ABC codes or gut feeling?

[cfoley]

I see where you are coming from mcogilvie!

[Roger]

I was pretty terse! Let me unpack that a bit.

I think that GTD intentionally embraces the notion that "important" and "not important" basically have no useful meaning.

Here's some of the reasons I say that:

This method is significantly different from traditional time-management training. Most of those models leave you with the impression that if something you tell yourself to do isn't that important, then it's not that important -- to track, manage, or deal with. But in my experience that's inaccurate, at least in terms of how a less-than-conscious part of us operates.
-231-232

If the thing's not important enough to be done, *throw it away*. If it is, and if you're going to do it sometime, the efficiency factor should come into play.
-131

If you don't decide what needs to be done about your secretary's birthday, because it's "not that important" right now, that open loop will take up energy and prevent you from having a totally effective, clear focus on what is important.
-25

So, yes, I am glossing over some of the subtleties of GTD. But I think it's fair to say on a gross level that there's two categories of importance:

1. Things that you feel are important enough to do. They are in the system.

2. Things that you feel are not important enough to do. They are in the trash.

And that, on some fundamental level, really everything in the first category has a sort of equality to it. They're all things you want to do As Soon As Possible.

So, to return to some of the earlier examples, I'm inclined to think that you absolutely should do 'go to the gym' or 'learn Spanish' whenever it's easiest for you to do those things. If it's easiest to go to the gym after work on Mondays, then follow that path. I don't think this is rocket science.


Upon further reflection, I'm starting to think that perhaps some people are using these "priority codes" as essentially a motivational tool. I personally don't think they're especially well-suited to that purpose, but I can allow that maybe for some people they work well in that capacity. But it gets a bit confusing to suggest that they have anything to do with priority or importance at that point.

So... yeah. Waking up in the morning and thinking "today I want to clean out the garage" isn't problematic and is probably useful. But I think it's a distinctive thing from 'importance' or 'priority', although goal-setting is of course informed by those things.

Hmmm. This rabbit hole goes deeper than I suspected. Thanks for this topic! Good food for thought.



Cheers,
Roger

[artsinaction]

I was pretty terse! Let me unpack that a bit.

I definitely didn't think you were being terse... I really was thinking that my brain cannot function in an 85 degree office and that, perhaps, that was the problem.

So... yeah. Waking up in the morning and thinking "today I want to clean out the garage" isn't problematic and is probably useful. But I think it's a distinctive thing from 'importance' or 'priority', although goal-setting is of course informed by those things.

My priority systems in the past were 96% failures, but I was young and the "organization" books and classes made me think that I needed to manage tasks that way to be efficient. So I was efficient (because I worked super hard) AND a complete failure all the time! This is one of those, "Gee I wish I'd know about GTD earlier." moments.

Hmmm. This rabbit hole goes deeper than I suspected.

I wouldn't want it any other way! Thanks for taking the time to clarify... much appreciated.

Dena

[cwoodgold]

I was pretty terse! Let me unpack that a bit.
1. Things that you feel are important enough to do. They are in the system.

2. Things that you feel are not important enough to do. They are in the trash.

I have another, quite large, category:

1.5 Things that I feel are important enough that there's a good chance I'll want to do them. They are in the system.

Upon further reflection, I'm starting to think that perhaps some people are using these "priority codes" as essentially a motivational tool.

Kindof. Well, I see it like this: sometimes I can think more clearly and
accurately mark things as things I'll feel significantly satisfied later to have gotten done;
and at other times in the heat of the moment I can't think as clearly and can benefit from having that
information already laid out for me.

[Solyanov2011]

Agree with cwoodgold that when you are in a rush of the cubicle office day it is not obvious what is more important: to make a report or call a client. That should be coded with ABC the day before.