YNAB You Need A Budget

[sarahspangles]

There is an Englishman called Mark Forster (easy to find through Google) and he has written two books with productivity ideas. One is called "Get Everything Done (and Still Have Time to Play)" and the other is called "Do it Tomorrow". He also has a website and is betatesting (free) a third and fourth system called Autofocus and Day Week Month. They all have good points - it's a matter of finding which ones work best for you. They all work on paper, either a notebook or a desk diary. Autofocus is a good one to start with, very easy.

Rather like YNAB, his approaches are backed up and developed in collaboration with a forum of real life users! What I like about his approaches is that he's very intuitive about why people don't stay on track, and why they procrastinate. A lot of the systems like GTD work great for motivated people but I'm sceptical that they need a system at all!

[MALMomma]

Thanks for posting that, Sarah! I just watched the video where he talks about AutoFocus. That helped me get a better understanding of it. I have a spare notebook, so I think I might just give this a shot!

[Ambar]

There's a lot of free info on GTD around the net -- start at http://www.davidco.com/

I would recommend checking the book "Getting Things Done" out of your local library. It will walk you through setting up your system (even on paper).

My impression is that most PC-using GTD people use the task system in Outlook.

[Ambar]

David Allen explains the essence of GTD in 1 minute 22 seconds.

http://www.gtdtimes.com/2010/03/11/davi ... ce-of-gtd/

[MALMomma]

So yesterday, I pulled out a spare notebook and sat down at our dining room table to jot down the things in my head that I wanted to get done. My husband was sitting there, too, and as I was writing the list, he asked what I had on there. I explained what I was doing & what I had on it so far. He finished his breakfast and then mustered the troops. Everything got divvied up and every person in the house (even the 2yo!) helped get the tasks done. I couldn't believe that nearly every task on my first page got done yesterday!! And everyone was SO helpful and happy. I added to it as I thought of other things and it was great to have a spot to release the thought. I'm already halfway through a second page now, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, I feel like I can handle it.

Loving the system so far. Thanks again, Sarah!!

[sarahspangles]

Glad you like it! I think you should post this on Mark Forster's Forum - I've never heard anyone have a Family Autofocus but what a great approach! I've noticed my kids will do chores so long as they don't feel they're doing them while others are relaxing.....

[WairereRose]

I'm also here to say thanks Sarah. I've just tracked down the video referred to, and have my computer ready to print the 'how to' instructions for AutoFocus next time I plug the printer in.

Since I've moved to night shift I'm finding that by the time I wake up instead of leaping out of bed and setting to things I am just getting up and going 'ugh' at the thought of much at all. Even clearing the mailbox seems like hard work.

[mattvogts]

It's incredible, reading through these posts, the number of people who have not only had the same experiences with these programs (GTD, OF and, of course, YNAB3) but that so many have drawn them all together.

Maybe the underlying elements of the YNAB methodology extend further then budgeting? YNAB seems to be a great primer for people to start gaining control of all aspects of their life!

I find it quite surreal as a number of these posts could have been written by me. I've recently started using YNAB3 and at the same time have also started using both OmniFocus and GTD.

My two cents for those interested in investigating these programs further: I've previously read the article "GTD and OmniFocus" (as suggested by bomberman) and have found it very useful in fully merging my approach to the two systems. For anyone else interested in GTD there is a great amount of free resources available from David Allen's website which are very useful and provide a good overview of the system.

[malisab]

I'm also here to say thanks Sarah. I've just tracked down the video referred to, and have my computer ready to print the 'how to' instructions for AutoFocus next time I plug the printer in.

Here to say thanks to Sarah and Rose. I've come across Autofocus many times and it just seemed too...something. But when Rose recently posted about SuperFocus I decided to check out Mark's site again. I've been back "using" OmniFocus for a while now, but it's still not quite right for me. I still work best in the 'doing' phase from a hand-written list that I can cross things off of. I've tried printing lists from OF, but there's something that still doesn't do it for me doing that.

Today is the first of 10 days off for me, during which I MUST Get Things Done. A lot of them. And I'm not feeling 100% on top of it all.
I've done a little other reading around the web about AF and GTD together. I think I can envision something that will work for me and how much I actually get done (vs. how much time I spend reading about and tweaking a system) will be the deciding factor as to whether I keep things this way after the break or go back to just using OF.

I've made a 'starter' list of things I think I can get done today/tomorrow. I haven't mined my OF system, just glanced around the house to see what jumps out at me. I've started working the list. I'll sit down and do a review in OF tomorrow and see what I've done on my SF list, and get the two in sync. What I'm envisioning is that my SF list is my DO list (contexts aren't all that relevant to me as I've kept my system for home/personal stuff only) and my projects will still remain in OF. I'll still do reviews in OF and move stuff to paper to do it.

Fingers crossed.

[Hannie]

Hi,
I am not an organized person by nature too much an artist, I suppose.I've been using Motivated Moms not FlyLady for things around the home. Ilove it. Keeps me on track.
Queen Anne Homes for Sale

[WairereRose]

I'm really impressed with that - it looks like she's done all the hard work of thinking from the FlyLady (or any other effective) system and all I have to do is print it off!

I've emailed to ask for a discount since we're at May already and the year is half done, but otherwise it's somehow coming out of Wednesday's pay so I can start making progress every day.

Thanks so much for that tip Hannie.

[malisab]

Thanks for posting in this thread today. I was trying to remember who, besides Rose had brought Super Focus to my attention...and here it is.

[WairereRose]

I'm super pleased. I went to update my PayPal account (since I've changed banks etc) and found that there is money there that I have never downloaded to my account from a customer payment back in Nov/Dec last year. I have printed out the transaction details and will give them to my accountant as 'Drawings', may as well use the money. Then I used Malisa's suggestion from another thread (don't ask me where but I'm sure it's you) to look for a discount coupon and got $1 off. Yay. Net cost $9.10NZ, but now I will start budgeting for the new set in December so I'll have plenty of time at $2 per month. Or I could put it on my Christmas list for my son...