What is the right context name?

[alenabakai]

How to correctly formulate a context name?

For example, what is a better context:

1. @Car or @Listen_to_podcast or @iPhone?

2. @iPhone or @Call, @SMS, @iPhone_Email?

3. @Mac or @Write_email, @Draft_ideas etc?

[Oogiem]

How to correctly formulate a context name?

For example, what is a better context:

The one that appeals to you that you will read and be engaged with.

[Suelin23]

I found that being more precise with your contexts means you have more contexts to check, and more likely to miss important action reminders.
For example, I now have @portable, which includes, car, train travel, iPhone, kindle etc.

[mattsykes]

The less the better in my view, but enough that they're still practical. For example for a while I had 4 or 5 office-related contexts (@ desk, @ around office, @ staff meeting, etc) - I've now trimmed back to just @ office, and also have the broader @ phone. Certainly working better for me.

[radioman]

I agree with Suelin23.

Some time back, there was a good deal of discussion on an @Anywhere context. While I never replied on that topic, that context just begs to be checked constantly, as you never know what's hiding in it. That's definitely *not* a "mind like water" situation.

I used to have @Home and @Computer-Home contexts, but I got rid of the latter, because, whenever I'm at home, I can very easily go to my (home) office and use the computer. I see no need to clutter my life with micro-level contexts.

My Next Action contexts are: @Call, @Errand, @Home, and @Waiting For. (All of my work "stuff" is in another, separate electronic system, so @Work is an unnecessary context on my personal smartphone.)

Joe

[enyonam]

One of the guidelines I use in determining my contexts is thinking about what I'll need to know to plan out my day'. So I look at my full list by context and I can see that ... ok ... @errands has 5 items, @office has maybe 20 and @home has another 4. I know then that I need to spend at least 6 hours of my day in the office rather than in my home office or at a client site, and then I need to make some time to run errands in the evening and get home in enough time to knock out the few things on my @home list.

So my contexts tend to be physical locations, or the things I need to have with me to be able to do perform those next actions (e.g. @computer or @calls).

[mburchgtd]

I use the limiting factor idea. Context to me means what/where must I have/be to do this action. So rather than @Calls, I use @phone - that may be a landline or my cellphone. I use @office for things I can only do at the office. @Computer - things I can only do at a computer. @online - things I need an internet connection to do, you get the idea. I also use contexts for people @boss is things to discuss with my boss, etc. Not including people I have 9 core contexts.

[Oogiem]

Alos, don't be afraid to add or delete contexts as needed for your situation. I often create semi-temporary contexts to corral things and the delete them when I no longer need them.

Similarly I just added a new "permanent" context because I was resisting looking at one of my lists because I had to wed out a bunch of stuff form it as not able to be done. SO now instead of jut Outside by Myself I also have Shop Building. I had been clumping both things to do at that building with ordinary outside work and getting frustrated to the point of avoiding all of the actions.

[mmorowitz]

To me, a good context name is the one that easily answers the question: "What context am I in right now?"

[ellobogrande]

Context refers to a physical location, tool or other person required to perform an action. Create as many as you need but as few as you can get by with. The best way to do this is start with the suggested 'vanilla' list and expand it as you find the vanilla list not meeting your needs.

For example, I used to lump all of my home computing actions on my @Home list, but I got tired of sifting through a bunch of housekeeping chores to find my home computer actions. So I broke those off into @Home-Computer (I have a desktop PC that goes nowhere).