The main idea of this methodology is to record the set of task in “external memory” rather than to keep them in our mind. Thus, our brain can be more concentrate to perform finishing task instead of remembering, respond to the new inputs better, and more organized. The “external memory” is a single trusted system i.e. from simply our notebook to our sophisticated personal digital assistant, which is then reviewed regularly to avoid any miss follow up.

Basically, when everything in your head becomes a specific action item that you know you will complete in a particular time and place, who will perform the task or how to finish the task, and you review all your action lists regularly, you get things done.

Now, I am going to oversimplified the process.

• Collect your thoughts out of your head

Put every single little things that cross your mind in a “single trusted external memory”. Stay close with your notebook (avoid to use sheet of paper), or your laptop, or your smartphone, and write it! In this stage, it is not so necessary to make them in order.

I usually use mind mapping technique to collect all information and to-do list into one single place, including the time, place, person, and the how. If you do it on papers, make sure you will not lose it.

• Process all your collecting thoughts into series of action items

You need to convert your thoughts into actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps. Breakdown your collecting thought into action points, and write them in verb words. For example, your collecting thought is writing a report. Then you have to breakdown into series of action points using verb words : download the raw data, process the raw data in excel, create the graph, put the graph in powerpoint slide.

Here, you will start to decide what will you do with your collecting thoughts. Immediate action? Storing for later reference? Or just throw it to thrash bin. Stay focus to prioritize the urgency and the importance. If your thought can be done with one single action, it is a to do list, if not then it is a project.

• Organize your action items by context

A context is either a place you need to be, or something you need to have with you to be able to do that action. A context can be : office, home, computer, call, errands, waiting for, someday/maybe, and so on. The point is to get your action items onto lists that make it clear what should be done when and where.

• Review your list of projects, inbox, and action lists in regular basis

Review plays the important part. Without reviewing your project list, action list, and your inbox, you won’t be able to trust them, and your mind will worry about them again. At least review them once a week. When you do reviewing, you can add more items to support your objective. In other hand, you also can throw away the things that not necessary in accordance to your objective.

• Do it

Without doing the necessary things, it is almost impossible to get things done. Once you have done all above steps then it is time to take the action. You may do in a parallel for actions in the same context and ignored the rest for time being. When we talks “do in parallel”, it comes down to how much time you have, how much energy you have, and how important the things are.

Getting Things Done Chart

Simple, huh?

But wait, at the end, it will back to our habit and our perception about prioritizing the task within timeline. We need to practice this skill day to day to make it as our automatic habit. And believe me, you will find a lot of your own practical techniques that can support this methodology.

A note for me : to add the real sample for each process.

Having thoughts, ideas, or even objection regarding this method? Then let’s discuss it.

_{* all images in this post are taken from the internet for education purpose only. Apologize if I have taken the images without any permittion}

Then, how can we manage our time better?

First is, of course,  planning. Create series of tasks and the workflow to achieved the goal in structural way with time limit . We have to capture anything and everything that has our concern and draw our attention as much as possible, generating a series of actions which can later be undertaken without further planning. The “mind mapping” method will be very helpful in this phase.

time management mind map

When the planning stage has been done, we enter the execution phase. During execution, there will be many things coming that change our initial plan. Those things usually create another task or sometimes eliminate the original one. Whatever it is, we have to control the change as much as possible. Here, the “prioritizing technique” will take the advantage.  In a simple words, we have to sort the task which one is urgent, which one is important, or both urgent and important, or none at all.

time management matrix

And then monitoring. My subjective opinion is, it is not effective and inefficient to remember series of tasks with our brain. It is better to put those in “external memories” i.e. in calendar or to do list, hence we can concentrate on performing the tasks instead of remembering. Those “external memories” also can help us as external support which ensures that we are being presented with the right reminders at the right time to accomplished the correct task. And the good thing that came with the current technology is, a lot of methods and tools or applications can be used as “external memories”, not only for us as individual but also we can collaborate with other team members to synchronize the series of tasks.

time management tools

Next, we will go through in more detail.

If you have experiences, thoughts, or ideas regarding time management, it would be a great pleasure to share and discuss with us.

_{* all images in this post are taken from the internet for education purpose only. Apologize if I have taken the images without any permittion}

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#18.3

The national currency of Ukraine is hryvnia (sometimes hryvnya or grivna) and it is subdivided into 100 kopiyok which was a currency of Kievan Rus' in medieval times. The abbreviation is UAH or грн.

Kopiyok coins were struck in both brass and aluminium. They have 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 kopiyok and 1 hryvnia denominations.

#19.3

… Sorry ):

#20.3

I almost forgot to post today, and seem I have no idea to write a thing.

So, here are the souvenir. Made from glass and cost UAH 10 each (you may get discount if you buy in bulk)

#21.3

Usually, I spend my weekend by visiting interesting places in Kiev or just stay and cook something in my apartment.

The kitchen itself has four electric stoves, a microwave, and a dishwasher machine. Still, I hate the wash thingy after cooking.

#22.3

Lavra (Ла́вра) originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory at the center. The term originates from the Greek for "a passage" or "an alley".

Kiev Pechersk Lavra is founded as the cave monastery in 1015 A.D. and has been a preeminent center of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe. It's named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine and one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.