Hi Zamara:

You'll have no problem associating the Next Actions with your Project List as long as:

-You have an updated list of Projects that you're committed to completing within 1 year
-They're worded well and are ideally written as an outcome statement, as if already completed (written in past tense).
-The Projects list is reviewed weekly during your Weekly Review -- this is important. For each Project, you ensure you have at least one Next Action someplace within your lists.

Note: This business of linking Next Actions to Projects is an age-old question within GTD. The brain has an uncanny ability to link the Next Action to the Project, as long as you're reviewing all your lists and your Project Lists freqently. Projects are at the 10K foot Horizon of Focus -- soon as you get the Control piece down, then the subtlety begins when the Projects are reviewed from higher horizons.

Focusing on the wording of your three actions. I have some questions that would help me:

Renew magazine membership
-Is this a date specific item? What's the expiration date?
-What's the name of the magazine -- you can makeup something
-What's the method you use to renew magazines?

Write section for research paper
-What's the research paper called?
-How and where are you managing Project/Action Support for this paper?
-How are you writing this? -- paper; computer -- portable or fixed.
-Which section are you writing?
-What timeline do you have, if any, for completion (submission)
-Do you have to be someplace specifically to write this section?

Call electhromecanic
-What's the name of the electromechanic? You can makeup something
-What's the number of the mechanic? Let's say it's 800-555-1212
-What's the purpose (couple words) for making the call
-Do you have to be in a specific location when you make the call (because of various items needed accessible during the call) or can you be anywhere
-Note: Assuming you can make this call anywhere, if you have an @Phone list, then you don't need to preface with "Call"

Looking forward to your answers.

Keep up the good work -- I know you're getting multiple input now. I'm just focusing down a specific path of wording.

Paul



Quote Originally Posted by zff View Post
Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply.
Three things on my list:

Renew magazine membership
Write section for research paper
Call electhromecanic

Note: Before GTD I used to organize myself by making a list of Big Projects and for each one of those projects have a list of next actions. The problem with that system was that I used to focus on what I thought was the most important tasks, and not do everything else that needed to be done. From what I am understanding, the GTD system spreads all those next actions into categories that have nothing to do with a particular project. I will end up with some of my next actions for writing a section for a research paper mixed with renewing membership because I will be doing both using my personal computer (@Computer cateogory). I have nothing against that, my preoccupation lies on how will I be able to keep track of my progress for each particular project if all the tasks are spread out in different categories.

Thank you for your interest and insight,

ZFF