Pair Structuring
Today, Whitney and I tried a "pair structuring" concept. At 9am, we got on the phone and discussed three things we wanted to get completed by the end of the day:
Tony
- Finish preparations for a contract meeting tomorrow
- Get fitted for a tux for friend's wedding (will do this after hours, but will find location where I'll get fitted during daytime
- Schedule a dentist appointment
Whitney
- Clean out closet
- Complete a persona deliverable
- Revise a sitemap
At 6:00, we got back on the phone to discuss whether we got our stuff done. I didn't get to scheduling my dentist appointment before the office closed, and I knew that I would be accountable not just to myself but to Whitney for it-- so now I'm more likely to stick to it.
Now, if I don't schedule my dentist appointment tomorrow morning, I have to buy Whitney lunch.
That appointment's getting scheduled!
One of the most interesting findings of today's excercise was just how much fun our morning and evening calls were. When we got on the phone, we didn't just rattle off three tasks. We conversed a bit about our day and what's going on. We gave each other some context and, in the process, compelled ourselves to think about our days in that context a little bit as well.
This is an interesting finding. I wonder whether just talking about what we're going to do in a given day helps us structure it better.
It reminds me of a quote that I may or may not have made up: "Start every day as if it were on purpose."
Do you start your day with a plan of attack, like it's on purpose? Or do you let the day's events dictate what you do? Who's in control of your day?
