Mark Forster

I find Mark Forster's FV (Final Version) to be a great synthesis of structured procrastination as well as a way of creating the feeling that I got stuff done. Plus it's so minimalistic. http://markforster.squarespace.com/

Just my testimonial for the book The Now Habit. I found it on the library shelf at work. Was skeptical but interested. Borrowed it. Loved it. Told people. Endured their jokes about how long I would take to finish reading it, if ever. Started using some of its exercises and remedies. Ran out of renewals. Returned it to work. Wanted a hardcover but couldn't find one. Bought it from the Kindle store instead. Just finished reading it. Am beginning to read it again so I can apply the bits that I haven't yet. One more thing, given this book you should consider to avoid losing your focus by spending endless time with additional productivity literature, but for my part I use a couple of simple things with it: Mark Forster "Final Version" lists (http://markforster.squarespace.com) and Pomodoro Technique (http://www.pomodorotechnique.com). Final Version leads me to select the task for which I feel the most resistance and tension as the task that I will address (not necessarily complete!) next. The Pomodoro Technique helps me to do what The Now Habit calls "persistent starting": get started, and no matter how many times I get into a slump or come back from a break, just get started again.

Mark's Final Version perfected productivity system (https://archive.constantcontact.com/fs004/1100358239599/archive/110951… has been very comforting over the years when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I just put everything in a long list and work through it. His other systems are also worth a read (http://markforster.squarespace.com/tm-systems/), as are his books

I got this book [0] by Mark Forster [1], tried the techniques and found out what works for me. It is a gold mine. The author describes in his blog [2] many more of his ideas and experiments about productivity. [0] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26171733-secrets-of-productive-peo… [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Forster_(author) [2] http://markforster.squarespace.com

Another vote for all the work Mark Forster has done experimenting with different list methods. http://markforster.squarespace.com/ With less introspection, I’ve usually done the long list, scanning for something I either feel joy or guilt, and do that. Not that effective at work because most of the work doesn’t bring joy.

Plainorg is awesome. Keep up the great work. The app has enabled me to use the org-mode based plaintext productivity system I've found most effective on my phone. Super useful. Incidentally, the system I use is from Mark Forster's 'Autofocus' constellation of productivity experiments. Unfortunate that his work is not more widely known because it's quite effective (for me at least). Here's a link to the version I use: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2021/11/16/the-final-version-p…

> " …here’s the method I am using at the moment with great success. You need a random-number generator to work it." http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2014/1/22/random-time-manageme…

A simple todo list system that I love, and that is built on the idea of structured procrastination, is Mark Forster's "Final Version Perfected" system. It is described here: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe…

There are other approaches that don't involve self-deception but instead work on your intuition about what you're best equipped to deal with at the time... http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe…

Mark Forster's time management systems are interesting. Did you see Autofocus version 4? Of all the ones I've tried, it's the one I like best, though his "Final Version" system has been growing on me the more I try it. http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2009/9/5/preliminary-instructi… There's also a nice "animation" of AF4 in action: http://autofocus.cc/public/data/af4-demo.pdf

Very interesting. When I need to make myself work on something (which creates a new problem: deciding to force yourself to do something) I have 2 main techniques (I just realized you could probably do both methods together.) Method 1. Incrementing time boxes (the first step is similar to yours actually). Set a timer for 1 minute and do it for one minute. Then 2 minutes, then 3, and so on. (At some point you'll be working on it and forget about the timer, and that's ok.) (Credit to Mark Forster[1] and/or Khatzumoto[2] for that idea. [1] I believe it's in his "Get Everything Done" book as mentioned here http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2713432 [2] http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/timeboxing-trilogy-part-5-in… Method 2. Start with a blank piece of paper (or text file). Write down the goal. In outline form, indent and write the first thing needed to do that. If needed, indent again and write down the first thing to do that, and so on, until you have something to start on. Note that I'm not talking about outlining and planning the project, just the first step (of the first step, ...). A great benefit is it helps you focus on deciding where to start, breaks it down to something small enough to start on, and it keeps track of where you are in the process, what you're trying to do. I guess it helps with working memory (which helps with executive function). Proceed to work on the project indenting and un-indenting as…

I really love autofocus for this: http://markforster.squarespace.com/autofocus-system/ It gives you the permission to "just" work on something for five minutes. I like to look at it like this: time management systems and practices, at the personal level, are stacking lego blocks. You find the pieces that work for you and combine them - there's no one true system. Calendar stacking solves one particular problem - that problem may not be yours. But the largest tip is having a "don't-do" or "someday/maybe" list. These are things that look productive but you have to actively say no to, so that you can say "yes" to what matters. It's not about habits or similar - it's about great ideas and things that might make sense later but you just have no time for it. So you write it in (and maybe some details) so that you can just release it. It's a lego block. Another lego block is the "3 things." Ruthlessly prioritize to the most important things. Have a very low priority queue for a day. But ultimately, the key is that even the time gurus know that they are writing for a subset of all people. There is no one true method.

I used GTD religiously for a while, but I ran into the same issue of having difficulty deciding what to do right now. After trying a bunch of different approaches to how to set up 'contexts', I eventually came across Mark Forster's 'AutoFocus', which after a bunch of adjustments turned into this: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe… Key paragraph that explains why this worked better for me than GTD did: > There are three main requirements which have to be kept in balance. These are urgency, importance and psychological readiness. Traditional time management systems have tended to concentrate on the first two of these. The neglect of psychological readiness is probably the reason that most people don’t find time management systems particularly effective or congenial.The most distinctive feature of FVP is the way that its algorithm is primarily based on psychological readiness - this then opens the way to keeping urgency and importance in the best achievable balance. I still use a rudimentary GTD approach for collecting stuff (various inboxes) and keeping track of a project as a whole, but I've so far this 'AutoFocus' (or rather the unfortunately named 'Final Version') approach has been the only one that didn't fall apart quickly.

I read the FVP post [1]...I'm slightly incredulous: it's just a list. That you scan and pick things from. I'm not sure if I should be impressed or underwhelmed at the simplicity. There are no categories, no contexts, no markers, no due dates... I'm not sure what makes this is a "system". What's odd is that the author seems to have had previous incarnations/systems, that were actually more complex, e.g. had separate lists with review periods, curation, etc., but he seems to have evolved (which I really appreciate continual improvement) to "fuck it, just use one list". I know I'm committing an error of logic, but his FVP stats seem to indicate he's basically retired/in a low stress environment [2], so perhaps all the regalia of GTD (which fwiw I don't practice) are more applicable in the corporate environments that spawned it. However, if it works for you, that's great. It's been awhile since I've poked around in the "productivity system" space. Interesting stuff. [1]: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe… [2]: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/27/a-day-with-fvp.html

This is basically this auto focus system I was introduced to. I use Google Sheets so I can have a few columns. I can print it out if needed, and easily accessible on my phone and desktop. http://markforster.squarespace.com/autofocus-system

Thuis reminders me of the opposite approach Mark Forster takes boy prioritising in the resistance a task creates http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2022/6/14/resistance-how-to-ma…

The prioritization tip reminded me of "Final Version" productivity system that I personally like. It's just one big-ass list of everything and you pick and do stuff at random (more or less). Yes, it sounds silly, but I found out that it works better than constantly re-ordering goals. :-) http://markforster.squarespace.com/final-version-faqs/

For those who have struggled as I have with the Zeigarnik effect attempting to do David Allen's GTD or other list-based systems, there is an answer: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe… More on Zeigarnik here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeigarnik_effect

I've always liked his "Final Version" method better, where you select tasks you want to do, and then do them in reverse order. http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2015/5/21/the-final-version-pe…

Original: http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2009/1/6/autofocus-system-inst…

FWIW I do this: gym 1 hour per day (improves health, skin condition, confidence - just don't run every day and do get good running shoes); plan my goals with GTD (listen to the original audio CDs - they are golden - online guides are usually missing huge chunks --- use paper or a simple note-taking app like Zim); Final Version (http://markforster.squarespace.com/final-version-faqs/) in a cheap notebook with side markers for context; Pomodoro to split up the working day. All this has taken years to work out - and it will not click you to start with - but you'll eventually find yourself feeling less stressed and more satisfied with your day. Whether you like it or not it's not sustainable to be in front of a screen for 16 hours a day - so make one of your life goals to get out of that situation as soon as you can.

> How do you envision you’ll work through all of the captured notes? Do it all at the end of the day? Not entirely sure yet. My current setup involves an Apple shortcut that sends a text blob to my email inbox with the subject "Note to self", where I have a filter set up to send emails with that subject line to a specific folder. Once the notes are in my inbox, I go through them whenever I get around to clearing my other emails, and I parse each item into my action planner. For that, I'm currently using Mark Forster's "Resistance Zero"[0] system to moderate success, but I've been experimenting with other ways of tracking and actioning my to-dos. Given the software is open source, I plan to try and hack something together that automatically routes my voice notes as plaintext to that same email filter. I try to adopt the Unix philosophy when assembling my personal productivity workflow. To that end, I consider this device a composable "quick capture" tool, and nothing more. > Recording the thought or idea is the easy part, but it only defers the action. I find that this is very untrue for me. The tiny bits of friction with other quick-capture systems I've tried add up to a substantial "loss factor" over time. If I use pen/paper, I need to ensure I have my notepad and pen on me at all times. If I use my phone, I also need to have it on me at all times, and then also manage to avoid getting distracted by social media. Either action requires fumbling around with a physical…

Wow. What I haven't tried before... One html file wiki (tiddlywiki i think). Something like 3 self written web task editors before DropBox happened. Mori (kind of evernote from the past), Google Wave (still missing it), made couple of money tracking apps with couchdb, remotestorage and other offline capable but syncing apps for personal use on mobile. Currently Notes: Plain text notes with markdown elements synced via DropBox edited in NvAlt on Mac, and Notesy on iOS. Sketches: Moleskine notebooks of various sizes (mostly Reporter). Currently experimenting with even smaller ones (Cahier journals) Visual References: After years of screenshots on my desktop and reference folders full of unnamed images I made lightweight pinterest clone https://github.com/vorg/kollektor Articles: Pocket as 'todo readme' solution but currently working on and app for hyperlinking pdf's for computer graphics papers. ToDo: Gave up on per project hierarchical task list as they always get old and dusty. So instead I split information into long living stuff and references (links, project requirements, hardware specs etc) that goes into notes. And one task list for MIT (most important tasks) daily similar to Autofocus system (Autofocus system - http://markforster.squarespace.com/blog/2009/1/6/autofocus-system-inst… + smaller ones for bug lists per project, TaskPaper for Mac, and TaskMator / Listacular for iOS. I even wrote custom editor for TaskPaper notes…