Hi Zamara:

Following up on something you said - "I took notes in a paper (this meeting does not occur frequently), when I got home I reviewed them and added A for action and WF for waiting for. Then I proceeded to tomorrow's date in the Outlook Calendar and in tomorrow's date I wrote down the appointment with the scheduled time. Within the appointment window there is some blank space below where you can write notes. That is where I wrote down the processed list. Although most of the list has actionable tasks (such as finding a document that I would need to bring with me to the meeting tomorrow) I do not feel moving them to the @home category would help, they would get lost in all the tasks I have @home. Where do these actions go then?"

I think the strategy of where you file things is really up to you. Ideally, it's filed with names that make sense to you and is the minimum quantity of locations possible. I avoid giving suggestions to people about how to name something, because they may have an internal trigger word I don't have.

If I have a very large system (eg IBM Domino) that I'm managing, then what I've done is create folders named, "Domino - Replication", "Domino - AdminP". The idea being that I'm keeping the folders together, but they have a unique purpose.

I think the icky part that's not really being said is this -- processing is a necessary GTD task that can take up to an hour of the day if done right. What that means is that your one item you captured may actually need to processed into various different locations and categories, as needed - maybe even into @Home.

In your example, you had to go through various steps and you were entering list information within the calendar -- I'd ensure this is separate from the Calendar. The Calendar is only for managing hard-edged items with dates and times. The processed list stuff belongs within Action Support.

Ahhh... The golden nugget reveals itself... "Although most of the list has actionable tasks (such as finding a document that I would need to bring with me to the meeting tomorrow) I do not feel moving them to the @home category would help, they would get lost in all the tasks I have @home. Where do these actions go then?""

The answer is -- @Home. What's really important is placing the actual next action -- "Find document for research paper xxx" within the correct location-based category. My concern is that you'll be at home, will "remember" the meeting, not look at the calendar, and will overlook a next action embedded within the calendar entry (while at home) for finding a document also at home.

I do see your point though -- @Home also has a bunch of things that are nothing to do with your research paper. If you review your lists often enough then the items will pop out and reveal them to you. But... I suppose you could create an @Home-School category. This is a stretch and should definitely be reworded, but the idea is that you're physically at home, but in the mode of school. Be careful with that though. Also, and this is weird being in IT, but after 6 years of GTD I actually got rid of @Computer. When I'm @Home, I scan for the computer stuff and when I'm @Office, I scan for computer stuff. When I'm putting stuff @Office that I know it's going to be done at the computer, it's in that category because I actually have to do it at the office on the computer because there are other items (like file cabs) that are also on-site. Hope that makes sense.

Quick behind-the-scenes David Allen observation -- I've seen him create a mindmap just to process his thinking and then trash the map. I've also seen him label a folder that I know will probably be trashed next day - he says, "have lots of fresh manila folders at arms reach". It's all about getting the stuff out of your head and processed into a trusted system.

Paul


Quote Originally Posted by pgarth View Post
Hi Zamara:

Quite a bit within your email, which I'll attempt to expand on, after your next reply.

GTD is not something that is mastered overnight. Based on the timeline and what I've seen you do, you're doing extremely well. You're adapting to a new systematic approach, which includes building out a possibility of an extended mind, which frees up all your psychic RAM. On the surface, GTD looks like advanced common sense, but is actually quite profound as you get further into it over time.

Question I have goes immediately to your phrase, "I am really trying to get better at this, but is difficult and stressful". What part is difficult and stressful?

Paul