Listener Question: How do I Tame the Squirrel Brain? - DBR 014
Episode 14
In this episode, I answer a question from my buddy and listener, Joel. He feels like he has "Squirrel Brain" and wonders how to get rid of it. So, I define "Squirrel Brain" and talk about tactics for Taming the Squirrel. I love your questions. Reach me at larry@dobusyright.com or connect on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/larrytribble. I'll try to answer and let you know when I publish 'your' episode. Joel’s question – what about taming the ‘squirrel brain’
- What is the squirrel brain – uncertainty about what to do
- There is no ABSOLUTE priority list
- Backlog management is the key to managing the squirrel
- Back to the priority list – one, three, or more things in a day
- If you typically don’t get through your list, that’s a different problem
What about this squirrel?
- A big list is from the squirrel
- What gets on my task list today? Let’s tame that squirrel
- The to-do list invites the squirrel
- First thing, it engages our brain’s creativity, brainstorming
- Second – it engages our brain’s sense of urgency
- Be careful about asking your brain this question
- It leads to acting like Scrat from Ice Age
OK, what’s the suggestion – no to-do list, but a running backlog
- Emphasis on ‘running’ backlog
- Backlog – organized list of Everything – it’s a big list
- Organized list – organization is a key, cause it’s a lot of stuff
- Organization is the difference between a backlog and a pile
- Pile – you can only deal with individual units or the whole set
- Organize so that there are intermediate levels/groups
- Emergent – emergence and refinement
- Backlog is the state of the art for managing large lists
Reasons for a backlog
- Reason one for a backlog - You have more to do than anybody could get done
- Reason two - track the things you don’t want to do now
- Decision to postpone
- Backlog stores information that you don’t want to deal with now – parking lot
- Reason three – you can’t trust your brain
Properties of a backlog
- One – easy to get things on it
- Two – highly visible and accessible from everywhere
- Three – no ability to capture your attention
- Four – it hides things you don’t want to see now
- Five – easy, powerful search
- Six – categorization, ‘durable’ areas of similarity - contexts
- Seven – items can Live in more than one context at the same time
- Eight - Velcro holds everything
- Nine - Needs an inbox
- Ten - Backlog cannot be publicly accessible – your email client is right out
Bonus properties
- Bonus property – a way to link items to each other
- Bonus property – holding or pointing to work items
- Bonus property – reminders
Using a backlog – Workflows
- A backlog is fluid, adaptable
- A backlog is defined by interactions and organizational mechanisms
- I live in my backlog
- My backlog is front and center in my work
- Multiple Contexts – some about ‘Now’
- Constantly Updating with new information - capture
- Refining the backlog
- Why refine – capture more information
- Primary purpose of a backlog is for items to evolve
- Refine thoughtfully, on a schedule, capture what you’re learning
- Workflow – refinement is a regular procedure
- Don’t refine too much too early
- Refine things that are near, not on the horizon
- Review of the three things
Backlog – other issues