists become so granular that people spend all their time writing things on lists and crossing them off. In the case of a two-minute task like "Look up Menken quote on presidential qualifications", it's probably better to just do it immediately rather than spend time listing it. The important thing is that people are clear in their own minds what the next action is for each task, even if the to-do list has a broad definition of the goal to jog the memory. Next actions are important, but the risk is that to-do lists become so granular that people spend all their time writing things on lists and crossing them off. In the case of a two-minute task like “Look up Menken quote on presidential qualifications”, it’s probably better to just do it immediately rather than spend time listing it. The important thing is that people are clear in their own minds what the next action is for each task, even if the to-do list has a broad definition of the goal to jog the memory.

]]> By: Andre http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/12/31/thinking-and-doing-an-effective-division-of-labor/#comment-4562 Andre Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:26:28 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/?p=616#comment-4562 Clearing away ambiguity is a continuous, cyclical process. We're all in the same soup of confusion. Clearing away ambiguity is a continuous, cyclical process. We’re all in the same soup of confusion.

]]> By: Jarrod - Warrior Development http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/12/31/thinking-and-doing-an-effective-division-of-labor/#comment-4548 Jarrod - Warrior Development Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:15:35 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/?p=616#comment-4548 "But nothing stifles motivation like ambiguity". I will have to keep this in mind when I find my wheels spinning. Todo lists are only useful when you can actually do something with them :). “But nothing stifles motivation like ambiguity”.

I will have to keep this in mind when I find my wheels spinning. Todo lists are only useful when you can actually do something with them :).

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