Ways to organise life - a work in progress

I have tried and broken every system (paper, digital, apps, human) that I have tried in my attempt to organise my life.

Why keep trying? 

Because I need a way to keep tabs on all the areas of life to prevent myself being overwhelmed, losing things and burning out. 

Why do I keep breaking systems?

I'm neurodivergent. I am unique in my experience of neurodivergence (we all are). As I understand how my brain categorises, processes and observes/creates patterns I am starting to see why I break systems designed for other people using other people's ways of categorising, processing and making sense of things. 

Copyright is c/o Rachel Hughes, dotiau. Image created by her daughter

What is currently working for me?

I currently categorise tasks by type of thinking required. Anything about urgency or importance or area of life or length of task is secondary.

• Mull - reflective, creative work
• Schedule - big things that will require a block of time and some thought
• Do - tasks that require no thought (it's already be done) and everything is to hand.

Here's an example:

• Mull: how can I find a way to organise life that works with me rather than me forcing myself into it?
• Schedule: 'Work on being organised'
• Do: 1. Create new tags on Ayoa* for mull, schedule, do 2. Add tag to all tasks

I have just added a fourth category of thinking: pottering. More on that later.

Having added tags on Ayoa, it is easy to use the 'filter' to see only tasks with that tag. 

So if I'm in a particular mood or have scheduled time for a type of thinking, I can see just the options that need that type of thinking. 

Ayoa also has lighting flash and flag symbols I can use to give an indication of urgency/importance, so I've got that at a glance too. 

For me, doing one thinking type at a time works so much better than doing one project at a time. 

About pottering

This isn't a tag that can be attached to tasks or projects. It is a wonderful state of being where I have zero expectations of myself and I simply wander round the house or office doing bits that I feel like doing. I need to protect these times by scheduling nothing and having no deliberate purpose a few times a month. 

It's very relaxing and 'non-productive'. [The reality is that it is extremely non-productive in a non-linear and unfocused way. After a scheduled pottering time, I feel so relaxed and the next Friday 8.30am with the wonderful Hannah Retallick, I discover that I can update or archive a vast number of tasks on the Ayoa boards - without having tried or been intentional]

 *Ayoa is software designed by and for neurodivergent people. Well worth the outlay for Ayoa Ultimate in my experience. It is transforming my ability to be organised, plan and collaborate. I'm not sponsored by them (!) but they did grant me a free licence as I was trying to get started with NeuDICE CIC.