ORGANIZED SYSTEMS

August 24th, 2019

If we are always playing catch-up with something, then it’s time for some creative thinking and sustained effort for the creation of a new habit.

Our habits comprise our systems.

And every recurring problem requires a systematic solution.

The difference between solving a problem ourselves over and over and having the same thing solved by a habit is a subtle one.

Tinkered Thinking will take itself as a case study.  As this platform closes in on 500 episodes, there is one large concern with how it is going.

Often Tinkered Thinking is behind.  By a day, or two, or a whole handful.  The catch up required when these days add up leads to subpar thinking, writing and analysis.  While this is sometimes due to the logistics of recording, it harks of a deeper problem with the approach of execution.

Clearly, the appropriate habits are not in place to make certain that episodes are released on time.  And the only way to ensure this  happens, is to get ahead of the curve and stay there.

It’s a worthy assumption that if Tinkered Thinking can stay ahead of this curve for a solid month that the trend will hold. 

But, in order to accomplish this and make it hold, some creative incentives and structures are required.   Not just the brute-force-iron-will that most people assume it takes.

The work of James Clear and Charles Duhigg come in especially handy here.

One of the attributes of habit formation that they comment on regards thresholds.

Apparently, repeated behaviors become notably more entrenched and therefore more likely to continue when certain run-streaks are achieved.  These are 3 days, 7 days, 21, 28, 30, 90, and 180… if memory is correct.

These thresholds will be used in two ways.  When a threshold is reached with number of days equaling on-time posting, some reward will be applied, and each threshold will have a different reward with increasing value.

On top of this, there will be a second set of rewards for the number of back-logged episodes that equal the same threshold values.

Posting on-time three days in a row gets a reward, but amounting a back-log of 3 additional days also initiates a reward.  The purpose of this isn’t just to post on time, but to stay ahead in the event of something unexpected that makes the work of Tinkered Thinking impossible for that day.

To be sure this is an experiment, and will probably require tinkering, the details of which, will probably comprise a future episode as the effective is gleaned from the ineffective.