PENLIO. Focus.

I learned all the cognitive biases to see if a common theme was evident. One thing I noticed was that many of them focus on things that are hard to focus on (an easy focus for example would be something like getting up in the morning, something more difficult to pick out would be something like  the amount of sugar I put in my coffee) so I developed this PENLIO approach to find focusses about my life - where those focusses can be both the obvious focusses plus the non-obvious, more elusive focusses. 

General Method

This is a generalised description of the method:

1) I focus on an earlier event.

2) I dig out how that event will occur later to a small degree. (Even if that degree is tiny.)

For example, If an earlier action was having a drink, then it's obvious that I will have a drink again later, so the final focus is having a drink. 

If I switched off my alarm this morning, then it's obvious that I won't be doing that later, so I have to dig out how I'll be doing that action to a degree later - even if the degree is very small. The nearest I'll get to switching off my alarm later is setting my alarm for the morning, so setting the alarm is the final focus. 

If, earlier on, I climbed up onto the roof with a ladder to fix a loose tile, then I have to work much harder to dig out how I'll be doing that action later, because it's obvious I won't be climbing up on the roof. Maybe:

I'll check the tile from the ground, visually.

I'll climb up the stairs.

I can pick either to be the final focus. I'll go for:

I'll check the tile from the ground.

PENLIO

PENLIO is an acronym where each letter stands for a different segment of time. It stands for: Past, Earlier today, Now, Later today, In the future, and Over any times  I'll start with just E - for earlier today, and L - for later today.

Earlier to Later

Like above, I want to list an action from earlier today, then dig out how that action will be done again later today. To list the earlier action I use this template:

What (earlier today) had an X feel?

(where X is a feeling.) 

If I add the feeling broken to the template it looks like:

What (earlier today) had a broken feeling?

Answer: I put a bottle in the recycling but it smashed.

So the initial action is: Putting a bottle in recycling and it smashed.

Digging Out the Action Later

So I smashed a bottle earlier today, and now I'm  looking  at later today and asking, "How will I do that action again later? How will I smash a bottle again later?"  It's unlikely that that very action will happen again, so I have to dig out the event that's nearest to it. I'll probably throw another bottle in the recycling later, so the final  focus is throwing a bottle in the recycling.

Another example:

What (earlier today) had a greedy feeling? Answer: I had extra toast. How will I have extra toast later today?  Answer: I'll probably have a midnight snack. Therefore the final focus = midnight snacking.

Later to Earlier

I can also go from Later to Earlier, where  I name an action from later today and then dig out how I did that to a degree earlier today. I'll use a similar template (and add a feeling) to help me name a later action:

What (later today) could have a steely feeling?

Answer: I'll steel myself when I use the bathroom tap because the water is freezing cold! So the initial focus is:

Washing hands with freezing tap water.

Next I have to dig out how I washed my hands with freezing tap water earlier, It's easy. That tap water was just as cold earlier when I washed my hands, so the final focus is: Washing my hands with freezing tap water. 

Adding Now to Earlier and Later to make ENL

Now I add the N - Now - option to E and L to make ENL.

Now to Earlier today

I'll start with Now to Earlier today, where I name something I'm doing now and then dig out how I did it earlier. I'll use a similar template to the one used above and add the feeling violent:

What (now) has a violent feeling? 

Answer: My wife is watching a violent cop show. 

So the initial action is watching a violent cop show and to do the dig out I ask: How did I watch a violent cop show earlier? I didn't watch a cop show earlier. I didn't even watch any telly earlier, but I did put some white noise on the telly to help me relax. So my final focus is putting on white noise.

Later to Now

For Later to Now I'm finding an action I'll do later and then digging out how I'm doing it now. For the template I'll add the feeling luxury. 

What (later today) will have a luxury feeling?

Answer: Curling up in bed. 

I have to dig out how I'm curling up in bed now. I'm not in bed, but I am sitting here comfortably, so the final focus is:

Sitting here comfortably. 

Adding the P and I Options (Past and In-the-Future) to make PENLI

Past to In-the-Future

I want to name something in the past then dig out how it will happen in the future. The template - with the feeling covered reads:

What (in the past) had a covered feel?

Answer: I slept in a tent in the garden.

It's easy to dig out this action in the future - I expect to sleep out in a tent when summer comes again, so the final focus is: Sleeping out in the tent in the garden.

In-the-Future to Earlier today

I want to name an action in the future then dig out how that happened earlier today. I'll use the feeling downtown-ish and add it to the template:

What (in the future) will have a downtown-ish feel?

Answer: I will visit London.

How earlier today did I visit London? The furthest I got from home was going to the local shops! So the final focus is going to the local shops. 

Adding the O Option - Over-any-times - to make PENLIO

The Over-any-times option completes the PENLIO acronym. It refers to actions that happen over any times, or all times.

Over-any-times to In-the-future

I want to name an action that happens at any times and dig out how it will happen in the future. The feeling is flamboyant and added to the template reads:

What (over all times) has a flamboyant feel?

I'm pretty far from flamboyant, so the nearest I get to being flamboyant is going to a fancy dress party. So the initial focus is: Going to fancy dress party. 

How will I go to a fancy dress party in the future? It doesn't need much digging as I will be going to a fancy dress party at some point. So the final focus is:  going to a fancy dress party.

Later to Over-any-times

The template - with the feeling glory-ish - reads:

What (over all times) has a glory-ish feel?

I like to watch the World Cup. How will I get close to this later? Answer: I'll watch the England V Wales game. So the final focus is: Watching the England V Wales game.

Double Letters

I can use the same pair of letters from the PENLIO acronym: Eg, Later to Later. When this happens I first focus on the action, then think about how that action will happen at another time as well.

What (later today) will have a fakey feeling?

Answer: I'll probably see some fake news online.

So for the second Later part I'm trying to dig out another occasion later today when I'll see fake news online. This will probably be when I see someone spreading fake news on social media. Thus the final focus is: Seeing fake news spreading on social media. 

Double Feeling

For a bigger challenge I can name two feelings in a template. This also helps me to name more specific actions. For example:

What (earlier today) was gross and planet-y? Answer: I realised I forgot to watch the meteor shower last night. 

What (now) is playful and froggy? Answer: I can see my daughter's Tiddlywinks game on a shelf. 

What to do with the information?

Problem Solving

Just focussing on something can pinpoint a problem or suggest ways something can be improved. For example, with the freezing cold water I mentioned above I can I realise it's difficult to wash hands for twenty seconds as a Corona measure when water is freezing cold, so maybe I need to buy some alcohol gel.  

Listing Positives and Negatives

I can list positives and negatives. What's positive about fake news on social media? Being more aware of fake news in social media comments might be positive because it will make me think more critically. A negative might be that I'm sure to swallow some information that isn't true and be influenced by it negatively.

Carrying Out an Action on the Final Focus 

I can name actions I could do on the focusses. For example, if my final focus is going to the local shops, I could:

Order online instead.

Be more organised and make a shopping list.

Experiment by buying food I don't normally buy. 

Buy presents.

Change the route so I get more exercise.

Etc.