Peace of Mind Organizing

SuperFocus rocks

23 March 2011

Mark Forster, my favorite time management guru, introduced a new task management system, SuperFocus, on February 7 of this year. I’ve been using it since that very day and I’m ready to weigh in on it.

If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you know that Mark is constantly reinventing and improving his task-management systems. When he comes out with a new iteration, I usually try it, since I think so highly of him.

Before introducing SuperFocus Mark tested it extensively and reported on his discussion forum that he thought this might actually be a perfect time management system. Whoa! Those are strong words (especially from someone I think of as humble). I was definitely anxious to give it a try.

The Reader’s Digest version of my review of SuperFocus is this: It’s fantastic. Try it.

Here’s a longer version. SuperFocus is essentially a reworking of Autofocus, Mark’s task-management system that relied on your intuition to select tasks to do and also employed a very effective method of dismissing tasks. SuperFocus retains those features, but adds an improved way to handle urgent and unfinished tasks, which Autofocus didn’t do so well.

I’m not going to describe the methodology. You can read Mark’s instructions here. But I will tell you that it’s very easy to try. All you need is a ruled notebook and a pen. (A straight-edge to draw a straight line is handy too.) The instructions are free.

I do want to tell you what I love about it:

• It provides structure to my day and helps me get stuff done.
• I write everything down so I don’t have to worry about forgetting anything.
• I work through the list faster than I did with Autofocus.
• Urgent and important items aren’t lost at the end of the list.
• It’s portable. (I just put my notebook in my purse when I leave the house.)
• It’s simple, once I learned the rules.
• I don’t have to prioritize. I hate prioritizing.
• I don’t have to make new lists.

If your task-management system isn’t working for you, I urge you to give SuperFocus a try. It’s easy. It’s free. What have you got to lose?

Tagged with: autofocus, mark forster, superfocus, time management

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