Overview
Autofocus is a task management system created by British productivity expert Mark Forster. Unlike rigid prioritization methods, Autofocus uses intuitive selection and natural focus to work through tasks, making it ideal for creative work and fluctuating priorities.
Core Principles
No Prioritization
- Tasks aren't ranked or sorted
- You don't decide what's most important
- Trust your intuition in the moment
- Natural selection based on current state
Closed Lists
- Work from a single, continuous list
- Add new tasks only to the end
- "Close" pages when moving forward
- Creates commitment to listed tasks
Dismissal After Re-scanning
- If you scan a page twice without doing a task
- That task can be dismissed
- Prevents perpetual procrastination
- Clears deadwood automatically
How Autofocus Works
Setup
Tools Needed:
- Notebook or notepad (physical recommended)
- Or digital equivalent (plain text file)
- Pen or typing device
Initial Brain Dump:
- Write down every task you can think of
- One task per line
- No organization or prioritization
- Include everything (work, personal, projects)
- Fill multiple pages if needed
Daily Use
Step 1: Read Through
- Start at the beginning of your list
- Read each task slowly
- Don't skip any tasks
- Feel which task stands out
Step 2: Select a Task
- When a task "jumps out" at you, select it
- Based on intuition, not logic
- What do you feel drawn to right now?
- What stands out given your current energy/context?
Step 3: Work on the Task
- Work on selected task as long as you want
- Stop when you feel like stopping (even if incomplete)
- Don't force completion
- Trust your natural stopping point
Step 4: Mark Progress
- If task is complete: cross it off
- If partially done: make a note of progress
- If you stopped but want to continue later: leave as is
Step 5: Continue from That Point
- Resume reading from where you selected the task
- Read forward through the list
- Select next task that stands out
- Repeat the process
Step 6: Dismissal Rule
- When you reach the end of a page without selecting anything
- Go back and re-read that page
- If still nothing stands out, dismiss remaining tasks
- Cross them off or move to a "someday" list
- "Close" that page (no more additions)
Step 7: Add New Tasks
- New tasks always go at the end of the list
- Never insert them earlier
- Maintains flow and commitment
The "Autofocus" Element
The name comes from how your mind naturally focuses on what's most important right now, like a camera's autofocus:
- Your intuition knows current priorities
- Energy levels affect what stands out
- Context makes certain tasks more appealing
- Natural rhythms guide selection
This automatic, intuitive focusing is more reliable than forced prioritization.
Variations
Autofocus 1 (Original)
- Single continuous list
- Work through sequentially
- Dismiss after second scan
- Simplest version
Autofocus 2
- Separates "old" and "new" tasks
- New tasks at end until they're "mature"
- Mature tasks can be selected from anywhere
- Prevents newest tasks from dominating
Autofocus 3
- "Pre-selection" of multiple tasks
- Create short list of candidates
- Then intuitively choose from short list
- Better for very long lists
Autofocus 4 (Final System)
- Current page and next few pages are "active"
- Can only select from active pages
- Forces you to address or dismiss old tasks
- Prevents list from growing indefinitely
- Most balanced version
- Even simpler than Autofocus
- Work on first task that stands out
- If you don't do it, dismiss it
- Very aggressive clearing
When Autofocus Works Best
Ideal For:
Creative Work:
- Writing, design, art
- When inspiration matters
- Variable energy states
- Project-based work
Fluctuating Priorities:
- Entrepreneur or freelancer
- Reactive roles
- Multiple clients
- Changing deadlines
Procrastination Issues:
- When rigid systems create resistance
- When you rebel against structure
- Need for autonomy
- Intuitive workers
Long, Mixed Lists:
- Work and personal combined
- Many small tasks
- Ongoing projects
- Varied task types
Less Ideal For:
Strict Deadlines:
- Time-critical projects
- External dependencies
- Client deliverables
- Team coordination
Highly Structured Work:
- Assembly line tasks
- Process-driven roles
- Scheduled appointments
- Fixed sequences
Key Benefits
Psychological
Reduces Resistance:
- No forcing yourself to do "shoulds"
- Work with natural energy
- Autonomous choice
- Less procrastination
Respects Intuition:
- Trusts your judgment
- Acknowledges context
- Honors energy levels
- Realistic about capacity
Clears Mental Clutter:
- Everything captured in one place
- Automatic dismissal of perpetual tasks
- No decision paralysis
- Flow state more accessible
Practical
Simple System:
- Easy to learn
- Minimal overhead
- No complex rules
- Low maintenance
Flexible:
- Adapts to changing priorities
- Works with any schedule
- Handles interruptions
- Scales to any list size
Gets Things Done:
- Natural selection = better follow-through
- Dismissal rule prevents stagnation
- Continuous progress
- Completed tasks accumulate
Common Questions
"What if I never select important tasks?"
If a task never stands out:
- It may not be truly important to you
- Context may not be right yet
- It may need to be broken down
- Or it's time to dismiss it
Trust that if it's genuinely important, it will eventually stand out (or become an urgent problem you have to address).
"What about deadlines?"
For tasks with hard deadlines:
- Add deadline to task description
- "(Due Friday) Finish report"
- As deadline approaches, task will naturally stand out
- Or set reminder separate from Autofocus list
- Or use hybrid approach (Autofocus for most, separate deadline list)
"My list grows too long!"
This is what the dismissal rule prevents:
- Tasks that don't stand out after two scans get dismissed
- Prevents accumulation of zombie tasks
- If something's important, it will stand out
- Long list means you need to dismiss more aggressively
"How do I handle urgent requests?"
New urgent items:
- Add to end of list
- But if truly urgent, select immediately on next scan
- Genuinely urgent tasks will jump out
- Allows quick response while maintaining system
Tips for Success
Trust the Process
- Don't second-guess selections
- Your intuition knows more than you think
- Forcing "important" tasks creates resistance
- What stands out is right for this moment
Be Honest with Dismissal
- If you skip a task twice, really look at it
- Do you actually want to do it?
- Is it realistic?
- If not, let it go
- Dismissed tasks can always be re-added
Respect Your Stopping Point
- When you feel like stopping, stop
- Even if "almost done"
- Forcing completion creates burnout
- Natural rhythm is more sustainable
- You can always select it again later
Keep List in One Place
- Don't scatter across multiple notebooks
- One continuous list
- Sequential pages
- Maintains integrity of system
Review Dismissed Tasks
- Periodically look at what you've dismissed
- Patterns reveal true priorities
- May realize what you actually care about
- Can re-add if circumstances change
Combining with Other Systems
With GTD:
- Use Autofocus for Next Actions list
- GTD for capturing and organizing
- Autofocus for selecting and doing
With Time Blocking:
- Block time for "Autofocus session"
- Use intuitive selection within block
- Protects focus time
- Provides structure without rigidity
With Calendar:
- Calendar for appointments and deadlines
- Autofocus for discretionary work
- Separate tools, complementary purposes
Who Should Try Autofocus?
Ideal if you:
- Resist traditional prioritization
- Have creative or variable work
- Trust your intuition
- Want simple systems
- Struggle with procrastination
- Need flexibility
- Have long, mixed task lists
Not ideal if you:
- Need strict prioritization
- Have many hard deadlines
- Prefer logical, analytical approaches
- Work in highly structured environment
- Need to coordinate with others
- Want maximum efficiency
The Philosophy
Mark Forster's insight: Your intuition, in the moment, knows better than your rational mind what to work on next.
Factors your intuition considers:
- Current energy level
- Available time
- Mental state
- Physical environment
- Recent work
- Emotional capacity
- Interest and motivation
- Skills currently accessible
No prioritization system can account for all these variables as well as your in-the-moment intuition.
Bottom Line
Autofocus trades rigid structure for natural flow. It acknowledges that productivity isn't just about logic and discipline—it's also about energy, intuition, and working with your nature rather than against it.
If traditional task systems feel oppressive, Autofocus might be the liberating alternative you need.
