Bo2SS

I really want to recommend this book to the people around me. Although everyone's experiences and stages are different, so the insights will definitely vary. But if you feel that you don't have enough time / are busy every day / don't know what you're doing each day / can't get up in the morning... then this book will definitely help!

At the beginning of the article, I want to share a quote with the readers:

Instead of rushing to do things, slow down first and learn how to manage them.

Suggestion: After finishing each section, take a moment to practice, reflect for a while, and then continue.

At first glance, the title of this book might seem like a collection of random novels, but in fact, it is a serious GTD time management masterpiece. Let me first share its Douban rating, paying high respect to the author:

⭐Highlights of this book: The Four Quadrants Method, Focusing on One Thing at a Time, Closet Organization Method, Habit Formation, Daily Review Method, Unbroken Time, How to Handle Emergencies...

[Introduction]#

Many people are forced to complete a role transition after starting a job, and they are busy every day. But whether they are truly busy or not, this book should provide the answer. There is a quote in the book that I strongly agree with:

The competition between people is a competition of maturity; those who understand early will seize the opportunity.

And what does maturity mean? It means having a definite value system, smooth time management, and a personal philosophy of life.

This book has two types of contents, which is also the author's thoughtful design. One type tells the story between the workplace newcomer "Xiaoqiang" and the experienced "Lao Fu" like a novel, while the other uses professional terminology to describe it from a time management perspective.

The structure of this book is as follows, mainly divided into six steps: Finding Seeds → Seeds Germinate → Branches Grow → Leaves Sprout → Flowers Bloom → Fruits Harvested:

Now let’s take on the role of "Xiaoqiang" and practice together! You can download the PDF of this book at the end of the article.

——Simplified Version——#

Preparation: Identify the sources of time wastage, find your values.

Core Part: Divide the four quadrants based on values, find and break down your goals.

Additional: Some practical time management tips.

Identify the Sources of Time Wastage#

Spend several consecutive days evaluating each hour of your work time: Focused or Wasted. See what your focus ratio is for a day.

At the same time, every hour, write down what you plan to do in the next hour, which is the expected outcome. So, while evaluating this hour, record the actual results and observe whether you meet expectations.

Through these two steps, you can clearly see where your time is wasted and find your efficient time slots based on your completion status, which will be useful later.

Find Your Values#

It is well known that arranging the most important tasks during your most efficient time slots yields the greatest benefits. Your values are the scale by which you determine what is most important.

Spend 5 minutes completing the following test:

A — Very Important, B — Quite Important, C — Average, D — Less Important, E — Not Important

In the evaluation table below, score A~E as 5~1 points respectively and calculate the total score.

Your highest three scores and lowest three scores correspond to your value tendencies, which you can then use as a standard for evaluating priorities.

You can record these to remind yourself at any time.

Divide the Four Quadrants Based on Values#

Based on values, tasks can be divided into important and unimportant, and with the distinction of urgent and non-urgent, tasks can be divided into four quadrants.

Focusing your energy on tasks in the Second Quadrant (Important but Not Urgent) is the core of time management! To achieve this, you need to have a plan and always know what your next step should be.

At the same time, try to delegate tasks in the Third Quadrant (Urgent but Not Important) to others and reduce the waste of life caused by tasks in the Fourth Quadrant (Not Important and Not Urgent).

Tasks in the First Quadrant (Important and Urgent) often stem from issues in the Second Quadrant that were not handled well, which is something you can avoid.

Find and Break Down Your Goals#

First, use the S.M.A.R.T principle (S for Specific; M for Measurable; A for Attainable; R for Realistic; T for Time-based) to describe your goals as clearly as possible.

Then, analyze the significance of the goal to you, potential helpers, the time required to achieve the goal, and break the goal down into step-by-step actions, placing them in your monthly and weekly plans.

This method is generally suitable for goals spanning 1 to 5 years.

Some Practical Time Management Tips#

One task at a time, improve execution, cultivate your habits, daily reviews, face emergencies correctly, establish an efficient workspace.

① One Task at a Time#

Only focus on one thing in your mind, which is easy to understand. Just like playing well when playing and studying well when studying.

Sometimes you might think of a good idea while doing something else; you can jot it down on paper to clear your mind and continue with the task at hand.

② Improve Execution#

For the step-by-step actions broken down from your goals, you also need a certain level of execution. Here are three tips:

1. Identify the biggest obstacle, solve it first, and write it down to remind yourself at any time;
2. Write down your actions as much as possible; black and white text is more effective;
3. Try to avoid failing the first time; it can lead to a chain reaction and numbness, but understand that failure is inevitable. When it happens, take it seriously and analyze it carefully.

③ Cultivate Your Habits#

Based on general data, here are three high-cost-effective habits: reading, exercising, thinking.

1. Reading: Books are humanity's greatest friends; you can collide and merge with endless excellent thoughts to spark ideas;
2. Exercising: Don't think of this one hour as wasted; in the long run, it's a valuable investment;
3. Thinking: For many things, pausing for two minutes to think is far more efficient than jumping straight into action.

How to free up time for the first two habits? Improve work efficiency to squeeze out time or cultivate another habit: waking up early.

④ Daily Review#

Prepare three questions to ask yourself at the end of the day. They can be reflections on the day, thoughts for tomorrow, or self-encouragement.

⑤ Face Emergencies Correctly#

1. Don't let it affect your emotions; keep a calm mind;
2. Treat interrupted tasks as new tasks, record progress and next steps, and postpone them;
3. Recommend time management methods to those around you, so they will create fewer emergencies.

⑥ Establish an Efficient Workspace#

Spend some time keeping your workspace tidy, which can save time lost in searching for materials.

1. Divide all materials into four categories: To Be Processed, Delegated, Organized and Archived, and Trash [Principle: If you haven't used it in the past 6 months and are unsure if you'll use it in the future, throw it away]. Additionally, add a category for miscellaneous items.
2. Follow four standards: Clean and tidy, Simple enough, Easily accessible, Fully functional.

At first, you might think that adapting to time management methods will waste a lot of time, but once time management becomes a habit, I believe excellence will also become your habit.

——Detailed Version——#

I. Finding Seeds#

Before starting, take a moment to step out of the busyness and see how your time is spent. Is there a better way to use your time? Do you think learning "time management" is necessary? What are your values, and what is more important to you?

Identify the Sources of Time Wastage#

1. First, write down what you think the proportions of time spent on "⭐Focused Work", "❌Meaningless Time Wastage", and "✨Real Rest" are, for example, 50%, 30%, 20%.

2. Write down your descriptions of the above three states.

1. For five consecutive working days, record which state you are in every hour. Start from 9 AM to 9 PM.

2. On Saturday morning, tally the time proportions of the three states over these 60 hours.

Weekly State Time Statistics Table

Count: ⭐Focused Work ____ hours, ❌Meaningless Time Wastage ____ hours, ✨Real Rest ____ hours

If you find that you have indeed wasted a lot of time, then it's time to get to know your time black holes. Where did the time go?

• Common characteristics: They provide a lot of information related to the main line that attracts attention, and the time consumed grows and expands unknowingly.

• Reason: The brain is not good at remembering; it prefers creative work. Tasks that are highly routine, relatively dull, lack strong purpose, and have no initiative are easily forgotten.

• Solution: A good memory is not as good as a bad pen.

Next, let's start recording your work situation with a pen~

1. Write down what you plan to do in the next hour every hour.
2. Record the results after the hour ends.
3. Stick to it for a whole day.

Daily Work Situation Record Table

Recognizing the Necessity of Time Management#

Through the above table records, you may have discovered your time black holes. So how to avoid them?

Time black holes can easily snowball; don't underestimate spending 3 minutes on your phone or scrolling through Weibo. Experiments have shown that once your attention is interrupted, it takes at least 15 minutes to refocus.

Here are some tips to avoid time black holes:

These suggestions sound reasonable, and many people will think so after reading them, only to forget them later. Therefore, you must practice them personally. Here’s another recommended technique — Time Log. As the name suggests, it faithfully records where our time is spent. The benefits include:

1. Reminding you to cherish your time every hour.
2. Fully grasping your time to avoid easily forgiving yourself.
3. Analyzing your time investment and output.
4. Finding your most efficient time slots.

Now, let's find out your most efficient time slots.

For newcomers to the workplace, work generally has three characteristics: ① Many miscellaneous tasks, ② Among these tasks, there will always be one or two very important ones; if not identified and resolved, it will truly be just busy work, ③ Busy and blind; don't forget the eyes behind.

All of the above are tests of your time management skills, which can be considered the unspoken rules of the workplace. What we need to do is have our own method for handling daily affairs. Here is a four-step method from Lao Fu for handling daily affairs:

Now, let's start finding efficient time slots! Don't trust your feelings; trust the data and the records!

Next, use a week to fill out this time log truthfully:

Through the time log, you can find your efficient time slots, how much time is wasted, the main content of your daily work, what time should not be spent that way, what your key tasks should be each day, how to better allocate your time, and which tasks will yield better results if done in advance.

Here are some tips to improve work efficiency:

• Identify important tasks to complete during efficient time slots. When you arrive at work, don't rush to dive in; first, check what the key tasks for the day are.
• Review work that needs to be accepted. We can't do everything perfectly in one go; don't skimp on time for reviewing work; it might impress others.
• Use RSS for news. It’s like subscribing, keeping your attention on the content you care about.
• Reduce the frequency of checking emails. Twice a day is sufficient.
• Rest whenever possible. Those who have lunch breaks are lucky; for example, if you have a half-hour lunch break, take that time to relax and clear your mind! This is very beneficial for energy recovery.

Next, you can plan your daily time slots:

Daily Time Slot Plan

How to handle emergencies? You can wait until [VI. Harvesting Fruits] to break it down.

Find Your Career Values#

Now, do you realize the importance of time management? Next, let's talk about the most important aspect of time management — values, which will determine what you prioritize, and which tasks yield higher returns and greater satisfaction when completed.

Find the channels for time, allowing it to flow in the right direction.

Soul-searching question: The most efficient time slots should be reserved for the most important tasks, but what are the most important tasks?

Lao Fu's answer is: Where are your values?

What criteria do you use to prioritize tasks? If, like I did before, you finish the easy ones first, you might end up with a day filled with trivial tasks, leaving no energy for the big ones. If you haven't thought about your criteria, don't feel embarrassed; values aren't in your memory system but in your experiences. Now, let's extract them.

Based on your actual situation or thoughts, take 5 minutes to complete the following career values self-assessment form, which will give you a clearer grasp of your values.

Here’s a more convenient free testing website: WVI Career Values Test. After answering the questions, it will automatically provide test results and value assessments, consistent with this book!

A — Very Important, B — Quite Important, C — Average, D — Less Important, E — Not Important

If you answered this table instead of the recommended platform, you should not mind flipping to page 45 of this book to calculate your scores based on different dimensions. From your highest three scores and lowest three scores, you can roughly see your value tendencies. You can use it as a standard for evaluating priorities in your work.

【I also got my value tendencies, many of which are tied.】

Additionally, there is an interesting phenomenon: if your colleagues are also willing to take this assessment, you will find that those who are usually closer to you have similar highest three scores, while those who are more distant have the opposite. This is the hidden role of values; they are our invisible antennae! If you are like me, we might be very suitable partners!

After finding your values, you can write them on a card to reinforce and remind yourself how to prioritize tasks. Of course, you can also adjust them at appropriate times, as values can change with your growth.

Place the card in a position where you can easily see it; this is important!

II. Seeds Germinate#

After understanding your time usage, deciding to learn time management, and finding your career values...

Now, let's start your journey. This section mainly introduces four time management methods: the Four Quadrants Method, Time Investment Method, One Task at a Time Principle, and Closet Organization Method. Although they may seem familiar, do you really understand how to use them?

The Four Quadrants Method#

Helps you judge the urgency and importance of tasks and tells you how to handle them effectively. Is it good to often do important and urgent things?

The Four Quadrants#

This method is known by about 80% of people, as shown in the image below, which divides work into four quadrants based on different degrees of importance and urgency: 1 Important and Urgent (Important && Urgent), 2 Important but Not Urgent (Important && Not Urgent), 3 Not Important but Urgent (Not Important && Urgent), 4 Not Important and Not Urgent (Not Important && Not Urgent).

However, 80% of people cannot apply this theory well because the prerequisite for using this skill is — finding your career values. So, have we already found our values? If so, then your meridians are open, and you can proceed to practice the Four Quadrants Method.

In this method, there are two key points: ① The standard of a task's importance depends on your career values, ② The urgency level is determined by the task's deadline.

Now, answer a question: If you were to categorize your day's work into these four quadrants, how would you choose?

Many people might choose the First and Third Quadrants because they are the most urgent tasks that need to be solved.

However, this answer is debatable. The reason many inefficient managers are busy is often due to this; this busy-ness can even create a great sense of "achievement." Indeed, these tasks need to be done immediately...

But they may not be worth investing too much energy and time into. Remember, doing many correct things on such a faulty foundation is futile.

Now, let's analyze the Four Quadrants. As shown in the image, each quadrant has specific tasks that may or may not suit you. What you need to do is assess each task's belonging quadrant based on your values.

① First Quadrant: Important and Urgent

• Examples: A crying baby; a kitchen fire; a company phone call; filling out college applications for your child; a speech at an upcoming company meeting, etc.

• These tasks must be done immediately; otherwise, the consequences will be severe. However, when you go to do this task, you should consider one question: Are there really that many important and urgent tasks?

② Second Quadrant: Important but Not Urgent

• Examples: Exercising; planning a vacation; completing a company project proposal; developing a family investment strategy; attending psychological counseling training, etc.

• These tasks may seem not urgent, but if ignored, they can develop into Important and Urgent tasks at any moment. For instance, if you plan a vacation but delay starting, as the holiday approaches, you will feel anxious about accommodation and transportation, and at that point, planning the vacation shifts to the First Quadrant, becoming important and urgent. Can you guarantee that no urgent matters will arise at that time, adding to your anxiety? Therefore, for tasks in this quadrant, even if there is no immediate need to act, at least create a timeline for them. Here, you can also ponder: How can you avoid more tasks entering the undesirable First Quadrant?

③ Third Quadrant: Not Important but Urgent

• Examples: Sudden phone calls; impromptu meetings, etc.

• The time invested in this quadrant is quite regrettable and helpless; you may be busy for a long time without any results. However, many people are misled by the illusion that urgent tasks are important. In fact, urgency and importance have no relationship! Here, we should think: How can we minimize tasks in the Third Quadrant?

④ Fourth Quadrant: Not Important and Not Urgent

• Examples: Watching boring shows, idling, extra tasks, trivial matters, entertainment, etc.

• Tasks in this quadrant are merely time-fillers; they can be acceptable as a diversion from the first three quadrants, but if one becomes addicted to them, our value will significantly diminish! We should consider: Is it necessary to enter this quadrant in our work?

Please pay attention to the questions posed for each of the four quadrants, which are underlined. After answering these reflective questions, you may have mastered the Four Quadrants Method.

Now, let's proceed step by step:

Transform Your Task List#

First, write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week in the table below. If you cannot foresee what needs to be done in a week, please write down tasks that need to be completed or are expected to be done. Some examples are already provided; please complete them yourself as well.

You will notice that the table has three additional columns corresponding to importance level, urgency level, and priority level. This is the transformation you need to make to your task list. After labeling each task, you can proceed to the next step — placing them into the four quadrants.

Place Work Tasks into the Four Quadrants#

Based on importance and urgency, categorize your tasks into the four quadrants:

If your usual work mainly focuses on the Third Quadrant, that’s the reason for your busy yet blind work! Now, let's discuss the different attitudes and handling methods you should adopt for the four quadrants:

① First Quadrant: No need to say much, do it immediately.

• The main pressure of our work comes from the First Quadrant, and the main crises in life also stem from this quadrant. However, this quadrant is a "minefield"; the fewer times we enter this quadrant, the better! Here’s a secret: 80% of the tasks in this quadrant come from issues in the Second Quadrant that were not handled well, meaning this pressure and crisis are self-imposed.

• For example: Calming an angry customer. Wasn't it due to not spending enough time building a good relationship with the customer beforehand, or not monitoring your product closely enough, leading to quality issues?

② Second Quadrant: Plan to do it!

• We need to invest time in the Second Quadrant; we cannot ignore it just because it is not urgent. For tasks in this quadrant, break them down into smaller tasks and create a timeline, then invest a little time each day to complete a large task. This is the principle of "many drops of water make a river." Additionally, its value lies in reducing 80% of the tasks in the First Quadrant.

• For example: Completing a close reading of a paper. If scheduled well, reading for 2 hours each day may lead to a good understanding of the article over a week, allowing you to engage with it more deeply, increasing the likelihood of sparking inspiration at some point. If you leave it until the deadline, you might rush to complete it in one day; can you really maintain a state of close reading for an entire day? If an urgent matter arises at that time, how will you arrange it? I believe if you plan ahead and take small steps each day, you will have better control over your time, and the sense of pressure and crisis will be more comfortable. If possible, why not be the one who masters time?

③ Third Quadrant: Delegate to others.

• We should clearly recognize that this quadrant is the source of our busy yet blind work. It’s best to delegate tasks in this quadrant to others or politely refuse to reduce the occurrence of such tasks.

• For example: Buying water for the office. You can ask Xiao Ming, who is passing by, to help you bring it, and treat him to a meal later. This way, you can focus on more important tasks, trading a meal for more valuable time.

④ Fourth Quadrant: Try not to do it!

• This is a quadrant for buffering and adjusting, or you could say it’s for relaxation. However, investing too much energy in this quadrant is equivalent to wasting life.

• For example: Watching a game on the weekend. A week of hard work leaves you exhausted, and the weekend might be a good time to relax. However, if you spend most of your energy on entertainment, you will lose your career.

Now that we have methods to escape the First Quadrant, let’s focus on how to escape the Third Quadrant.

Use the "Monkey Rule" to Escape the Third Quadrant#

"Monkey" actually represents tasks that are not your responsibility. If you handle these tasks efficiently, should you be proud of it? What about your own tasks? This is the "Monkey Rule." While we should help classmates/colleagues in difficulty, we should also avoid situations where they treat you as their monkey shelter; the more you take on, the more they will give.

Now, let’s do an exercise to see if you can successfully shed the monkeys on your back:

These questions have no standard answers, but the principle is: shed the monkeys on your back or return the monkeys to their owners.

Reference: Xiaoqiang's responses: 1. Sure, boss, but could you please send me some information about the water conservancy system software first? 2. What are your thoughts? Can you draft a cost-cutting plan? 3. I've asked Xiaoduo to do it; he will send it to you directly. 4. Honey, how about I take you shopping for a whole day on our wedding anniversary next month? 5. Sure, just call me when the time comes, and I’ll definitely go if I have time. 6. Sure, you guys pick a brand and style you like, and I’ll go buy it later.

Cultivating Second Quadrant Work Method#

Having escaped the Third Quadrant, it’s time to think about how to enter the Second Quadrant. The Second Quadrant is the core and ultimate goal of the Four Quadrants; we must cultivate our ability to work in the Second Quadrant. Investing in the Second Quadrant hinges on goal description and task breakdown! Break each large task into multiple smaller tasks, and correspond them with clear small goals; each small goal should have a planned time, and you can also think of a responsible person, not necessarily yourself.

This way, we can focus our energy on the Second Quadrant; detail a project with a plan, always know what your next step should be; clarify the standards for task completion; completing each small goal can relieve your stress and provide a sense of achievement; with a planned time, you can evaluate your status at any time, analyze shortcomings, and think of solutions.

The three major killers of time management: Procrastination, Indecision, Unclear Goals.

Below is a table — Four Quadrants Work Tracking Table, which can be used to prove that your energy is indeed focused on work in the Second Quadrant. Please stick to it for a month.

Four Quadrants Work Tracking Table

With consistent practice, you will find that the Second Quadrant work method is not as difficult as it is said to be. Look forward to the results of your quadrant transformation!

Time Investment Method#

For amateur stock investors, learning value investing and having a long-term outlook on a certain industry or company is a more rational investment method compared to making daily buy or sell decisions, which can lead to a failed investment decision. Time management is also a form of investment, but it has its own characteristics: supply is inelastic, cannot be saved, cannot be replaced, cannot be regained.

Calculate Time Capital#

Based on these characteristics, let’s first calculate your time capital and unit time value. This essentially divides time into work and leisure parts, estimating your working time capital until retirement age [60 years old]. For example, starting from age 29, if you retire at 60, you have about 8 years of work time left, around 10 years of sleep time, and 13 years of other time.

Here, we calculate based on "5 working days a week, 8 hours of work each day; and 2 leisure days a week, 3 hours of work each leisure day; with 8 hours of sleep each day."

After obtaining the total working time, calculate your output value based on your current annual salary * years worked, then use [your output value / total working time] to get your unit time value. After calculating, you may find that your hourly value is quite low. So how to improve it? According to the formula, it can be understood:

First, get promoted to increase your annual salary, which relies on strength and luck; second, find ways to reduce total working time, which involves time management skills. Understanding how to maximize the value of every minute can significantly reduce working time, thus increasing unit time value. The first method is in the boss's hands, while the second method is in your own hands, so grasp it well!

Learn Buffett's Investment Principles#

Investing time follows the same principles as investing in stocks, so why not refer to investment master Buffett's five investment principles?

1. Identify outstanding companies → Find tasks that can create greater value.

2. Less is more → Identify the most important and urgent tasks to complete, find the "big stones" blocking your path for the day, rather than the "small pebbles."

3. Bet big on high-probability events → Prioritize important tasks.

4. Be patient; investments shorter than 5 years are foolish investments → Some tasks require time to prove; don’t rush for results.

5. Don’t worry about short-term price fluctuations → Don’t let some urgent but unimportant tasks affect your mood.

Focus on One Task at a Time#

How to handle tasks in the Second Quadrant? Focus on one task at a time.

Why#

At least there are several benefits:

1. Focus. Let go of and forget other tasks, and strive to search for information related to the current task.
2. Sense of Achievement. Completing one task, crossing it off the list.
3. Relieve Pressure. Much of the pressure comes from knowing that there are 10 other tasks waiting for you.
4. Better Results. By eliminating distractions, we can achieve better logical thinking and creativity.

What to Focus On#

The next action.

First, don’t mistake "project" for "action." For example, "Developing a product sales strategy" is a project, while "Finding the brand definition of the product," "Identifying product features," "Conducting a simple SWOT analysis," and "Listing the document outline" are individual actions.

Imagine when thinking about "how to develop a product sales strategy," it can be quite confusing, making it hard to concentrate. However, when the question shifts to "finding the brand definition of the product," you can immediately find the answer through your database.

Now, let’s define "next action": any determined single action that takes more than 2 minutes to resolve. Then, cultivate a habit: always ask yourself, "What is the next action?" This can drive your life forward, like a large ball of yarn; once you find the end of the thread, you will eventually untangle the yarn.

How to Find the Next Action#

"Finding the brand definition of the product" is just an ordinary action; although executable, it is not a "single action."

"Next action" has the following characteristics:

1. Starts with a verb. This makes it executable.
2. Content is clear. Give your brain a clear signal to avoid "self-processing," as the brain can easily mix related and unrelated information together.
3. Describes the outcome. The clearer the description, the greater the energy generated.
4. Set a start time, cycle, and deadline. This not only allows for a more reasonable arrangement of your time and control over action progress but also takes others' time into account.

If you feel pressure or fear due to the above, you are doubting your execution ability. Here are three solutions:

1. Set goals or rewards.
2. If you can’t complete everything, start with what you can accomplish.
3. Identify the biggest stone and move it. In the "next action," identify the most challenging task you believe you need to complete and do your best to accomplish it; the other tasks will be easier.

Practice filling out "next action":

How to Utilize Next Actions#

Refer to the above task processing flowchart, paying attention to the methods for handling temporary events on the right side.

However, 80% of temporary emergencies occur because there was no good plan in advance. Here are two concepts that have been used but not explicitly mentioned:

1. Action List. After breaking down projects into executable actions, write them into the action list. When you first practice this task processing flow, you can only write "next actions" on the list to help you stay focused. After completing one task, ask yourself what the next action is. Once you master this, transition to writing all executable steps on the list; complete one, delete one.
2. How to handle temporary emergencies. See the following sections for details.

Closet Organization Method#

The ultimate trick of time management is to learn time management through organizing your closet. The saying goes, "If you can't clean your own room, how can you clean the world?"

Collect: Empty the Closet#

Put "everything that catches our attention" into a "collection basket" to clear your mind and achieve a state of calm.

Collection baskets can be chosen according to your preference. The author describes several types:

1. Specific work baskets: plastic baskets, wooden frames, metal frames...
2. Paper: loose-leaf notebooks, notepads, sticky notes, memos...
3. Electronic products: mobile phones, computers
4. Tape recorders
5. Emails

[PS] I use two software applications on electronic devices: OneNote and Microsoft To Do, which can be used on both mobile and computer.

Regarding tool usage, here are a few "military rules":

1. The fewer collection tools, the better.
2. Ensure you can access the tools within 5 seconds.
3. Regularly empty the tasks.

Process: Categorize Clothes#

1. Determine the essence of tasks
   1. Executable
      1. Tasks that can be completed within 2 minutes. Do it immediately. Don’t let a task that was originally 2 minutes become more costly due to procrastination and avoidance.
      2. Projects that require multiple steps to complete. This is the nature of most tasks, requiring breakdown.
      3. Tasks assigned to others. Inform them of the task and deadline as soon as possible.
      4. Tasks to be done at specific times. These may require multiple steps to complete and may need specific time and environment.
      5. To-do items. Ordinary tasks, such as "Check emails."
   2. Not Executable
      1. Trash: Wasting time and life; remember to filter.
      2. Someday/maybe: Requires the right timing.
      3. Reference materials: Properly categorized and archived.
2. Process one task at a time. Follow the principle of "only focusing on one thing in your mind."
3. Strive to determine the nature and processing method on the first attempt; do not return it to the collection basket.

Organize: Store Categorized Clothes Again#

Reorganize your thoughts: we have a collection basket filled with "materials"; we have three lists: "Someday/Maybe" list, "To-Do" list, and "Project" list.

In this step, take each "material" from the collection basket and categorize it into a list. This involves a 3+1 list system.

1. Collection Basket: Needs to be emptied daily, placed in an easily accessible notebook.
2. Someday/Maybe List: Tasks that may take a long time to execute, stored in an easily preserved notebook.
3. To-Do List: The key to guiding daily work, placed in a notebook that can be recorded and deleted at any time.
4. Project List: Generally a collection of multiple tasks surrounding a project; break this project down into several "next actions," then write the project name in the To-Do List. When processing the To-Do List, refer back to this list.

The system overview is as follows:

Browse this system every morning to have a clear grasp of your schedule for the day.

Review: Keep Track of Clothes in Mind#

The above process can basically solve the problem of busyness in daily work, but to address the issue of blind busyness, you also need to conduct task reviews. There are three benefits:

1. Let inspiration arise. As the saying goes, "Reviewing the old helps to learn the new."
2. View problems from a high altitude. As the saying goes, having a big picture view allows you to reassess which tasks help you get closer to your goals.
3. Incubate and prune your tasks and goals. Remove tasks that you are no longer interested in from the list and pick out tasks that are ready to be executed for further consideration, which will help you maintain a clear and organized mind.

Recommended review time periods: the first glance of each workday, and regular weekly reviews.

How to conduct reviews:

• Review the "Someday/Maybe" list: pull out/delete items.
• Review the "Project" list: check progress, next actions, fill in gaps, new ideas, summarize results.
• Review the "To-Do" list: what has been done/what needs to be done/time-specific tasks.
• Reassess your goals: deepen the impression of your goals, ignite motivation, seek methods, and strengthen confidence.

Action: Choose the Best Plan#

Based on David Allen's Six Heights, review and plan your work and life:

1. Principles (50,000m): Reflect on your values, principles, and goals; this is the soul of work.
2. Vision (40,000m): Work goals for the next 3 to 5 years, which can span various aspects. Try asking yourself: What are my goals? Who has achieved them? How did they achieve them? What will my work and life look like after achieving them?
3. Goals (30,000m): More detailed than vision, typically with phased results within a year.
4. Scope of Responsibility (20,000m): Make the tasks within your responsibility more beautiful.
5. Tasks (10,000m): Still need to focus on the tasks at hand.
6. Next Actions (Runway): Complete them one by one, paying attention to details.

Try to spend a month developing a "top-down" career plan. Once determined, tackle them "bottom-up," and continuously update and refine them.

Choose the best plan based on four criteria:

1. Importance: Keep your values and the Four Quadrants in mind.
2. Environment: Use the environment to concentrate on processing a type of task, which can greatly improve our work efficiency.
3. Time: Consider how much time you have to handle the tasks at hand. Make good use of "time slices" in life; some tasks can be completed in 3 minutes.
4. Energy: Combine difficulty levels, maintain rhythm, concentrate energy, and prevent fatigue.

Flowchart#

III. Branches Grow#

Build a goal management system.

Having some time management methods, where should time be used? Goals.

The general reasons for failing to achieve goals include:

1. Setting unattainable goals.
2. Not breaking down goals into plans.
3. Allowing occasional failures.
4. Not writing them down.
5. Not correcting goals in a timely manner.
6. Not persisting in action.

Next, let's start from the reasons for failure to establish a successful goal.

Correctly Describe Goals#

Follow the S.M.A.R.T principle: S for Specific; M for Measurable; A for Attainable; R for Realistic; T for Time-based.

This not only helps you have a clear goal but also dispels unrealistic thoughts. We should not set overly long-term goals, such as 50-year goals, but should set goals within reach, achieving large goals in segments.

At this point, you can eliminate the first point from the reasons for failing to achieve goals.

Goal Breakdown#

Having only goals without plans gives a 20% chance of achieving them, while breaking them down and planning increases the chance to 80%, and the more detailed the plan, the higher the likelihood of achievement.

Learn from Trees in goal breakdown: roots → trunk → branches → twigs.

• Roots

1. Write down your goals: It’s recommended to write your goals on a card with a marker and place it in a prominent location; you can also use an image or model to represent your goal, which helps visualize it.
2. Why you want to achieve this goal: Write the most important reasons at the forefront, which can be adjusted and corrected at any time.
3. What justifies your ability to achieve this goal: First, you need to convince yourself.
4. Which individuals, groups, or organizations can help you achieve this goal: Mutual reliance and assistance, actively paying attention to the connections and resources around you will be your wealth.
5. How long it will take to complete: This method is suitable for medium to long-term goals that are longer than 1 year and shorter than 5 years.

• Trunk: Write down the planned steps to achieve the goal.

  • These are tasks that should be done at any time; for strategic and planning-related tasks, they will be detailed in the "branches" later.

• Branches: Write down the plans for completing the planned steps in the monthly plan.

• Twigs: Break down the monthly goal plan into weekly plans.

Organizing the above steps:

At this point, you can eliminate the second point from the reasons for failing to achieve goals.

Improve Execution#

In the detailed breakdown process, each step must be carefully considered: Do you really need to do it? Can you do it? When do you plan to do it?

A good goal should be like a lighthouse in the fog; building it may take effort, but it will illuminate your path forward.

In fact, goal breakdown requires analytical skills, while achieving goals requires execution ability, which are entirely different.

Here are three tips:

1. Identify the biggest stone: Find the biggest obstacle to achieving the goal and remove it first. Write down the biggest obstacle in the trunk, branches, and twigs.
2. Write it down: Otherwise, 80% will be forgotten or pretended to be forgotten. Writing it down has at least three benefits — "writing it down" leads to "doing it," correctly guiding the direction; for example, when shopping at the supermarket, you may end up buying a lot of things you didn't want; the brain provides inspiration, and paper and pen help refine actions [the brain is better at creative thinking than memory or deepening memory]; black and white text is a "contract," which is more effective.
3. Reject the first failure: Ultimately, failures in goals often start from the first failure. A single failure can easily lead to a chain reaction and numbness, so it’s essential to think carefully about why it failed. Of course, failure is inevitable, and adjusting your mindset is crucial. When facing failure, we should do two things — take failure seriously, analyze the reasons, consider how to avoid it; adapt to changes with changes, observe whether there are unreasonable plans, and whether adjustments are needed based on environmental changes. It’s essential to enhance your confidence in resisting failure and positively suggest to yourself; this is a very important secret.

At this point, you can eliminate the third, fourth, and fifth points from the reasons for failing to achieve goals! The last point depends on yourself.

Create Synergy for Goals#

Based on the aforementioned six heights, formulate your life plan 👉 break down each goal, create detailed plans 👉 when execution issues arise, remember the three tips above.

[PS] Use pen and paper to think: clear your mind and open your thoughts.

IV. Extract the Green Leaves#

Establish your own list management system.

After practicing the above methods, you may find that some methods do not suit you as much; this is a positive phenomenon. You are beginning to identify problems, which is an opportunity to refine your time management system.

Summarizing based on roles, materials, and environments, there are four basic types:

Sticky Note Guy#

Task executor, often faced with a large number of trivial tasks.

Characteristics: Likes to jot down tasks on sticky notes without organizing them; only aims to complete work without periodically reviewing important tasks or summarizing gains and losses; accepts all tasks, focusing solely on tedious, monotonous, and unskilled tasks without challenging themselves.

Recommended System: Chopstick-style List — Focus on the big picture while handling the details.

Two chopsticks are formed: one is the "Task List," and the other is the "Next Action List."

• Task List: Helps us do the right things, providing a strategic overview; manage in real-time, adding, deleting, and modifying each step; incubated from the collection basket; generally adopts a tree structure; provides materials for the next action list; remember to review.
• Next Action List: Helps us do things correctly, focusing on taking the right actions; select a suitable task to execute in the current situation; content comes from the task list or individual steps from the collection basket; generally adopts a list format.
  • How to use: Carry it with you; extend its functionality [priority level, context, brainstorming].

Organize into three steps:

1. List the task list.
2. Break down the tasks.
3. Manage and execute the next actions.

Email Maniac#

Project manager, may receive hundreds of emails daily, managing nearly ten projects.

Establish rules for all project leaders:

1. Report work via email.
2. For tasks that are neither important nor urgent, communicate via email.
3. Emails should be concise and to the point.
4. Email titles should follow the format "Project Name — Subject — Importance Level."

Processing Method: Complete today’s tasks today; all tasks must have a solution found on the same day.

1. Email Settings — Set up spam filters to keep it updated; do not subscribe to unrelated content using your work email; sort emails by the date received.
2. Processing Steps — ① Quickly browse all emails to delete or not delete; ② Browse the inbox again, skimming to grasp the main content of each email, categorizing and storing them; remember, browsing twice is more efficient than processing one by one; ③ If categorized reasonably, your inbox should be empty by now.
3. Reasonable Categorization — Establish reasonable categorization folders [If you only create different folders for different projects, it won’t help with taking "next actions"]. ① Action folder, for example, if someone consults you about a report, once completed, move the email to the archive folder or delete it; ② Delegated folder, can be immediately forwarded to delegated personnel; ③ Someday folder, for tasks that can only be executed at a certain time and tasks that need incubation; ④ Archive folder, where you create different folders for different projects.
4. At this point, it doesn’t mean all tasks are completed, but they have been properly processed.

Social Butterfly#

Marketing person, arranges work based on time.

Characteristics: 80% of the time spent socializing; 80% of the time does not require the Someday, Delegated, or Archive lists; many tasks require timely reminders.

Two weapons: Calendar and Notebook.

1. Calendar: Schedule arrangements. Suitable for recording three types of tasks — ① Actions taken at a specific time [specific time]; ② Actions taken on a specific date [non-specific time]; ③ Information to be obtained on a specific date [situations to be understood].
2. Notebook: Incubate tasks [conduct tree-like task breakdown] or brainstorm.

When using the calendar, pay attention to two points: ① Sacred Ground Principle, once written in, must be executed according to plan; like the "next action" list, it is a reliable system that cannot be vague; ② Avoid over-scheduling, as it can lead to excessive pressure and loss of flexibility in work, which also violates the Sacred Ground Principle.

Shopkeeper#

Business decision-maker, coordinates team relationships, maintains balance between income and expenditure.

Characteristics: More paper materials; more frequent reviews.

Recommended System: 43 Folders — 31 days + 12 months.

1. Convenient for browsing labels.
2. Convenient for taking out and putting in.

Usage Method:

1. Label folders for days 1-31 and months 1-12.
2. The 31 daily folders are arranged with the folder for the current day at the front.
3. The 12 monthly folders are arranged with the folder for the current month at the front.
4. Each day, take out the folder for that day and process the tasks inside; once completed, place the folder at the back.
5. The same applies to monthly folders.

Note: Combine with the Four Quadrants Method; for tasks that are hard to grasp, consider adjusting their respective folders; after a year, archive all materials.

V. Bloom and Bear Fruit#

Life is like walking in the snow; looking back shows the path you've taken; looking forward is a vast expanse. Don’t ask "where to go," just answer "where do you want to go."

Plan Your Habits#

Write down all the good habits you want to cultivate and the bad habits you want to change.

In fact, up to 90% of our daily behaviors are habitual. A good habit makes work easier and achieving goals easier. For example, utilizing one hour of early rising can allow you to do many meaningful things — exercising, reading, thinking, etc.

When you do certain things without thinking or no longer feel pressured to do certain things, you have already formed a habit.

How to Cultivate Habits#

First, we cultivate habits, and then habits change us.

For example, the charm of waking up early:

1. The morning is an undisturbed time, especially suitable for thinking.
2. You can use this time to do two or three things:
   1. Reflect on your worldview, life plan, and career plan;
   2. Organize all work, life, investment, and health-related plans and their completion status;
   3. Reassess your goals;
   4. Take out the most challenging tasks for focused thinking;
   5. Browse important news for the day;
   6. Conduct weekly and monthly reviews;
   7. Quickly skim through a book;
   8. Plan the upcoming day;
   9. Exercise;
   10. Meditate and adjust your mindset;
   11. Walk the dog.

Whether a person can cultivate good habits entirely depends on their willingness. As long as you have enough motivation, the rest will be taken care of in the following text. Cultivating habits can be divided into five steps:

① Cultivate One Habit at a Time#

Mental preparation: The habit we want to cultivate is a tough one that may take a long time to establish, please be confident!

Stage One: The first three days.

• The failure rate is as high as 80%.
• Key point: Tell your subconscious how important this habit is!

Stage Two: From three days to one month.

• If you encounter failure, start from zero.
• Key point: A good method is needed; this will be mentioned later.

Stage Three: After one month.

• You may relax your vigilance, and bad habits may rebound strongly.
• Key point: Don’t focus too much on your habits; if you worry every day about whether you can wake up early the next day, you will never cultivate the habit of waking up early; let habits lead your thoughts.

② Talk to Yourself#

Communicate with your subconscious: Please check and create a Habit Cultivation Card.

Tell your subconscious this is important: You must write it down to gain your subconscious's recognition; you can also add illustrations and place it in a prominent location to make it more interesting and stimulate frequently.

Constantly repeat your vision: Imagine what it would be like after cultivating this good habit, deliberately filtering out content that is detrimental to habit formation.

【Habit Cultivation Card】⭐

Above) About the New Habit [Please describe it in a timely and quantitative manner]

Example:

Below) A note to your fleeing self

Example:

Note:

• Place the "above" in a spot you see every day and review it every night before sleeping [stimulate the subconscious].
• Keep the "below" in a drawer; take it out to read when you feel like giving up [a warning sign on the edge of a cliff].

③ Gradually Develop a Plan#

Create a detailed plan, adhering to four principles: Please check and create a Habit Cultivation Plan.

Write it down: This is an attitude. Many things, if not written down, may not reveal the many problems within.

Gradually: Our nature is to give up when faced with seemingly unattainable goals, so please achieve large goals in segments.

Simple: The plan for checking work only needs to choose "yes" or "no."

Clear and Specific: If you encounter difficulties without a clear plan, the chance of failure is 99%.

【Habit Cultivation Plan】⭐

Above) Plan Check List [Generally set for 30 days]

Below) Difficulty Response Table [Refer to the S.M.A.R.T principle; the more thoroughly you estimate potential difficulties, the greater your chances of success.]

Example:

<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/doubleLLL3/blogImgs@main/img/image-20210214170247669.png" alt="image-202102141