At the end of the previous day, I time-block deep work (DW) and shallow work (SW) on my own Time Block Planner 360, a 1/4 letter in front of my PC. You can print it on both sides in letter size, fold it in four sides, and you can use each side for more than one day if you haven’t used all the columns.
For those who are not familiar with the difference between deep work and shallow work please read Deep Work, by Cal Newport.
I begin the day with a block of SW for those tasks that are time sensitive. Then I block DW tasks, and after that I block another SW block. Then a buffer block (this allows me to make corrections as needed if the day unfolds in an unexpected way). And after this I end my day with a last SW block, where I time block my next day.
My tasks for deep work are those that are:
- in my list of @tasks for DW (takes 30' or more) that are day specific actions;
- and if I have finished those tasks and I have more time, I can review my list of @next actions tasks for DW, to execute one or more of them.
I write each task of DW in my own time block planner 360.
I just write a block of SW in my time block planner 360 without writing each task that is in my app TickTick divided by contexts. In that block I process my inboxes to zero, and execute each context to zero of those SW tasks that are day-specific actions:
@phone
@in person
@WhatsApp - morning (time sensitive tasks)
@tasks that takes 15' or less - morning (time sensitive tasks) (including writing some emails)
@WhatsApp - afternoon
@tasks that takes 15' or less - afternoon (including writing some emails)
This allows me to be in "execution mode" the next day since the beginning, and that helps to have a lot of focus during the day, and I don't lose cognitive energy deciding what to do through a large number of “next action” tasks, even if they are short tasks.
I don't have next action lists for SW, just day specific actions in my app TickTick (including follow up tasks, so I don't use a "waiting for" list).
I have a list for things to see in my “meetings with my boss or my subordinates”, that also helps as a "waiting for" list with my subordinates.
And I also have my “someday/maybe” lists for things that I wish to do. And a list of projects according to the goals that I wish to accomplish. In a quarterly review I choose three of them for the (quarterly) period, and in my weekly review I see how I'm progressing in those three projects for the quarter.
I hope it helps you.