...long-term projects that require sustained and consistent effort (ie writing a novel, running a marathon, learning a martial art.) Where do they fit in the GTD system?
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...long-term projects that require sustained and consistent effort (ie writing a novel, running a marathon, learning a martial art.) Where do they fit in the GTD system?
I have yet to encounter something that can't fit into my GTD system.
Some of those sound like things you can mark off as "done" - i.e. a 10,000 Foot Project: Finish a marathon, write a book, etc.
Learning a martial art might be a higher horizon thing - e.g. 30,000 Food Goal. You could then determine whether there is a project or two that could help you move in that direction. Or, maybe it's just a series of next actions.
In my own system whenever I encounter ambiguity it's usually because I went too fast past the, "What is it?" question.
As Mark said, it's perfectly possible to finish projects like writing a book etc, and unless you want to just write one to try it out, 'being an author' is a higher area of focus.
But I am guessing you are more after implementing the repeated effort to reach something like 'draft chapter one'. I'd implement it the same way it's suggested with the weekly review: put it in your calendar until it's a habit. Whether you pick a time in the day or have an untimed appointment isn't as crucial, just the fact that you establish frequency. And of course for things like learning a martial art, class times/dojo hours etc would go in your calendar anyway.
What specific problems have you encountered?Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
I disagree strongly. GTD is actually perfect for such long term projects. I have hundreds of those and without GTD they would never get completed. I just did a quick look, of my total population of projects of 860 projects (including all active and someday/maybe projects fully 75% are long term or larger projects. Most will take more than a year to complete.Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
For example, on the writing a novel project. I actually have exactly one of those. I had numerous things that were also projects related to the write a novel one. First was learning Scrivener, getting a laptop so I can write in places other than at home and so on. But now I am in the actual write a novel project. I have a current next action to create character data sheets in scrivener for my character per the plat map I did earlier. Right now I have the entire project on hold, because we are lambing and I have different priorities but as soon as I decide it's time to continue moving on this project I will have a place to start. And because I have a project plan I already have a lot of support materials, all my research notes, I even have snippets of dialog and some paragraphs started and I have a rough corkboard outline done.
I am not trying to learn a martial art but I am working on getting stronger by lifting weights so I have a project to "level up to Second level in the NF Dumbbell Division" and my current next action on that is to complete one of my custom weight lifting routines on Friday. (I have several and I try to do them MWF)
Other long term huge projects that I have done using GTD included making a cloak from my Black Welsh fiber. That one was 6 years just in the weaving of the fabric to make the cloak and that doesn't count the learning to spin, learning to weave, learning to sew, spinning, cutting the fabric, and hand sewing the item that all had to happen to complete the project.
Another current one, nearing the end after 12 years, is Replace all fences on our farm. We are down to our last 2 segments, on hold as we wait for enough cash to finish but all planned and tracked in my GTD system.
The bigger and more long term the goal or the larger the project the more it benefits from the planning and discipline that GTD teaches.
I'm finishing my third review article in the last two years, but I spent about half a year of that sick with a serious infection. The one I am working on now is about 90 pages. Long-term projects that require sustained and consistent effort require... sustained and consistent effort. There's no magic. I try to spend at least one hour every morning working on a manuscript. I track next actions on context lists, but manuscripts contain their own outlines, as well as notes and comments. You can schedule time for long-term projects if you want, but for me writing projects are mostly habit now.Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
Completing a lot of low-priority, but easy, tasks and not making progress on long-term goals that require sustained effort.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger
EO
Then you need to re-define the tasks in your big long term goals and projects so that they too are easy to do. It might be as simple as making the tasks smaller.Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
I can get by with "weave cloak fabric" as a next action that I plug away at for years to finish a big project but if I was stuck the action might be "Fill 3 quills with weft yarn for cloak fabric" and " Weave off 3 quills of weft on cloak fabric" and those actions might toggle and repeat. Or set time limits, the action might be spend 15 minutes weaving cloak fabric. If you are not getting to the action or project then in my experience it's either because the action is not small or well defined enough for you to really do or you have serious thoughts about the plan and perhaps even need for the project as a whole.
Big goals you are not making progress on may in fact be things you no longer want or need. If that is the case then drop them and move on. If not, then re-evaluate why you are not getting them done and work on making it easier to do.
That's a good start, but I'd really like to hear more about the actual specific long-term goal(s) that you're not seeing any progress on.Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
Perhaps I ask too much! No one likes to discuss their failures in public. But in my experience it's a much more effective way to proceed than to talk in generalities.
Cheers,
Roger
I suspect those low-priority, easy tasks were on your next action lists but your long-term goal wasn't because it's a project and not a task.Quote:
Originally Posted by ero213
In this case, if you really could not identify a specific next action to put on your lists because what it takes is for you to show up and make it happen, I suggest to schedule chunks of time on your calendar which is also part of your GTD system.
When choosing what to engage with, it's best to check your calendar before your next action lists. If you have an appointment coming up you should not pick an item from your next action lists but show up for the meeting (which can be with yourself as well).
Hope that helps!