Unlike habits, which we perform unconsciously or with little awareness, rituals are acts carried out consciously and methodically.
In task management, rituals are one of the most important factors in achieving success, and their regular practice enhances the effectiveness of TargetNavigator. Let me share some tips that are worth implementing in TargetNavigator.
In the TargetNavigator method, daily, weekly, and monthly rituals play a leading role.
Daily Ritual
The daily ritual involves summarizing the past day and planning the new one. Essentially, the day’s summary can be done at the very end of the current day, but I prefer to do it at the beginning of the next day. For me, it’s a way to gain momentum before the new workday. Additionally, some of my colleagues tend to send correspondence and respond to emails late, sometimes even at night. Hence, I prefer to perform the daily ritual in the morning.
The morning ritual takes between 10 to 30 minutes. After opening the browser with the TargetNavigator page, I first review and summarize the previous day.
I check if all the tasks I completed the previous day are in the correct workflow circle. Sometimes, I add tasks that I completed additionally, which did not have their own cards. During the summary, I count the completed tasks, which allows me to track my performance level. I will write more about measuring productivity during the presentation of the advanced version of TargetNavigator.
The next set of daily ritual activities is planning the new day. To do this, I first review sources of messages, such as the mailbox with printed correspondence, email, and messengers, which can be sources of tasks. If necessary, I add new task cards. Then I check the set of recurring tasks to see if any are due on the current day.
From the tasks to be completed, I select, according to the modified Ivy Lee rule, the 8 most important tasks to accomplish. To be more certain, I reserve time blocks for them in the calendar. However, I try to ensure that the total reserved time occupies between 66% and 75% of the workday, as the remaining time is usually spent on various unforeseen activities. Planning 100% of the time is unrealistic and leads to frustration.
Throughout the day, I update the task board according to the workflow of the tasks being carried out. Before leaving the office, I review the board once more and make the most important updates. The workday isn’t over yet, as various personal and private tasks are still waiting in line.
Daily rituals are crucial because they form the most important link between planning and executing plans. Any other plans, whether medium- or long-term, remain mere fiction if they are not connected to daily actions. Nowadays, to counter the vast number of “distractions” that constantly invade our lives, we need daily planning and tracking of work progress.
Weekly and Monthly Rituals
During the weekly ritual, we perform two important tasks. The first is to look at projects from a broader perspective and summarize the progress made in them. During the weekly review, I identify blocked issues that should have progressed but haven’t moved forward.
The second step is to select new tasks that I want to address in the upcoming week. This way, a set of tasks to be completed in the coming week is created.
The monthly ritual is similar to the weekly one. It allows us to review ongoing projects and assess their progress. Both rituals are opportunities to focus on important matters related to our plans, setting aside secondary issues.
An essential skill to master is the ability to decide not only what to do but also what not to do, what to give up. We all have the same amount of time - 24 hours a day. Therefore, properly investing our time is an important competence. Sometimes it’s not easy to assess at first glance what to invest our time in and what not to. Sometimes we need to conduct a trial, spend some time, and learn more. Monthly and weekly rituals are opportunities to reflect on whether a project that is currently ongoing is still relevant and worth keeping on the task board. Just as we clean our surroundings, we should systematically clear the task board of unnecessary matters to maintain its clarity.
Rituals in task management can truly change our lives, adding more peace, purpose, and harmony.
