The Tyranny of the Task List

This post is by Clint Watson,  former art gallery proprietor/director/salesperson and founder of FineArtViews. You really should adhere to Clint on Twitter in this article or indicator up for his newsletter right here.

I recently surprised myself by acknowledging that I have an internal wariness of the to-do list.  

This revelation would likely shock any individual who appreciates how I get the job done. In fact, I use jobs lists all the time.  Most times I get started by listing the items I want to achieve on a record.  And, in the course of the day I progress to check merchandise off the checklist.

Undertaking Lists are Effective

Not too long ago I took it even more.  One working day, I figured I had around 7 focused hours to operate.  I calculated, centered upon my jobs, that I could finish around three jobs for every hour.  So I stated the 21 (7 hrs x 3 for every hour)  items I wanted to complete that working day.  I then took 7 article-it notes and wrote a few jobs on every notice and assigned each individual note an hour of the working day (be aware 1 was 8:00 am – 9:00 am, take note 2 was 9:00 am – 10:00 am, observe 3 was 10:00 am – 11:00 am, and so forth).  At 8:00 am I place the very first sticky be aware on the aspect of my laptop watch and put all the other lists and notes out of sight so that I could be regularly reminded through the hour only of my 3 most essential tasks.  I was later on told that I had unwittingly “reinvented” a little something called scrum.

This approach of working was extremely efficient and stored me “on process” all working day long.  I accomplished all 21 duties by 3:00 pm (which was excellent given that it was a Friday).  What a enormous experience of accomplishment!  We all get a small hurry from examining matters off a list [1].  So, I  was ready to appreciate our standing Friday evening “wine tasting” realizing I had completed “everything I experienced to do.”  Over the next few days, I utilized my “scrummy” process quite a few a lot more moments, with similarly successful success.  

“Play” Makes it possible for Fantastic Strategies to Floor

A handful of occasions in the course of those scrummy times I experienced ideas of new, intriguing thoughts that I may like to take a look at pop into my head.  Software characteristics.  Articles for this website.  You title it.  But considering that I was on-task and unwilling to drop every little thing [2], I pushed all those tips to the again burner and stayed focused on completing all my jobs.  You know, “system your operate and function your prepare”.  After a couple times, I had “caught up” to the position that I made the decision to be a little bit far more peaceful and just “perform.”  

Throughout my “play day”, I banged out code like a mad-guy.  The concepts flowed (the good news is).  I launched prototypes of many new tips and functions (which include the editor that I’m using to produce this article).  The detail with innovative strategies is that you cannot usually just “preserve them up” – thoughts beget other, in some cases improved, ideas.  I come across that the most effective thoughts I have normally transpire when I’m doing work on other concepts or at least thinking about the thoughts that I am at the moment operating on.  At the conclusion of my “enjoy working day”, I had a listing of undone duties but, over-all, I experienced accomplished so many additional vital things.  Looking at the “large scheme of things”,  I would have to confess I was far more successful on the “participate in day” than on the “scrum day” if we are defining efficiency as carrying out wonderful do the job that matters.

This is when I experienced my revelation about to-do lists.  

Endeavor Lists are Constraining

To-do lists are constraints.  They are chains.  Now, constraints are not often a bad thing.  Sometimes we need to have constraints to obtain good final results.  If you’ve got a airplane to catch, it really is most likely not the best time to begin a new operate of art and try out to get into the “zone”. Constraints are required.  But we will need to bear in mind that constraints are, effectively, constraining.  And that is not a great factor in imaginative perform.   

So I imagine we want to acquire a healthier regard for the undertaking list and the danger it can current.  I propose approaching the undertaking checklist the way the aged government “foods pyramid” approached sweets:  use sparingly.  Use them to continue to keep you on undertaking when you have to, but be inclined to get the chains off when inspiration strikes so you can do some get the job done that actually issues.

What do you think?

Sincerely,

Clint Watson
BoldBrush/FASO Founder and Artwork Fanatic

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[1]  I believe “tiny hurry from checking items off a listing” can characterize a form of addiction, which I prepare to explore in an upcoming post.

[2]  I also believe the ability to drop every thing and go after creative ideas is underrated.  People must do it much more typically.

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