I am trying to work out if I could set up a way of working whereby I might 
have say 4 or 5 completely separate areas of my life (AKA "Areas of Focus") 
whereby at a single click or hotkey combination I now look at a universe 
that consists of just that area. i.e. Everything I then enter goes straight 
into that area and everything I see is just that area.

My thinking is that it's important to maintain progress in all the separate 
areas.

One possible would be to have a separate MLO file for each area - but that 
seems a little extreme.

J


On Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 8:29:23 AM UTC, Andrei Bacean wrote:
>
> me, yes 
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: J Smith <[email protected] <javascript:>> 
> To: [email protected] <javascript:> 
> Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:33:13 -0800 (PST) 
> Subject: Re: [MLO] Newbie Question: Does MLO have 'Areas of Focus'? 
>
> > Simply put, to answer my original question are most people using Folder 
> to 
> > denote "Area of Focus"  ? 
> > 
> > J 
> > 
> > On Thursday, 11 December 2014 07:57:28 UTC, Andrei Bacean wrote: 
> > 
> > > Hi John 
> > > 
> > > The Effort in my example is used to group the tasks by the order in 
> which 
> > > they may be done. For example, the tasks with the effort MAX may be 
> done at 
> > > first. 
> > > 
> > > When all tasks with the "effort > normal" are completed, then at the 
> top 
> > > of my list will be STARRED tasks followed by tasks which are sorted by 
> > > computed score. 
> > > 
> > > In my example, the effort may be substituted with flags. But the 
> Effort is 
> > > better supported by the mobile versions of MLO. 
> > > 
> > > Best regards 
> > > Andrei B 
> > > 09 Дек 2014 г. 16:00 пользователь "John Smith" <[email protected] 
> > > <javascript:>> написал: 
> > > 
> > >> 
> > >> Hi Andrei 
> > >> 
> > >> Interesting - thanks 
> > >> 
> > >> Quick question: 
> > >> 
> > >> How are you using the term "Effort" in this context? Is it: 
> > >> - The total amount of mental energy to complete a task (or project)? 
> > >> - A simple reflection the amount of psychological resistance you have 
> > >> towards completing the task (or project)? (i.e. In effect a measure 
> of "how 
> > >> much i dont want to do this task" ? !) 
> > >> - To what extent does it reflect: 
> > >>       - the time required  and/or 
> > >>       - the number of steps  and/or 
> > >>       - sum of money that will be required to complete the task (or 
> > >> project)? 
> > >> 
> > >> Many thanks 
> > >> 
> > >> J 
> > >> 
> > >> On Tuesday, December 9, 2014 7:24:25 AM UTC, Andrei Bacean wrote: 
> > >>> 
> > >>> Hi John 
> > >>> 
> > >>> Here is an example of my outline 
> > >>> *On the first image is the outline example 
> > >>> *On the second image - example of an Area of Focus 
> > >>> *On the third image - example of my TODO list: 
> > >>> (the tasks are grouped by EFFORT. and sorted by STAR + COMPUTED 
> SCORE 
> > >>> the tasks which MUST to be done ASAP i place into the HIGHEST 
> URGENCY 
> > >>> FOLDER 
> > >>> If some task are also very important i increase its EFFORT. 
> > >>> SOME FOLDERS in my outline have an INCREASED EFFORT too. 
> > >>> When a task is placed in such a folder, it will be shown at the top 
> of 
> > >>> my TO DO list. 
> > >>> FOLDERS WITH CUSTOM EFFORT but without TASKS are hidden from the 
> view.) 
> > >>> 
> > >>> I will be very busy next 2 weeks, and may reply with big delay 
> > >>> 
> > >>> Best regards 
> > >>> Andrei 
> > >>> 
> > >>> четверг, 4 декабря 2014 г., 15:42:42 UTC+2 пользователь John Smith 
> > >>> написал: 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> Andrei 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> OK got it. They are just folders but you have changed used 
> automatic 
> > >>>> formatting rules to change the icon depending on something quite 
> clever... 
> > >>>> like whether the folder name has an @ in it. AND whether it has any 
> entries 
> > >>>> in it. 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> Clever stuff.  Can you tell use something about your work flow? 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> e.g. Do all "things you need" to do start life as tasks which you 
> put 
> > >>>> into one of those folders? 
> > >>>> And only later get turned into Projects... and if and when this 
> happens 
> > >>>> only then do you move them into one of your "Projects & Actions" 
> folders 
> > >>>> below... Something like that? 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> Thanx 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> J 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> On Thursday, December 4, 2014 7:14:16 AM UTC, Andrei Bacean wrote: 
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> My friend 
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> IMHO, you ask to many questions in one thread :) 
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> I will reply to the question about the icons. 
> > >>>>> See attached image. The answer is there. 
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> Best regards 
> > >>>>> Andrew 
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> среда, 3 декабря 2014 г., 23:39:16 UTC+2 пользователь John Smith 
> > >>>>> написал: 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> Andrei 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> I have now had a very good look at MLO and I can not for the life 
> of 
> > >>>>>> me work out how you generated that image(!). 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> Is that done through the standard "All tasks" view?  What are 
> those 
> > >>>>>> icons that look like baskets and why are two of them red? I am 
> using 
> > >>>>>> Windows 7 (x64) and I can not find anything similar in any view 
> that I have 
> > >>>>>> been able to create in any of my views. 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> I don't think I understand what you mean by "TREE". Is it the 
> > >>>>>> structure of Folders that I would see for example in the standard 
> "All 
> > >>>>>> tasks" view?  My problem is that if I build a Tree structure 
> using 
> > >>>>>> directories to reflect the GTD Areas of Focus, then it seems to 
> me that 
> > >>>>>> this will interfere with using 'drag and drop' to manually change 
> the sort 
> > >>>>>> order in on order to put the more important stuff at the top of 
> the page. 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> <
> https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yv0pRQ4OrfE/VH9772QXQHI/AAAAAAAAAME/jCGeH6--XDg/s1600/delme_MLO_01.gif>
>  
>
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> But looking more closely at your screenshot, you have got one row 
> to 
> > >>>>>> appear for each of your (what I assume to be) Context tags. How 
> did you 
> > >>>>>> create that? Is each row something you created manually or is it 
> some 
> > >>>>>> clever View that I have not found yet? 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> I have also spent quite a lot of time reading and trying to 
> > >>>>>> understand David Allens GTD method. And I am still not clear what 
> the best 
> > >>>>>> way would be to implement things to allow me to quickly filter my 
> view to 
> > >>>>>> just focus on any one of the Contexts. (e.g. Should I set up an 
> entire View 
> > >>>>>> and/or tab/Workspace for each Context?) 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> Likewise in GTD you have "Someday-Maybe" and 
> "Delegation/Waiting-For" 
> > >>>>>> lists. Is the best way to do this to manually move each 
> task/project into a 
> > >>>>>> specially named folder at (say) the bottom of my screen (called 
> something 
> > >>>>>> like "Someday-Maybe") and to make sure that the folder has "hide 
> branch in 
> > >>>>>> To-Do" ticked, so as to stop it from appearing in the "To-do" 
> views?  Are 
> > >>>>>> there any other options? 
> > >>>>>> Because moving things is a slightly painful thing to do. And yes, 
> > >>>>>> even if you use F3 to help you - it's certainly a lot more than 
> just a few 
> > >>>>>> keystrokes. Is there no other/faster way to get something out of 
> the way 
> > >>>>>> and stop appearing on the To-do lists? 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> And what about using Context tags?  For example I see you have 
> > >>>>>> something called @WaitingFor. Is that a folder with that name or 
> a Context 
> > >>>>>> tag? Is it both? If both why do you bother having the Context tag 
> at all... 
> > >>>>>> given that moving the item into that folder would presumably stop 
> the item 
> > >>>>>> from appearing on the To-do list? 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> Also I notice you have folders called "Work Actions" and "Home 
> > >>>>>> Actions" and then another pair of folders called "Work Projects 
> and 
> > >>>>>> Actions" and "Home Projects and Actions". Where then do you 
> actually keep 
> > >>>>>> your GTD Projects? I mean are you physically separating an 
> Actions from the 
> > >>>>>> Project that it belongs to. Or do you keep Actions that have no 
> project 
> > >>>>>> associated with them in a completely different place from Actions 
> that are 
> > >>>>>> part of Projects. If so what is the benefit of doing this? And 
> either way 
> > >>>>>> roughly how many of each one do you have at any one time... and 
> if that's a 
> > >>>>>> fairly large number (e.g. over say 10) how do you decide which to 
> next? 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> With thanks 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> J 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> 
> > >>>>>> On Tuesday, December 2, 2014 9:35:11 AM UTC, Andrei Bacean wrote: 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> Hi John 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> The hardest thing, imho, is to create a simple, easy to 
> understand, 
> > >>>>>>> TREE. Yes, I say TREE. 
> > >>>>>>> The TREE is the base of your GTD system. But views, tabs, 
> contexts 
> > >>>>>>> are instruments which u use to obtain more benefits from the 
> tree. 
> > >>>>>>> The TREE has to be simple, intuitive and easy to view. You dont 
> have 
> > >>>>>>> to feel any discomfort when you look at it. 
> > >>>>>>> If instead you think that the tree is complicated then you may 
> STOP 
> > >>>>>>> at this moment, don't play with views, tabs and so on. GO BACK 
> to the tree 
> > >>>>>>> and try to simplify it, reorganize it. If you think that you 
> achieved what 
> > >>>>>>> you want, and the tree is perfect, then leave it for 1 day. Look 
> at it 
> > >>>>>>> again the next day in the morning, then in the afternoon and 
> also in the 
> > >>>>>>> evening. Do you think it's also perfect as before?? 
> > >>>>>>> If yes, then slowly, step by step play with Tabs, Views, 
> Contexts 
> > >>>>>>> but remember to not make significant changes to the tree in a 
> hurry. 
> > >>>>>>> To create a system that works for you is a hard thing. That's 
> why 
> > >>>>>>> don't hurry, but step by step try to improve your tree, and when 
> you think 
> > >>>>>>> that it's perfect, only then, play with views and tabs. 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> Ps 
> > >>>>>>> The Tree may be customized using different fonts for top 
> parrent, 
> > >>>>>>> using diffenent colors for urgent tasks, using icons instead of 
> classic 
> > >>>>>>> folders example 
> > >>>>>>> http://kraevoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/autoformat_ 
> > >>>>>>> 2014_06_26_08.jpg 
> > >>>>>>> use CAPITALIZATION for top folders instead of normal text and so 
> > >>>>>>> on... 
> > >>>>>>> But at the base of any tree is the information and not the 
> > >>>>>>> formatting. 
> > >>>>>>> So, try to search in this group for examples of use, to see more 
> > >>>>>>> examples of trees. Also play with templates offered by MLO 
> Application(menu 
> > >>>>>>> file/new and then choose a template). Browse also the mlo blog, 
> Andrei (the 
> > >>>>>>> developer) posted a topic about his MLO tree. Read also more 
> carefully the 
> > >>>>>>> MLO help file (press F1). 
> > >>>>>>> I wish you to not hurry but to build your perfect system step by 
> > >>>>>>> step. 
> > >>>>>>> Good luck 
> > >>>>>>> Andrei B 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>> 
> > >>>>>>>  -- 
> > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in 
> the 
> > >> Google Groups "MyLifeOrganized" group. 
> > >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit 
> > >> 
> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/mylifeorganized/HRJm9Zql4to/unsubscribe 
> > >> . 
> > >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to 
> > >> [email protected] <javascript:>. 
> > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] 
> > >> <javascript:>. 
> > >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mylifeorganized. 
> > >> To view this discussion on the web visit 
> > >> 
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mylifeorganized/9afafbf4-708a-4dde-8b0a-bd4fbba663fd%40googlegroups.com
>  
> > >> <
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mylifeorganized/9afafbf4-708a-4dde-8b0a-bd4fbba663fd%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
>  
>
> > >> . 
> > >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. 
> > >> 
> > > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the 
> Google Groups "MyLifeOrganized" group. 
> > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit 
> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/mylifeorganized/HRJm9Zql4to/unsubscribe. 
>
> > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to 
> [email protected] <javascript:>. 
> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] 
> <javascript:>. 
> > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mylifeorganized. 
> > To view this discussion on the web visit 
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mylifeorganized/28ea639a-7503-4428-a884-6cdd2cf87a8c%40googlegroups.com.
>  
>
> > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. 
> > 
> > 
>

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"MyLifeOrganized" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mylifeorganized.
To view this discussion on the web visit 
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mylifeorganized/7fd0f35c-af01-4394-b73d-fc7494a829c9%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Reply via email to