Recurring actions

[North]

So there have been a number of suggestions here, as I suspected it's a big topic and a very common type of action item. Like I said I do have some solutions for recurrent actions (but I'm always open for improvement), so it was more of question of whether GTD really addresses the question adequately.

While there are plenty of solutions that integrate reasonably with GTD I have not been convinced that GTD deals with recurrent actions in a direct way.

Not even sure if DA mentions recurrent actions directly in Getting Things Done. He does have a section called "The Next-Action Categories" which would be the natural place to write about RAs, but what he writes is:

What does need to be tracked is every action that has to happen at a specific time or on a specific day (enter these in your calendar); those that need to be done as soon as they can (add these to your "Next Actions" lists); and all those that you are waiting for others to do (put these on a "Waiting For" list).

Nothing on recurrent actions. They are a type of next actions in my view, but they don't always go into the next action lists or the calendar (read this thread for a number of creative solutions to RAs).

I'll return with at least one more post, on how I deal with RAs myself.

[CJSullivan]

The more I exmaine it, I think there are "checklists" (David Allen describes them in Getting Things Done as "recipes of potential ingredients for projects, events, and areas of value, interest, and responsibility") and then there are, for lack of a better term, "procedures" (I need to remind myself to do XYZ every morning and in that order)...

Checklists could be things you want to be reminded of on a regular basis, at which time you can decide whether or not you're actually going to follow through on them. When you review that kind of checklist, and say to yourself "Yes, I would like to do that" but you're not doing it RIGHT NOW (for instance: I have a bi-weekly checklist for my cat, and one of the items is "cut claws"). Well, I'm not necessarily going to read that item, put down the sheet of paper, then go find the cat and cut his claws... Do you then add the item to your @Home next action list? And if so, do you ever find that it's still on your next action list the next time you review your checklist?!!!

[ctklai]

According to David, day specific actions belong on the calendar. In the case of recurring actions, it would be correct to have them on your calendar - they are technically day specific actions. However, I agree with you when you feel there should be another way of dealing with them. Do you really want your calendar filled with 'take 2 omega-3 pills', 'take 3 vitamin D pills', 'take 3 vitamin B12 complex'? Neither do I.

I suggest an alternative method that still stays true to GTD principles.

TL,DR-

Master projects list - consume set amounts of healthy body supplements
Next actions list - take reminder list from project materials folder and swallow supplements
Next actions list - go to store and purchase more pills
Project materials folder - reminder list (all the pills you want to take)


(I chose to use the term 'reminder list' in your project materials folder, instead of 'checklist' to avoid confusion)

Is it actionable? Yes

What is the desired outcome?
Consume set amounts of healthy body supplements

(This outcome can go on your master projects list as a placeholder.)

What is the next action?
Take the reminder list from my projects materials folder and swallow pills on the list.

(write out the pills you have to take on a reminder list and insert it in your Projects materials folder)

Let's say you take your next actions list out and see this task. You've pull the list from your projects material folder, and finish working the list off by taking all the pills you set out to take that day.

Now, once you've completed the task, you'll have to decide the next action, with the project the the master projects list acting as a placeholder to draw more action steps.

For instance, you decide you still want to do this tomorrow. You'll just add the same next action to your NA list (just date it in case it's a busy day and you forget if you already took the pills earlier that day).

OR

you decide you need to go get new ones from the store, because you have the placeholder in your master projects list, you can have "buy x,y,z pills at Xx store" as a next action to put on the NA list.

OR

You only had access to pill A but not pill X,Y,Z. The next action step would still be 'take reminder list out of project folder and swallow pills' but put a date on the ones you took already.

Im not sure I would use checklists for this particular scenario. David recommends it only as an inactionable bucket for you to draw inherent projects and actions from.


Let me know what you think.

[ctklai]

FYI, I have been searching for a digital version of a tickler file that will email me something on a particular date. Haven't found anything yet, or at least not something I would trust with work material.

Candid suggested 'http://www.followupthen.com' here: http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthr...029#post102029

[goncalomata]

Not everything has to be written down.

I would definitely agree! Keeping the system clean is only possible if you don't crowd it. I would say reminders are best placed outside the GTD system, in an app/tool of its own.

Goncalo Mata
www.WhatsTheTrick.com