Mark Forster's Getting Things Done site

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor. Propose/discuss new systems here.
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brownstudy
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Mark Forster's Getting Things Done site

Post by brownstudy » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:50 pm

Hi all. I've been a sometime poster/lurker on the forum.

I'm a devotee of UK author/coach Mark Forster's time management systems, and cited the No S diet in a comment on his web site. ( http://www.markforster.net/blog/2006/9/ ... ption.html ) He posted about keeping in mind the idea of "it's not an option." My comment dealt with the No S diet and now seeing the candy machine as simply not an option anymore.

As a result, Mark was intrigued enough to give No S a go. He writes about it here:
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2006/10 ... -diet.html

And if time/self mgmt is a topic that intrigues you, he has posted several articles here: http://www.markforster.net/time-management-articles/

No, I'm not affiliated with MF (jesus, do I really have to say this??), just a fan of his writing, ideas, and self-experimentation.

Reinhard--hope you're doing well. I'm enjoying your podcasts!

mike
Mike Brown

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:54 pm

Hi Brownstudy :)

Good to see you are still around cyberspace!
Thanks for sharing, and I just went and posted a comment on Marks Blog page..

Have a nice day!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Thu Oct 05, 2006 1:42 am

Good to see you here again, Mike, and thanks for mentioning no-s to Mark Forster, and Mark Forster to us here.

This has been a crazy week personally (missed a lot of work, scrambling to make up for it) so I haven't had time yet to give Mark's site the attention it clearly deserves, but I will.

I did have time to read the "no option" article you link to. Very relevant to everyday systems. That's why I think the N-day/S-day dichotomy is so useful: it makes it very clear when there is no option (and when there is no compulsion). Routine and habit are "no option"s best friends, because it works best when you barely have to think about it. "No option" is also the best way to build a habit, so it works both ways.

The difficulty comes when you have an excuse that is genuinely compelling: something that short term really is more important than your long term "no option" behavior. It's not just an excuse, but a competing (and short term, superior) good. What you have to keep in mind then is that by choosing this "better" short term choice you really are jeopardizing an even more valuable long term behavior: you are making it optional. It's not just about that one time. Every "one time" impacts all the others. It's sort of like the "categorical imperative" with Kant (except a practical, personal categorical imperative).

Reinhard

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brownstudy
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Post by brownstudy » Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:59 am

Thanks, R. Actually, in one of Forster's books (or his newsletter, can't remember which), he talks about the choices one makes and that the best choice is the one that's "in one's best interests."

That's intrigued me, for whatever reason. "No options" is the short-term, imposed rule, but the higher guideline is "what is in my own best interests?" It kicks me out of short-term into long-term thinking. When I'm about to yield to a temptation, I try to remember that question.

Back when I did Eknath Easwaran's meditation style, I listened to a cassette of one of his lectures. He talked about the conversation you have with yourself in front of the cakestand. Your mouth or stomach says, "I really want that cake, boss." Your meditation-trained mind replies, "No, I will not let you have that cake, because I love you and I want you to have only the best food, prepared with love." And this quiets the urge.

Anyway, those are the bubbles off the top of my think-tank this ayem.

Hope you catch up on your work, Reinhard.

meb
Mike Brown

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