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Welcome to Day 5 of 7 Days To Better Productivity & Time Management.
Today’s task will take about 1 hour.
If you’ve ever struggled with focus, or been frustrated with yourself for not finishing things, then you’re going to love my DSSN system.
Let’s start!
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I love the DSSN – firstly because it stops that procrastination in me, because I know once I start I usually finish, but I can be like dragging an old mule up a sand bank to get started sometimes – literally. One nasty little demon in my head though with “stick” is that I can avoid the whole, ooo look there’s a mark on the new paintwork, ooo I can’t find the can of paint in this garage, ooo look there is my dolly collection (I will not wet myself laughing!)….kind of thing, but when my brain notices I’m not listening it will suddenly try to convince me that this one thing I’m doing isn’t important any more. For example, let’s take financial paperwork, I agree that being financially independent and never in debt (apart from the mortgage) is important to me, I start on that dreaded paperwork filing task (that never ends), when I am avoiding that whole dolly collection thing, my brain will suddenly start with the whole, isn’t it great that you have too big a house and you can have all this space to pile up the paperwork, it’s always there safely and never gets in the way, visitors never see it this high up in the office…it’s not that important to have every bit of paper filed away Amanda is it?…oooo you’re right there, but there is my dolly collection to do….and off I go, 30 minutes later I’m wondering why I haven’t got all the paperwork filed. Nasty!
I don’t think I fully understood the whole fear issue – but it makes complete sense. That was a life changer. I’ve used this system for the last two days and it is wonderful. Hard but wonderful. I’ve also learned that my to do lists are quite large and by simply breaking them down into 40 min increments (I set a timer) and then taking 15 mins break, it helps me a lot. Most times I don’t need a break but when I do, I feel like I’ve accomplished a ton. DSSN reminder is above my computer and it looks good up there 🙂
Did try the system! Yes, I was tempted to abandon tax and had to consciously use that second s. LOL I love the idea of programming DSSN events in my phone/mac calendar. Brilliant idea from Catherine Elizabteth…so I am doing that right now!
The DSSN is exactly what I need. I get so indecisive on what to start with and then I never stick to it. I end up doing 5 things without finishing any of them.
Still moving forward…procrastination is my downfall…accomplished 3 out of 4 magic activities today, but the 4th is the one that I never seem to start each day. Just the thought of beginning our tax paperwork raises my blood pressure, so I’ve put it off for months. (On a happier note, saw my comment in this week’s newsletter update; made me feel special 🙂
I live and breath by the calendar on my phone, so I’ve added a daily “DSSN” event from now to the end of Feb to remind me to spend time daily on these activities, and hopefully create a habit.
Okay – well – maybe – grrr. You win again 🙂 This was exactly my problem for getting the important things done. The other things were great, but my inner child was willing to do those – make lists of activities, make better lists of activities, try out new diary systems… These things were work but they did not attack THE QUESTION – that deepest fear – What if I get it all done??
Now back to the magic activity that was interrupted for lunch – computer code for my grad project. It is coming together amazingly fast these days. And, as you can probably guess, as it moves faster along the road to completion, THE QUESTION is popping is up everywhere in my life, along with opportunities/answers I never knew existed. It is still scary, but a better ‘scary’ than ‘I am scared I will never finish it.’
Thanks again 🙂
TaDa! Almost lost focus when I got to an out of place book (started to read) but I put it in the “to read” shelf and carried on with the activity. If it weren’t so late I would use that “N”!
This works! I got the first steps of 4 big goals I had put off for so long done earlier this week while doing this task and now I’m still moving ahead with more steps of these goals:) It’s amazing how having the DSSN system keeps me in line and motivated too. It really helps me ignore the internet surfing and email perusing. So far so good…
Although I don’t do tattoos, I want to tattoo DSSN on my hand somewhere to always remind me! One of my magical activities (in cleaning the house) is to wash the dishes every day (a task I loathe!), so that is the activity I Decided to do using DSSN. After about half way (three days of dishes), I am usually fed up, and just want to quit – but I Stuck to it. It was the last thing I did before bed, but it was done!
The DSSN reminders are everywhere!: my planner, my white board, the refrigerator, my cell phone calendar. Thank you for these four little letters that hold so much power!
Catching up from being a few days behind here. I just finished trying the DSSN and am liking it! It wasn’t so much the second S I had to concentrate on but the D and first S. The reward in the end was satisfying
I’m a little behind but have just put a post-it note on my monitor. Start and Stick with it are the most important for me. I find it hard to get started on something and I’m a sucker for drifting off into other activities and not ‘sticking’ with it. The output meter is a great tool for me and I can see how DSSN will help me to pull it together.
I tried it! Love it and feel accomplished. Spent more than 20 minutes each focusing on my diet and health output meters and financial ones. I feel motivated to do more with others later today & tonight. I set DSSN reminders on my Outlook calendar, top of each page of paper planner, and home whiteboard.
I think to make this work, I’m going to have to give my kids a 20 minute activity as well. Sent one to practice her flute when I started. Haven’t heard a sound yet 🙂 Have NO idea where she got this from! I was able to stick with the task, but it took me maybe 25 minutes to feel like I had done twenty minutes worth. DSSN reminder is on my laptop and on my digital calendar. Thinking about setting up notifications to have DSSN sent to my phone too.
Today’s assignment helped cement yesterday’s. I decided to start my day with the exercise activity and up it to 30 minutes. I started my time on the treadmill, and when I wanted to quit at 20 minutes, I kept going. I felt such a huge sense of accomplishment and relief getting it out of the way the first thing in the morning. I then updated my settings on the SparkPeople website to help with my accountability. Once that was out of the way, my other magic activities came easy 🙂 Now, just to keep the momentum…heading off to create a pretty reminder for my bathroom mirror and iPad.
I’m going to go do one right now, then put the reminder on the whiteboard on the refrigerator and on a post it AND on a card I keep in my pocket! I have to shut down the computer, but will post again to let you know it got done! I feel a sense of accomplishment already this week, in that I’ve completed each day of this 7 Day Challenge so far, and I’ve exercised every morning first thing. 🙂
Today was easier than yesterday because I’m already doing some of it. I did go back and re-read Day 3 (again) though because I was still confusing Magic Activities with Goals. The DSSN system is more or less the way I have gravitated to working through my day on my own (I just didn’t have a name for it). I’ve already discovered that a time based action list is a disaster for me. So yes, I’ve been trying it and it’s much better than a time table because I change everyday into a different person (apparently) and what I felt like doing at 9 am yesterday was the last thing I wanted to tackle at 9 am today.
Did I feel the urge to abandon the task and have to consciously use the second S? Ah, no. I usually start on something, and like a King crab I don’t let go until the task is over-done. When told to go use the DSSN method for 20 minutes? Three hours later I got back here (sigh). But I got three related tasks marked off today’s list 🙂
I put my DSSN reminder at the top of my Daily Tasks list form, next to “Projects In Focus” – I will now see it every morning when I plan my day. I now know it’s OK to do the task I feel like doing first and move to the next task I feel like doing (as long as it’s a Magic Activity) and I don’t have to feel like I’m doing it wrong or cheating! Oh! I also (because of these lessons) added to the “Supporting Tasks” section header “- don’t let fear de-rail you!”
Confession here. I read the assignment when my son was still sleeping. No, can’t start then – he would be up soon. Really should practice. Later. While waiting for the refrigerator repairman from 8am until 1? Nope, did other very useful things, but not that magic task. Started it at 12:50, and he arrived at 1. Certainly wasn’t going to practice when someone was in the house! (no reason not to).
So I have 20 minutes before I have to go pick up my son. I’ll do DSSN NOW.
Just noticing how I put off even the FIRST step!
This worked really well for my most pressing task of the day (it was a magic activity), but it was also something that I love doing and really had to get done. I am excited to use it for a magic activity I really don’t like, I will try it out on that later today. 🙂
I love that DSSN is for the magic activity, not the priority or goal. Instead of having the end result distant and looming, you almost forget about it because of the sense of accomplishment you feel from completing the magic activity. It’s like the end result sneaks up on you while you’re focusing on, and feeling satisfaction from, completing the steps to get there. Good stuff!