On 2018-10-11, at 16:57, Peter Neilson <neil...@windstream.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Oct 2018 10:03:15 -0400, Bingo <right...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Le 10 octobre 2018 21:45:53 GMT+05:30, Marcin Borkowski >> <mb...@mbork.pl> a écrit : >> >>> >>> - a warning when my efficiency is lower than a set value, and info >>> about >>> how much work I need to do to bump it up to that value. >>> >> >> Nice, but it has an anti-feature. For procrastinators, warnings >> frequently have negative effects. It can be understood in multiple >> ways : >> >> 1. "What the hell" effect : As Dr Art Marckman tells in the book >> "Smart Change" , there is a "what the hell" effect where the victim >> goofs off even more to the extent of giving up a goal if he realizes >> that he is falling behind schedule, or has goofed off more than was >> advisable. The solution is to forgive oneself, and not beat oneself >> up. This warning looks like beating oneself up. >> >> 2. Showing how much work needs to be done to catch up goes against >> some self improvement philosophies. E.g. dividing work into subtasks >> helps in not getting overwhelmed by the amount of work. Or the >> recommendation to plan breaks in addition to planning to slog, >> otherwise the plan to slog becomes overwhelming and procrastinators >> give up. >> >> Of course, if it works for you, go for it. > > Sabotage of the TODO list ... > > Managing the flow of my own work sometimes runs into unintended > sabotage, perpetrated by others or by me. The offending tasks are > often large, incapable of division, and not immediately crucial. For > example, somewhere in the middle of my list of "Get it done some other > time, but not now," tasks is this one: "Repair the International 454 > tractor." It rests comfortably on that list unless I either (1) need > to use that tractor, or (2) hear my wife telling me, "Why don't you > ever get the 454 running? You never get anything done around here! > I need to use its bucket, and the Mahindra doesn't have one." From > that point onward, and my "TODO" thoughts about writing, about > programming, or about training horses are derailed. In case (1) I need > to figure out some other approach, like maybe using the Mahindra. In > case (2) my wife is right--as always--and my tendency is to stop doing > anything at all. > > My org mode TODO list is absolutely no help when I encounter one of > these show-stoppers. If anything, the list is an additional albatross > adding to my already encroaching depression. Have you heard about Beeminder? (Note: I'm a user, but I have no financial interest in recommending them. Also, I made an Emacs/Org-mode client for their software.) It is my primary way of staying on track with my TODOs. This tool is just a helper. Best, -- Marcin Borkowski http://mbork.pl
