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The Idea in Short
The Idea in Short
A plan that plays out in weekly intervals
A system that helps categorize your activities into different Chunk types (Main-, Sub-, Non-chunks)
A plan based on your Main-Chunks, basically a list of things you want/have to do each day in the week
A different importance to a normal schedule is, that the Main-Chunks are not restricted or fixated in their time constraint
A different importance to a to-do list is, that this plan is aiming for a more overall goal in not just fulfilling small tasks
Weekly diary entries, about how well the plan was accomplished
Only 3 fixed tasks: Write the diary, create the plan, let life happen
Short Definition of Main-Chunks
Short Definition of Main-Chunks
You should categorize two types of activities into the Main-Chunks:
Activities that you have to do as part of your external responsibilities (work, child etc.)
Activities that you want to do, that might be a part of achieving;
long procrastinated/forgotten dreams
acquiring in your views necessary skills for your own long term happiness
activities that would bring balance into your life, but were seen as too time-consuming.
Putting those things on the list, is the start to just get into it and spent active time on it, no matter how.
For more detailed description, please read "Definition of Main-Chunk" below.
Short Definition of Sub-Chunks
Short Definition of Sub-Chunks
Sub-Chunks can be seen as your daily distracting activities or activities that you are drawn towards through impulsive craving. This can be completely different to everyone. Some of my own examples would be:
Use of my Phone to browse through social media
Watching YouTube
Watching Netflix
Activities that eat up your time, solely for recreational purposes. It is not to not do them at all, but to not let them get in the way of your Main-Chunks.
For more detailed description, please read "Definition of Sub-Chunk" below.
Short Definition of Non-Chunks
Short Definition of Non-Chunks
Non-Chunks represent activities that occur naturally through life and add or take away from our quality of life.
These activities are not noted down anywhere, this is basically life happening. But even here we have 3 categories;
"Incoming" Non-Chunks, describing activities and scenarios that take place outside your control, things that you did not actively anticipate. Things that you should prioritize in taking care of (except it belongs to points within your Sub-Chunk). Incoming Non-Chunks have the highest prioritization, other than your external responsibilities in your Main-Chunk of course and emergencies happening.
"Outgoing" Non-Chunks, describing activities which come from yourself that includes some type of impulsive decision to do something. Activities that are not Sub-Chunks, but adds onto your quality of life, involving some type of work for its achievement. (i.e., me deciding to color my entire room, deciding to hang out with friends etc.). If you catch yourself bringing up the same "Non-Chunk" a few times a week, it would be wise to try to categorize it to either your Mainex-Chunks or your Sub-Chunks.
"Essential" Non-Chunks, describing activities that are essential throughout life, cleaning up your room, eating, watching something while eating, basically taking care of basic needs and hygiene. Though this has the highest priority of all, it is a too obvious one to take into a rule of prioritization.
For more detailed description, please read "Definition of Non-Chunk" below.
The Idea in Detail
The Idea in Detail
The premise of this plan is, that in our core we humans are just animals.
We might be a little more complex in how we achieve the same results that animals do, but in the end we are drawn to a lot of activities just because our primal craving wants us to do so (for some more than others). A lot of this primal craving is captured and satisfied through digital devices and program designs of the current world. And if it's not the current technology that is feeding this feeling, it is other things that were there for thousands of years, that can cause the same if not worse damage to us.
Holding us back from things, corrupting our inner wants, satisfying feelings that would lead to breakthroughs in our personality, if not released every time a craving is there. This plan is supposed to break down the things that hold us back from achieving self-fulfillment and capture the exact things that can potentially lead to that self-fulfillment. By not only allowing us to move forward in a structured way, but to also reflect with ourselves every week in why we do the things we do and if they are indeed the right things. It allows us to tap into hobbies and desires that the modern, fast-paced society managed to corrupt in a certain way. More on this on my take on “Taoism in the Modern World”.
Continuing on what the plan consists off; this is a plan that divides activities into 3 main categories (6 in total). In order for us to have an overview of things that we actually can do, but throughout life never or only rarely decide too (Mainex-Chunks) and might potentially regret due to overdoing (Sub-Chunks). A plan that keeps you in check with yourself (Weekly Diaries), as your best friend and not that teacher, boss or parental instance that would punish you for not doing so.
Whatever you are doing in the plan, you are doing it because of yourself;
Setting the activities
Assigning as much time as you feel towards those activities while undertaking the activity
Reflecting at the end of every week with yourself:
about the entire plan and how it goes,
about one certain thing within the plan
about the week itself, outside of anything that was being captured by the plan.
(examples above are just for guidance, the reflection can be done as flexible as possible)
Most rules are based around how the Chunks are defined and the better it is understood, the better the plan can be carried out.
The detailed version of how the different Chunks work can be found at the end of the page.
Outside the Chunks itself, there are only a few rules on how to design the plan. One such possible Plan is represented in the following Image.
All examples given below, are personal examples and the activities described in different chunks shall not be used blindly in the same category as me
And there is a way to implement all of this, into your notes on your phone, shown in the screenshot below. Though my preference for a long time was to do it on the computer with Whimsical, which is not really designed for a plan like that. But writing long text is just simpler with a keyboard for me and the Idea itself was created there, so it just took shape slowly until it became a well oiled routine. Setting everything up on the phone can be a task itself in the beginning, but once it's done and one-two weeks are managed, you will probably find your most optimal way of usage.
An Application for the Computer is currently under construction, due to my limited knowledge and “affinity” in programming, it might take a while, but it will be available here!
As you can see, a simple note app that comes preinstalled on every modern phone, would be enough to create such a plan. For privacy reasons, I haven't included any weekly diaries and also went easy on things that belong into my Sub-Chunks. But the general gist should be clear. Keep your Sub-Chunks in front of your eyes, to not have them infiltrate your actions and if you find yourself having free time, go for the main chunks on the list.
As mentioned in the short bullet points at the beginning of the page, this is not a to-do list, though it might seem like it on the Phone version. See it as a simple reminder throughout each day, to do the things that do not belong into your external responsibilities, so long as the activity distracting you from doing it aren't “Incoming” Non-Chunks but your Sub-Chunks.
Definition of Main-Chunks
Definition of Main-Chunks
The Main Chunks are divided into two sets of activities:
Firstly, the Main-Fixed-Chunks (ABR. Mainix-Chunks) those, that carry a fixed place in your life, external foreseeable responsibilities that you have to take care of. Things that take easily more than an hour, like work or taking care of responsibilities of children, for example.
The second activity is the Main-Flex-Chunks (ABR. Mainex-Chunks), activities that you mostly want to see in your life, but never get to. Be it because you can’t find the time for it, aren’t motivated enough, or you have missing energy and are overwhelmed with where and how to start, sometimes even things you think you don't have time to deal with.
For the Mainex-Chunks, imagine things, that are or were once your dream, imagine skills that you would love to adapt, activities that you think you deserve to commence in, in order to balance out your life. Things that can not be done by just acting impulsive towards the craving of your primal self, but things, that need discipline in order to become something.
The Mainex-Chunks, represent your main life as it is now, with the addition of the Mainix-Chunks, it represents your life in its optimal form. It is important to note, that Mainex-Chunks are not an obligation, only a guidance of things to do when other things aren’t taking part in your day (other than Sub-Chunks), hence the non-restricting time constraint. You do as long as you want and if one thing takes up way more space and doesn’t leave you time for the others, you will know how to adapt the plan for next week, so it’s fine.
Main Chunks are different to everyone, but the most essential to all of us, your main life story and goals.
Definition of Sub-Chunks
Definition of Sub-Chunks
Sub-Chunks represent the main distracting factors, that occur throughout a normal day, written down in all honesty to yourself. The amazing thing about this categorization is, (as rule of thumb) activities that don’t end up in your Main-Chunks after you've assembled it, but that still take up hours every day, usually belong into the Sub-Chunks. But Sub Chunks, are not meant to be demonized. Those are mostly the things, that give our lives that incomparable childlike joy. So typically, Sub-Chunks are the activities, that you can draw yourself consciously towards in case every Main-Chunk activity of the certain day or week should have been dealt with properly.
Catching yourself becoming busy with Sub-Chunk activities, in the middle of your Main-Chunks or before taking onto your Main-Chunks, should be a warning to yourself, to mitigate your life more towards what you want for your sophisticated self and not what you want for simple pleasure.
Definition of Non-Chunks
Definition of Non-Chunks
Non-Chunks represent activities that occur naturally through life and add or take away from our quality of life.
These are things that aren't noted down, this is the aspect that represents "Let life happen." in the best way possible. The reason to categorize activities into Non-Chunks nonetheless is, that not every activity has to be categorized into Main or Sub chunks, some activities just happen and add onto the quality of life and some activities, new activities that we cannot categorize yet, usually start off as Non-Chunks, but can later develop into one or the other category, so it is good to keep an eye on those.
In general, Non-Chunks are things like taking care of small responsibilities such as cleaning up the room, brushing your teeth, changing a tire, participating in a family event. As long as the underlying Chunk in the day, is not a Mainix-Chunk, Non-Chunks are prioritized overall.
There are three categories for the Non-Chunks,
“Incoming”
“Outgoing”
“Essential”
Incoming Non-Chunks can be seen as invitations from friends to fixed events or family asking for specific time, responsibilities that are laid upon us outside our control. Sudden tasks that arise due to unexpected events, basically life happening and taking place, to which we shall respond with direct prioritization. This is probably one of the few instances, in which we are also talking about things that happen that decrease our quality of life. And it has the highest prioritization, life is happening and has to be dealt with, with the good and the bad. But the bad, so long as we can work our way towards a solution, otherwise it is something impeding everything like an unstoppable wall and most likely pushing us more towards the comfort of Sub-Chunks instead of following through our Main-Chunks.
Outgoing Non-Chunks are activities, that you yourself create, not out of primal impulsion, but complex desire for something that has at least some type of “usually” unwanted work involved in it.
For example, you would want to meet your friends and would invite them over or go out with them, and not the other way. Or you, basically wanting to recolor your entire room. Essentially creating a situation completely not related to other chunks, which would enhance life quality not necessarily through childlike joy but through peaceful self-full filing achievement.
If you catch yourself bringing up the same "Non-Chunk" repeatedly, it would be wise to try to categorize it to either your Mainex-Chunks or your Sub-Chunks.
The most difficult differentiation of activities will probably be the separation between, Sub-Chunks and “Outgoing” Non-Chunks, but you will feel, what activities are just pure enjoyment and what activities have the work factor in it.
CAUTION: Even though the example above talks about meeting friends as a non-chunk, for some people, meeting friends might be a Sub-Chunk, because they might be doing it too often. Describing their way of enjoying simple pleasure at the cost of sophisticated goals and work. So if hanging out with friends, is something you catch yourself often with, than don't fool yourself by categorizing it as an "Incoming" Non-Chunk, but rather a Sub-Chunk that has to be controlled more well. But for me as an 50/50 extro-introvert, sometimes it can be even work for me to actually participate in social activities, which is why it’s not a sub-chunk to me but rather a non-chunk, because it really does help in my social energy levels and in my life quality. But in my adulthood it never became something that would impede my every day life, and it never would, because after too many of those I would rather lose social energy than gain any in a social context. So I wouldn't attend for "simple pleasure" purposes anyway.
The rule for Non-Chunk activities is to first realize activities as such Non-Chunks and limit yourself in the amount of the “Outgoing” Non-Chunks per Week, note down how frequently it happens the first few weeks and try to find an average, to create consistency in case life doesn’t allow you consistency (but this is just an extra, that is not needed to succeed with the plan overall).
Lastly, essential Non-Chunks, are activities that are unimaginable to live without. Basic Human needs and reading a Wikipedia article about nuclear weapons.
For any further questions regarding the Chunk plan, do not hesitate to contact me, details in the footer!
I wish you happiness and productivity in your private life with this plan!
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