Time Management

[cojak]

I use tiddlywikis for project, logs and time management with particular logins.

TiddlyWiki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[MarillionFan]

I still struggle with focus. If I'm on here spouting bollocks during the day it's because I'm doing something I hate (like documentation)

If I'm on durng the evening it's because I'm doing something I hate (like catching up with documentation I didn't do during the day because I was spouting bollocks on CUK)

and if I'm not on it's because I'm actually doing something I enjoy.

I don't tend to do stuff I enjoy so much now.

[Wodewick]

I still struggle with focus.

Is FOCUS still around?

I remember FOCUS from the good ole days!

[realityhack]

I still struggle with focus. If I'm on here spouting bollocks during the day it's because I'm doing something I hate (like documentation)

Amen to that. My time here is inversely proportional to the level of interest in the tasks outstanding. Normally that's ok but having stepped up a gear recently I acknowledge the need to sort the 'being properly organised' thing out once and for all.

[Zippy]

I still struggle with focus.

Reading glasses

I don't tend to do stuff I enjoy so much now.

Well, sort it out man. You must enjoy something other than onanism and Doctor Who?!

[OwlHoot]

So, all you deeply structured and analytical people, and in particular, the PMs amongst you...

...how do you stay organised most effectively when you're working across multiple projects, from day to day? Is it through judicious use of Outlook? Simple lists? Special time-management apps? Other methods? What do you do to keep on top of things and stay pro-active?

I ask, because one of my greatest strengths (lateral, creative thinking) is also my greatest weakness in respect to being structured and organised. It means I'm fantastic at brainstorming and coming up with new ideas, but I'm utterly crap at structuring my own time and being methodical.

I look forward to the usual flaming and wisdom in equal measure.

I have a folder called C:\tasks, with a sub-folder for each task I'm either responsible for or tasks dependent on those which others are assigned to complete (such as adding columns to live database tables, or updating the live crontabs, which I don't have access to).

I adjust the names depending on the status, and each task subfolder contains a text file, notes.txt, of notes related to the task, plus (optionally) documents and screen shots etc.

The tasks folder also has a "DONE" and "HOLD" subfolders, for tasks in those respective statuses.

(Clientco uses FogBugz for task "threads", and each task subfolder name contains the FogBugz number.)

May sound a bit crude, but it works for me and I currently have over 20 tasks on the go.

edit: I don't use paper at all, and antiquated dead wood notepads, except to take notes in meetings. The results are then typed into my notes files.

[MarillionFan]

Well, sort it out man. You must enjoy something other than onanism and Doctor Who?!

I've got CUK, onanism and Doctor Who so far.

Hey Zippy, you wearing that Dalek outfit?????

[Zippy]

I've got CUK, onanism and Doctor Who so far.

Hey Zippy, you wearing that Dalek outfit?????

<cough>