Reoccurring Meetings

[TDX27]

I have a lot of meetings at work and a lot of reoccurring meetings that happen every week or every other week at the same time. How does everyone handle this in the GTD system? Do you put it in your task list? Or, do you just leave it on your calendar and be done with it?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Tom

[Barb]

I have a lot of meetings at work and a lot of reoccurring meetings that happen every week or every other week at the same time. How does everyone handle this in the GTD system? Do you put it in your task list? Or, do you just leave it on your calendar and be done with it?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Tom

Since, I assume, your meetings happen on specific days at specific times, they are calendar items. Tasks lists are for those actions that have no specific date on which they must be done.

When you first start your day, the best practice is to look first at your calendar, then you would fit in task list items in the available time (unless you are doing "work as it appears")

Glad to have you join us!

[ellobogrande]

Barb is correct; these things definitely belong on the calendar. Recurring meetings are simple to set up in an electronic calendar (a key reason why I use one). If you use a paper calendar, you have to write all of the entries in by hand (a real PITA).

[TesTeq]

I have a lot of meetings at work and a lot of reoccurring meetings that happen every week or every other week at the same time. How does everyone handle this in the GTD system?

I've got three steps:

1) Check if you can avoid attending a meeting (they can send you minutes if necessary).

2) Check again if you can avoid attending a meeting.

3) If nothing helps put a meeting in your calendar as a hard landscape. Try to delete one meeting from your schedule at the same time (if possible).

[RuthMcT]

What they said. Also I put any papers for the meeting in my tickler, so I can just grab them on my way to the meeting.

Ruth

[Barb]

If I have a recurring meeting, I also tend to keep a file folder within my tickler on things for those meetings. Throughout the run up to the meeting, I drop things in there, then just grab the entire file and go.

When the meeting is over, I place the file under the date of the next meeting and start all over again.

[GTDWorks]

When I used a paper planner, I created a WORD doc that contained my Monday-Sunday weekly reoccuring appointments. At the start of each day, I would simply glanced at the page in my planner and could see the reoccuring appointments for the day and then add them to my day calendar page.

[graphicdetails]

If you use an electronic calendar (PDA), you can also attach a note to the meeting and keep adding to the items you want/need to cover at that meeting.

[TDX27]

Thanks for all of the replies! I don't have a tickler file set up yet but that sounds like a good plan. I use Outlook at work for my meetings but wasn't sure if they should also go in the collection bin. Looks like the answer is a big no.

On to make my home and office tickler file.

Thanks!
Tom

[Barb]

Thanks for all of the replies! I don't have a tickler file set up yet but that sounds like a good plan. I use Outlook at work for my meetings but wasn't sure if they should also go in the collection bin. Looks like the answer is a big no.

On to make my home and office tickler file.

Thanks!
Tom

Tom,

Boy, I really resisted implementing the tickler file. That was the LAST GTD piece for me. Now I wonder: how in the HECK did I ever live without it!!

Best of luck to you. Stay in touch and let us know how you are progressing.

[sdann]

Tom,

Boy, I really resisted implementing the tickler file. That was the LAST GTD piece for me. Now I wonder: how in the HECK did I ever live without it!!

Best of luck to you. Stay in touch and let us know how you are progressing.

Barb, exact same thing with me.

[clango]

I've got three steps:

1) Check if you can avoid attending a meeting (they can send you minutes if necessary).

2) Check again if you can avoid attending a meeting.

3) If nothing helps put a meeting in your calendar as a hard landscape. Try to delete one meeting from your schedule at the same time (if possible).

I feel a strange perception. :) Don't you like the meeting? Why?....I mean, I can understand you because several times I had the same impression but would you think not useful a meeting where the people could decide a next action?

[TesTeq]

I feel a strange perception. :) Don't you like the meeting? Why?....I mean, I can understand you because several times I had the same impression but would you think not useful a meeting where the people could decide a next action?

The goal of many meetings is just to discuss a problem. People gather, discuss and nothing happens - no next actions are defined. Such meetings are a real waste of time. I try to avoid them.

[Oogiem]

1) Check if you can avoid attending a meeting (they can send you minutes if necessary).

2) Check again if you can avoid attending a meeting.

3) If nothing helps put a meeting in your calendar as a hard landscape. Try to delete one meeting from your schedule at the same time (if possible).

I like that I have to say that 75% of meetings I have attended were completely worthless and of the remainder useful work took up less than half the meeting. A huge waste of time, energy and resources.

I especially like the try to remove one meeting from your list for every one you keep.

Wish I had thought of that when I was in corporate jobs.