question about using a list manager whilst at a job

[TimBourne]

question about using a list manager whilst at a job

"
example of a low level job

such as a cleaner - does it make sense for the person whilst in a shift paid - to also at the same time jot or make notes on phone , like a list manager to do

at the same time (whilst in the job - doing something such as walking to do a different task)

This is doing two things at the same time " O send"



I tried submitting this on reddit , a sub reddit - to do with success, but not sure was able post it because im not familiar with reddit

'
@John Forrister could help here

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

@TimBourne

Hi, Tim.

I am restating your question in the way I understand it as a whole: "Does it make sense for me to use a list manager on my phone to take notes while I am working on my low-level job as a cleaner?"

Answer: No.

Reason: You could possibly lose your job. When you are on the job the employer is paying for your time and expects you to be working.

Observation: David Allen suggests that in GTD we need to record whatever is on our mind at the time it arises before we forget it, which is a best practice. This is unfortunately not a practical reality in a low-level job.

Suggestion 1: You can take notes on your phone during your official work breaks, lunch hour, before work, after work, etc. You can create a routine to do a mind sweep daily right after work.

Suggestion 2: Establish a future plan to further your education and develop your abilities, so you can rise to a higher-level position in the future. There are a lot of years in a lifetime for you to recover your health and improve your circumstances. In future you will someday need to survive without your parents, as we all do. A future plan that you work on a little now without stress or rush would help you begin to think about your future and begin to explore the possibilities. To guide you in this process, consider reading a book by Julia Cameron entitled, "The Artist's Way."

Warmly with best wishes,

Emily

 

[TimBourne]

@TimBourne

Hi, Tim.

I am restating your question in the way I understand it as a whole: "Does it make sense for me to use a list manager on my phone to take notes while I am working on my low-level job as a cleaner?"

Answer: No.

Reason: You could possibly lose your job. When you are on the job the employer is paying for your time and expects you to be working.

right but - other people colleagues at workplace will also use phones when at job
and I was trying to explain something a scenario - you might for example - be in the building - and walking in mind to location to say get or do something for cleaning (then at same time - you could hold phone in one hand - get things off your mind) - and at the same time your not decreasing your working speed are you?

Observation: David Allen suggests that in GTD we need to record whatever is on our mind at the time it arises before we forget it, which is a best practice.

right? so what are you saying here? so What if I start to have thoughts - after I woken up (and am travelling community to my job/work)

This is unfortunately not a practical reality in a low-level job.

a job at a retail shop?

Suggestion 1: You can take notes on your phone during your official work breaks, lunch hour, before work, after work, etc.

right but what if I don't get given a break?

You can create a routine to do a mind sweep daily right after work.

right a mind sweep?
but don't think your saying like a weekly review one
but like of the kind - of the "mind sweep " video you wrote about?

Suggestion 2: Establish a future plan to further your education and develop your abilities, so you can rise to a higher-level position in the future.

right?

There are a lot of years in a lifetime for you to recover your health and improve your circumstances.

you think I can improve?

In future you will someday need to survive without your parents, as we all do. A future plan that you work on a little now without stress or rush would help you begin to think about your future and begin to explore the possibilities. To guide you in this process, consider reading a book by Julia Cameron entitled, "The Artist's Way."

brings up https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=93...EDSAQgyOTAwajBqMagCALACAA&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=HCTS

"The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity is a 1992 self-help book by American author Julia Cameron. The book was written to help people with artistic creative recovery, which teaches techniques and exercises to assist people in gaining self-confidence in harnessing their creative talents and skills."

its to do with drawing?

maybe makes sense - not start that book after previous suggestion of book for helping mood you gave ?

Warmly with best wishes,

Emily

S

 

[cfoley]

In that sort of job, I would want to have with me some sort of universal capture, an action list for the @Work context and maybe a project list. The rest of my system could be at home. Using a phone would certainly work, but depending on the workplace, using a phone might make it look like you are not doing your job. A small pad and pencil might work better. I imagine someone who writes down tasks they are given and never forgets them would be the sort of person we would all like to work with.

 

[TimBourne]

In that sort of job, I would want to have with me some sort of universal capture, an action list for the @Work context and maybe a project list. The rest of my system could be at home.

Im not sure what you mean here

Using a phone would certainly work, but depending on the workplace, using a phone might make it look like you are not doing your job.

Well that is correct , ive seen manager say before that certain employees are not suppose have phone out while on shop floor

A small pad and pencil might work better. I imagine someone who writes down tasks they are given and never forgets them would be the sort of person we would all like to work with.

What?
why would it work better
your writing using pads or paper at job ?

S

WE

 

[cfoley]

I think a pad of paper would work better than a phone because phones can be used for procrastination and other sorts of non-work. A pad of paper is more limited and you can easily show that you're writing down tasks you need to do at work. What was unclear in my first sentence?

 

[TimBourne]

I think a pad of paper would work better than a phone because phones can be used for procrastination and other sorts of non-work.

'Not - if you have types of settings to for example turn off notifications for those "non-work things" - right
all other colleagues seem to use phone ?

A pad of paper is more limited and you can easily show that you're writing down tasks you need to do at work.

but at my work I'm not sure I need to write down any tasks to do?

What was unclear in my first sentence?

?

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

@TimBourne

If you are not gettng breaks on your job, that is another subject entirely. If you work a certain number of hours on the job without a break, the company could be breaking the law,. It would depend on the laws in the UK. If this matters to you, you might need help in looking into this, If you belong to a union of workers on your job, the union could assist you. There may be a labor relations board in the UK that could assist you.

Tim, we here can suggest what might work best for you, but we are not in your exact situation, so we cannot be sure. You know more than we do about your circumstances, and the choice is always yours.

From your past conversations, I believe you are not comfortable writing reminders on paper in a small notebook you carry in your pocket with a pen or pencil, since it is hard for you to read your own writing. Despite these limitations, it might be the best alternative for you while at work.

As @cfoley mentioned, you could use your phone to enter these reminders, but as he said, it might seem to your supervisor that you are not working when you are using your phone on the job, even if you are entering work-related items only.

Rather than entering only work related items, perhaps you want to enter whatever comes to your mind, as David Allen suggests. If so, then that might interfere with doing your job, since it is not work-related.

On the other hand, if you are walking from one place to another on your job, as you mentioned, and you cannot do any work until you get to the next place at your job, then it might not take time away from your job to enter whatever comes to mind into your phone as you walk, so perhaps that might not bother your employer.

Can you walk from one place to another at work and enter things that come to your mind on your phone at the same time you are walking? Possibly, since walking is habitual and may not need much attention.

Might you bump into things at work while walking and entering things on your phone? Possibly, because your attention is on your phone. That might make it unsafe to use your phone while walking

If so, this might cause items at your workplace to fall and get scattered or broken, and you might get hurt, and these things might jeopardize your job. However, that might not happen. You may have perfected a dance of "walking while on phone" and avoiding obstacles with grace.

These things are a judgment call for you to make because you know your ciircumstances.

Although I could be wrong about this, I believe your job is an important source of income and independence for you. Therefore, I do not want anything to jeopardize your job. My advice is to use whatever entry method you like best, and to use your own personal time while you are not at your job to record whatever comes to your mind, instead of using your time on the job to do this.

However, you may see things differently. We can give your our thoughts, since we would like to help. but the choice always is yours.

Best wishes,

Emily

 

[TimBourne]

@TimBourne

If you are not gettng breaks on your job, that is another subject entirely. If you work a certain number of hours on the job without a break, the company could be breaking the law,. It would depend on the laws in the UK. If this matters to you, you might need help in looking into this, If you belong to a union of workers on your job, the union could assist you. There may be a labor relations board in the UK that could assist you.

Right I use to get break in my previous job. But since I moved to Malvern, I've just been on minimum contract hours.
I'm pretty sure my company is not breaking the law

Tim, we here can suggest what might work best for you, but we are not in your exact situation, so we cannot be sure. You know more than we do about your circumstances, and the choice is always yours.

OK?

From your past conversations, I believe you are not comfortable writing reminders on paper in a small notebook you carry in your pocket with a pen or pencil, since it is hard for you to read your own writing.

Yes you remembered ?

Despite these limitations, it might be the best alternative for you while at work.

Right - but something not really feel do-able - and could try explain to you more about it?

As @cfoley mentioned, you could use your phone to enter these reminders,

right

but as he said, it might seem to your supervisor that you are not working when you are using your phone on the job

right but other colleagues I see will use phone, check notifications, persons Till staff which work at tills
the supervisor - will use the phone at job because he is allowed to, he uses the phone for job , to help him with that, things such as making calls or what's app for example I believe

, even if you are entering work-related items only.

What exactly do you mean by this? "entering work-related items only." - if using phone to try help with job e.g. remember something what is wrong with that

Rather than entering only work related items, perhaps you want to enter whatever comes to your mind, as David Allen suggests.

?

If so, then that might interfere with doing your job, since it is not work-related.

?

On the other hand, if you are walking from one place to another on your job, as you mentioned, and you cannot do any work until you get to the next place at your job, then it might not take time away from your job to enter whatever comes to mind into your phone as you walk, so perhaps that might not bother your employer.

That's what I see other staff do
But I think is it a bit paradoxical "walking from one place to another on your job" , hard to diagnose , express in writing

Can you walk from one place to another at work and enter things that come to your mind on your phone at the same time you are walking? Possibly, since walking is habitual and may not need much attention.

Right had an idea - but its also something which maybe does actually have a scientific answer?
and requires judgement?

Might you bump into things at work while walking and entering things on your phone? Possibly, because your attention is on your phone. That might make it unsafe to use your phone while walking

?

If so, this might cause items at your workplace to fall and get scattered or broken, and you might get hurt, and these things might jeopardize your job. However, that might not happen.

i've never had that happen

You may have perfected a dance of "walking while on phone" and avoiding obstacles with grace.

These things are a judgment call for you to make because you know your ciircumstances.

yes

Although I could be wrong about this, I believe your job is an important source of income and independence for you. Therefore, I do not want anything to jeopardize your job. My advice is to use whatever entry method you like best

I was trying to ask is there a way in theory I can work out which method is best?

, and to use your own personal time while you are not at your job to record whatever comes to your mind, instead of using your time on the job to do this.

However, you may see things differently. We can give your our thoughts, since we would like to help. but the choice always is yours.

...

Best wishes,

Emily

thanks

 

[cfoley]

I was trying to ask is there a way in theory I can work out which method is best?

Things like this are usually better tested in practice than worked out in theory. I suggest using your phone for a week, then using a pad and paper for a week, and seeing which you like best. Of course, if you are not allowed to use your phone at work then you can't try that method.

 

[TimBourne]

Things like this are usually better tested in practice than worked out in theory. I suggest using your phone for a week, then using a pad and paper for a week, and seeing which you like best. Of course, if you are not allowed to use your phone at work then you can't try that method.

seeing this now
'I'm not sure the context of this thread has been properly understood where I could share I have 12 hr job
for example - if have 4hr shift and no break
then only time I should use pad and paper - is at times clocked out of shift

is that worth it? '

 

[cfoley]

It sounds like you are neither allowed your phone nor a pen and paper at your job. If that is the case, then you cannot use either unless you decide to break the rules. You could always try asking for an exception to to be made.

Have I understood correctly?

 

[TimBourne]

It sounds like you are neither allowed your phone nor a pen and paper at your job. If that is the case, then you cannot use either unless you decide to break the rules. You could always try asking for an exception to to be made.

Have I understood correctly?

OK
I guess you have understood?

like I was writing to @Mrs-Polifax - only time definitely allowed to document at my job - would be at times where I'm not clocked in a shift (say arrive, just before clocking in system) or after I clock out at the work place, or if I get type break (which haven't been right now because of my contract sys V )

Do you think its worth I try document things at my job, job building when not clocked in a shift ? Or - its better to just document things when I am at home, and trust/feel have confidence I will be able do mind sweep and focus on what's important etc.?

is a question which came to my mind

 

[cfoley]

One of the recommendations for GTD is universal capture, which means whenever you think of something, add it to your inbox. if you can't do that at your job, it is a shame but not disastrous. We all have times that are difficult to capture.

 

[TimBourne]

One of the recommendations for GTD is universal capture, which means whenever you think of something, add it to your inbox. if you can't do that at your job, it is a shame but not disastrous. We all have times that are difficult to capture.

OK?
said why didn't answer the question in previous reply? '

 

[Dave Edwards]

I advised one of my clients, in a similar situation, to write tasks and ideas on 3x5 cards which he could compile into a daily list and carry in his shirt pocket.

 

[TimBourne]

I advised one of my clients, in a similar situation,

As a cleaner ?

to write tasks and ideas on 3x5 cards

right yeah - I shared other thread about getting type 3x5 record cards

which he could compile into a daily list and carry in his shirt pocket.

your saying I can or should try this while at my job building ?
send