Cal Newport's Best Practice To Organize Your Tasks

Summary

In this insightful case study, the speaker shares his best practices for task management, emphasizing the importance of capturing tasks and deciding whether to place them on a task board or directly into a weekly plan. He suggests that tasks should be placed on a calendar if they are time-specific and on a task list if they are not. The speaker also discusses the significance of reviewing task lists daily and the impact of having a consistent routine and location for planning, which helps maintain productivity and stay on track with the system.

Takeaways

• 📝 Always jot down new tasks as they come up using a capture method, like a time block planner or daily pages.
• 📆 Process tasks at the end of the day and decide if they should go on a task board or calendar; the calendar is for time-specific tasks.
• 🗓️ Use the calendar for tasks that are due on a specific day, like an all-day event or an appointment.
• 🔗 If a task is not tied to a specific day, it should be placed on a task list, such as a Trello board.
• 🌅 Review the task list daily when building the daily time block plan to ensure important tasks are not forgotten.
• 📈 Trust the system when it's followed properly; the task list will remind you of what needs to be done each day.
• 🚫 Avoid cluttering the weekly plan with too many reminders; it's a sign of not trusting the system.
• 💡 Use extra reminders like emails only when feeling the system is disrupted and trust is lacking.
• 🏠 Establish a routine by doing the planning in the same location every day, like a study at home.
• 🔑 Having a set location and time for daily planning helps in staying consistent with the system.
• 🔄 If the system is not followed, it can lead to falling off track and needing to re-establish the routine.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the script?

The main topic discussed in the script is the decision rule for entering tasks onto a Trello board versus directly into a weekly plan, and the best practices for managing tasks and obligations.

What is the best practice suggested for capturing tasks when they arise?

The best practice suggested is to jot down the task in whatever capture tool is being used at the moment, such as a time block planner or daily pages, and then process it at the end of the day.

What are the two places where a new task can be processed to after it's captured?

The two places a new task can be processed to are either onto an appropriate task board list or onto a calendar.

What qualifies a task to be entered onto the calendar according to the script?

A task qualifies to be entered onto the calendar if it is connected to a specific day in which it needs to be executed, indicating it is time-specific.

Can you provide an example of a time-specific task mentioned in the script?

An example of a time-specific task mentioned is the Department Merit reviews due on a specific Friday, which is scheduled as an all-day event on the calendar.

What is the recommended action if a task is not tied to a specific day?

If a task is not tied to a specific day, it should be placed on a task list, such as a Trello board.

How does the speaker ensure important tasks get done when using a task list?

The speaker ensures important tasks get done by looking at the relevant task board every day when doing the daily time block plan, trusting that they will remember the importance of the task when they see it.

What does the speaker do when they feel their schedule is disrupted and they don't trust themselves to look at their task list?

When the speaker feels their schedule is disrupted, they may add extra reminders to their weekly plan or email themselves a reminder to ensure they don't forget important tasks.

What is the speaker's routine for starting the day with task management?

The speaker goes to their study at home each morning, opens their time block planner, reads their weekly plan, calendar, and Trello task lists, and sketches out a time block plan for the day.

Why is having a set location for daily planning important according to the speaker?

Having a set location for daily planning is important because it helps the speaker stay on track with their system and maintain consistency in their task management routine.

How does the speaker know when they are off their system according to the script?

The speaker knows they are off their system when they start emailing themselves reminders, which is a sign that they are not trusting their usual task management system.