Have a set of guidelines to use for situations you haven’t encountered before.
When there’s no established process for doing something, your General Operating Principles are a set of principles, heuristics, and rules of thumb to enable more effective judgements for modifying existing systems or creating new ones. - Taylor Pearson
Knowing these help you make decisions. Reflecting on them regularly (say, as part of a Weekly Review) helps you know them.
Example GOPs
- I strive for simplicity. Would eliminating a system or saying “no” save time, energy, or money? I believe less is more and always seek to do more of less. (source: Work the System)
- I do it NOW. I seize inspiration. I don’t delay action if it can be done immediately. I touch it once. I implement immediately. I ship. (source: GTD)
- I focus all my energy in my circle of influence. I do not concern myself with or worry about things over which I have no control. (source: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)