Task Management - is it a hot dog?.

I don't know that the HBO series Silicon Valley was made to help me manage my day and be more productive, but sometimes that's what happens.

For example: I can get really anal about my tasks - what goes on what day, where can I best do that, etc. This is because I'm a big believer in the Getting Things Done (aka GTD) methodology.

The problem is - I can get tied up in that analysis on a daily basis, to the point that it affects my productivity.

Enter Silicon Valley - and the "Hot Dog" app.

WARNING: If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you have two choices - watch the clip below, or (Spoiler alert) just keep reading.

I now give you a second warning to allow you to choose wisely.

WARNING: This clip is from Silicon Valley. Like pretty much every clip from Silicon Valley the language is TV-MA.

Hot dog scene

How does that relate to my day?

When I look at my daily schedule and task list, something is either a hot dog (i.e. a task I will do today) or it's not. If it's not today, I kick it to tomorrow, or back to my in box. If it is today, I do it.

What I don't do is worry about questions like "if not now then when?" or "If not here then where?"

I eventually DO worry about those questions, but they are done in one large mass of work, called the weekly review.

The final advantage of this method. As I look at each task I mentally say "HOT DOG!" or "NOT HOT DOG!"

Okay, I say it out loud.