use org-mode to schedule your job

http://www.mastermindcn.com/2012/02/org_mode_quite_a_life/

emacs is not just an editor or IDE, It is a desktop Environment. org-mode in emacs is an amazing tool to practice GTD which help you to organize your time.

here is a template I used.

My Whole Template

* org-mode configuration
#+STARTUP: OVERVIEW
#+PROPERTY: CLOCK_INTO_DRAWER t
#+TAGS: { LEARNING(l) LISP C FUCK-GFW EMACS TEX EMULATOR PYTHON BLOG }
#+STARTUP: hidestars
[[http://www.mastermindcn.com/2012/02/org_mode_quite_a_life/][where this file come from]]
* Inbox [100%]
** DONE Interface C: momory interface
CLOSED: [2012-11-09 Fri 11:30] SCHEDULED:
* Tasks [16%]
** TODO [#B] learning org-mode :LEARNING:
SCHEDULED:
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-09 Fri 09:39]--[2012-11-09 Fri 10:24] =>; 0:45
CLOCK: [2012-11-09 Fri 08:18]--[2012-11-09 Fri 08:52] =>; 0:34
:END:
** TODO [#A] Common lisp [50%] :LISP:
*** TODO shoutcast protocal
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-07 Wed 20:49]--[2012-11-07 Wed 21:50] => 1:01
CLOCK: [2012-11-07 Wed 15:22]--[2012-11-07 Wed 16:37] => 1:15
:END:
*** DONE database
CLOSED: [2012-11-07 Wed 16:04] SCHEDULED:
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-07 Wed 15:13]--[2012-11-07 Wed 15:21] => 0:08
:END:
* Routines
** TODO Japanese Learning
SCHEDULED:
- State "DONE" from "TODO" [2012-11-07 Wed 14:31]
- State "DONE" from "TODO" [2012-11-05 Mon 11:27]
- State "DONE" from "TODO" [2012-11-05 Mon 11:26]
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-07 Wed 12:36]--[2012-11-07 Wed 14:30] => 1:54
:END:
:PROPERTIES:
:LAST_REPEAT: [2012-11-07 Wed 14:31]
:END:
* Remind
*** TODO Weekly Review
SCHEDULED:
*** TODO Internet bill repayment
DEADLINE:
* Reading
** TODO 汉史
** TODO 明史
** TODO 清史
** TODO TCP/IP stevens
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-04 Sun 11:05]--[2012-11-04 Sun 11:10] => 0:05
:END:
** Security Engineering by Ross Anderson
:LOGBOOK:
CLOCK: [2012-11-08 Thu 14:05]--[2012-11-08 Thu 15:58] => 1:53
CLOCK: [2012-11-08 Thu 10:43]--[2012-11-08 Thu 12:10] => 1:27
:END:
* Daily Review
#+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 5 :scope agenda-with-archives :block day :fileskip0 t :indent t
Clock summary at [2012-11-09 Fri 11:32], for Friday, November 09, 2012.
| File | Headline | Time | |
|----------+---------------------------------+--------+------|
| | ALL *Total time* | *1:19* | |
|----------+---------------------------------+--------+------|
| todo.org | *File time* | *1:19* | |
| | Tasks [16%] | 1:19 | |
| | \__ TODO [#B] learning org-mode | | 1:19 |
#+END:
* Weekly Review
#+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 5 :scope agenda-with-archives :block thisweek :fileskip0 t :indent t
#+END:

Next sections will explain this template.

Configure org

* org-mode configuration
#+STARTUP: OVERVIEW
#+PROPERTY: CLOCK_INTO_DRAWER t
#+TAGS: { LEARNING(l) LISP C FUCK-GFW EMACS TEX EMULATOR PYTHON BLOG }
#+STARTUP: hidestars

this defines how org-mode looks like.

Inbox and Tasks Section

Add your jobs in tasks, and some temporary ideas in Inbox. You can separate your jobs into a few steps by add subsections into every job.  You also can track the progress of your jobs by add '[%]' or '[/]' behind the (sub)section name. Press 'C-c C-c' to update the percentage.

Routines Section

If something you will routinely  do, like learning some language every day in above example. you can first schedule the job by 'M-x org-schedule' (of course, move the cursor to that section first). and add '+1d' (just like the template) to schedule this job every day.

** TODO Japanese Learning
SCHEDULED:

Remind Section

'M-x org-deadline ' to add a deadline to a job. add this deadline job to Remind Section. you can customise org-mode to warning you.

(setq org-deadline-warning-days 14)

weekly review and daily review

In the last two section of the template, there are daily review and weekly review.
you just move the cursor to that section, and press 'C-c C-c', org will make a time table to display how much time do you spend on your tasks.

Conclusion

I found that I spent less than 4 hours per day in average to do my jobs(reading the writing or thinking). I believe that's the limit of ordinary people, otherwise, I cannot concentrate on the work or cut down my work efficiency.