Autofocus System - Get Everything Done

The system consists of one long list of everything that you have to do, written in a ruled notebook (25-35 lines to a page ideal). As you think of new items, add them to the end of the list. You work through the list one page at a time in the following manner:

  1. Read quickly through all the items on the page without taking action on any of them.
  2. Go through the page more slowly looking at the items in order until one stands out for you.
  3. Work on that item for as long as you feel like doing so
  4. Cross the item off the list, and re-enter it at the end of the list if you haven’t finished it
  5. Continue going round the same page in the same way. Don’t move onto the next page until you complete a pass of the page without any item standing out
  6. Move onto the next page and repeat the process
  7. If you go to a page and no item stands out for you on your first pass through it, then all the outstanding items on that page are dismissed without re-entering them. (N.B. This does not apply to the final page, on which you are still writing items). Use a highlighter to mark dismissed items.
  8. Once you’ve finished with the final page, re-start at the first page that is still active.

Wow. That’s a hell of a system.

And, “Autofocus” is actually a pretty cool name. Much catchier than, say, “Recursively Dicking Around with Your Notebook Instead of Simply Doing Your Work Like an Adult.”

Way, way catchier.

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73 Notes/ Hide

  1. donschaffner reblogged this from merlin and added:
    I seem to have been more productive lately. I think it’s because I keep hearing Merlin saying “quit dicking around and...
  2. smartgoat reblogged this from redcloud and added:
    I couldn’t heart this without the heart falling through to Merlin, so I’ll reblog it instead. Well said, Jack. Reading...
  3. kodinlanewave reblogged this from redcloud
  4. redcloud reblogged this from merlin and added:
    Hey, Merlin, some of us actually need a system. Autofocus actually is incredibly simple, effective, and designed not to...
  5. jebanthony reblogged this from merlin
  6. whatevernevermind reblogged this from merlin
  7. almostinfamous reblogged this from merlin
  8. executivecontour reblogged this from merlin and added:
    See also: The Action Book