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only postpone problems of efficiency, which
Forster asserts are the major factor in time management. By reducing "busy work," more time is made available for "real work" but many workers have an unrealistic sense of how much is possible. Improved efficiency alone cannot solve fundamental problems of
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Since late 2008, Mark has developed several variations of a new time management system called AutoFocus. The system instructs the individual to simply write tasks sequentially in a notebook, and then follow mechanical rules to go through the list choosing tasks to work on. The process is designed
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Important, non-routine projects are identified as the "current initiative" for some action each and every day. Backlogs may be a current initiative until completed, but the goal is to take breaks and complete a full day's tasks each day with efficient focus.
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Forster suggests overcoming resistance to a particular task by tricking the reactive brain into doing the task by using the formulation, “I’ll just ...” For example, “I’m not really going to work on the project, I’ll just get out the folder.”
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going to do as they are about what we are going to do." Proper attention to minor tasks prevents emergencies. Same-day or next-day responses are perfectly adequate in many cases, and judicious use of "closed lists" increases
205:. The amount of work accomplished is a combination of creativity and efficiency, and can only be increased by (A) improving efficiency, (B) reducing the total number of tasks, or (C) increasing available time. Prioritized
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His biggest selling book to date is "Do It
Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management," which challenges some traditional practices in time management with four simple tasks and seven principles.
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and productivity. A business coach until he retired on 24 November 2008, in the past he has also worked for the
British Army, Ministry of Defence and the Church of England.
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method combines the process of prioritizing with the process of motivating. This system aims to balance work on what is important with what you would like to work on.
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in a restaurant. There is only a finite amount of food one can eat and a finite amount of time in a day, so each choice has a logical
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use of delay and closed lists is what
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How To Be REALLY Productive: Achieving clarity and getting results in a world where work never ends
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Together, these form the foundation for what is the "do it tomorrow" (DIT) time management system.
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write down ALL things too urgent to wait until tomorrow before doing them, and then
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to promote intuitive decision making and evaluation of what tasks to work on.
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to assemble all delayed work into "backlog folders" where it cannot be seen,
137:(born 24 November 1943) is a British author best known for three books on
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Help
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collect all new work into related "batches" for the following day,
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360:"Podcast #6 "Do It Tomorrow - An Interview With Mark Forster""
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Secrets of
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clarifying solid commitments as opposed to vague "interests."
214:. Forster asserts that "goals are as much about what we are
408:"Creating a backlog (or how to deal with a long task list)"
180:"closed lists" of finite tasks that are not added to,
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Do It
Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management
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Do It
Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management
147:The four tasks of his "quick start guide" are:
160:start each day catching up on backlogged work.
261:. Hodder & Stoughton Religious. pp.
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197:choices to those made when ordering from a
366:. The DonationCoder.com Radio Show Podcast
439:. London: Hodder and Stoughton. pp.
122:Learn how and when to remove this message
284:(1 ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 200.
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516:"Effective Prioritization Frameworks"
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487:Marshall, Grace (10 November 2015).
385:Forster, Mark (18 December 2008).
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358:Quesada, Jose (22 October 2006).
318:Forster, Mark (15 October 2013).
301:How to Make Your Dreams Come True
465:Forster, Mark (4 January 2009).
327:Forster, Mark (27 August 2015).
177:define realistic limits using...
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331:. Teach Yourself. p. 288.
299:Forster, Mark (18 April 2002).
183:reduction of interruptions, and
174:do small amounts of work often,
303:. Help Yourself. p. 205.
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514:Sturm, Mike (21 June 2021).
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320:The Pathway to Awesomeness
164:The seven principles are:
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563:British self-help writers
467:"Developing One's Vision"
322:. Hyperink. p. 125.
171:do one thing at a time,
168:to have a clear vision,
543:Mark Forster's website
433:Forster, Mark (2006).
50:Please help by adding
387:"Future Developments"
364:www.donationcoder.com
455:, Chapter 5, p. 68.
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