For low-energy states

[leanda]

I've been using Getting Things Done for a couple or years now, but there is one thing that I still don't know how to deal with.

David Allen recommends "keeping an inventory of things that need to be done that require very little mental or creative horsepower."

I use OmniFocus for managing my action lists but I have a really tough time when it comes to deciding what to do when I have low-energy.

I've tried using a @low-energy context, but that didn't work for me, I might still be @work or @home and OmniFocus is pretty strict at only allowing a task to exist in one context.

I'd love to find some way of dealing with this, especially because when I have no energy I have a tough time deciding what to do.

Thanks,
Leanda

[Julia]

Hi - this sounds interesting... I've not tried it before but I think it would help me during times when I might otherwise give up on getting anything done. I'm interested in hearing others' strategies!

I don't know OmniFocus, but if you're looking for a way to keep the NA's in their contexts but still flag them, maybe you could start them with a symbol so they would be grouped together and you would see them as flagged for low engergy times? I do that with my lists sometimes just to force a grouping without adding another layer. I sort a-z and the "flagged" items show up together at the top but are still in their original context.

HTH... good luck! I'm going to give it a try too.

Julia

[leanda]

Hi Julia

OmniFocus allows me to flag items, but I use that function to highlight tasks that are urgent.

However, you might be on to something with the symbol idea, I could add a simple dash to the beginning of an action and sort those in the context list. Just relies on me remembering to add either at the time I create the action or during a review!

I still find this aspect of GTD difficult, I'm good at capture and reviews, but I'm really awful at deciding what to do and doing it, especially when I'm tired!

Thanks,
Leanda

[MarinaMartin]

I think making a @no-energy context is the wrong way to go about it.

Not every mood is consistent. One afternoon I might feel sluggish but be willing to read some magazine articles in my To Consume stack. The next afternoon I might also be sluggish, but find reading requires too much concentration and clean the kitchen, instead.

I find my Next Action list freeing because I can scan it and do pretty much whatever I feel like doing from the list. (Caveat: I divide deadline-based projects into chunks and schedule them on Daily Action cards.) I'd suggest just trusting your feelings at the time and choosing from there. (There are also the options to go through your To Consume items or to just do nothing!)

My guess is that you're not fully capturing enough. Does your next action list have "change lightbulb" and "re-thread yoga pants" on it? Do you have "Brainstorm ideas for X Project" listed? I always have *something* on my list I can knock off no matter how low my energy level.

Marina

[saroccer]

I keep a stack of business cards (they are always piling up) in my laptop bag pocket and input those in when I am feeling low energy.

Like Marina, I also just scan my next action list for stuff i feel like doing (there is always something that I can knock out - ex. review a website sent on by a friend or read article sent by friend. I put it in my someday/maybe folder in my inbox or put it in the next action task itself.

[Terry B.]

"No energy" items for me simply means having up-to-date action lists. If I find myself in a slump in terms of energy, I simply scan my list of items that need done though a lot of the low-energy tasks honestly never make it onto my lists. The idea, for me at least, is to simply get something done and ride the increase in energy from there.