posted at 11:24:27
By Flipping Heck!

Posted In
GTD/Productivity

I had an email from a reader recently (yes, I have at least one!) regarding my paper based system and how I deal with managing projects/actions in order to avoid duplication across lists (e.g have an action assigned to a project list and then having the same action written on a context list). I thought I'd share my reply with you all here as I think it's quite a common problem and one that I don't really "get" in terms of GTD.

The Problem...

How to manage projects and avoid duplication of next actions across project/context lists

The Solution....?

I think my personal problem is the way I define projects in a very different way to the GTD idea that a project is a collection of 2 or more actions.

I see a project from more of a high-level project planning view where all actions are known and they must occur in a given order for the project to be completed on budget and on time - the curse of years in web project management I guess!

So basically, all of my actions are already pre-defined at the project planning stage and they're all within one context (e.g. @computer or @coding for example) so in essence the true context here would be the project itself.

You can view a simple project plan here or a more complicated project planner here.

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Jul

9th
2007

Follow-up: My "Killer" GTD Setup

posted at 18:21:05
By Flipping Heck!

Posted In
GTD/Productivity

GTDFrk posted some questions regarding my original post on my "Killer" GTD setup so I thought I'd expand on them a bit more in a separate post rather than quickly answer them in the comments. So, here we go...

Where is your someday/maybe list?

I don't really need a someday/maybe list to be honest. If there's a film I want to watch I stick it in my LoveFilm rental list (which is similar to NetFlix in the States I think), If there's a book I want to read I buy it or put it on my Amazon wish list. The only things that I really need to list as "Someday/Maybe" items tend to be enhancements to my blogging software which I note at the back of my Moleskine.

Basically, If I get something in my head then I tend to just go off and do it rather than put it off.

Where is your project list? (or is the stack of forms your project "list"?)

The "main" project headings go in my Moleskine. If a project has a couple of actions I don't bother with a form, if it has more that a couple of actions, or the actions are unclear, I make up a form for it.

I need to have everything in one place. I've messed around with separate project lists, next action lists and context lists before but I found that I'd ignore some tasks and do the ones that I like. For example I

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Jul

5th
2007

My "Killer" GTD setup

posted at 21:00:00
By Flipping Heck!

Posted In
GTD/Productivity

Update: You can see my response to GTDFrk's Comments here

There's a Meme going on over at "Getting Things Done" about your "Killer" GTD setup. I'm probably a little late to join in (hey, I'm late for everything - it's expected of me!) so I thought I'd use it as the kick in the backside I needed to write about me and my Moleskine which I was meant to do ages ago (did I mention I was always late?). So, here it is, my "Killer" GTD setup!

My Moleskine and Uniball Clear rollerball

What's all this fuss about Moleskines, they're just notebooks right?

Well, yes.

And no.

I don't know what it is a about the Moleskine exactly but there's certainly a big following for them and Wikipedia can pr....

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Jan

21st
2006

Project and Next Action Organisation

posted at 20:22:50
By Flipping Heck!

Posted In
GTD/Productivity

I've been using the Hipster PDA (A5 Edition) since Christmas and I find it much easier to use than electronic PDA or Outlook methods.

The one thing that has had me struggling is the Hipster's way of orgainising projects with separate project and Next Action sheets. When I work on a project I like to be able to see all actions associated with that project.

Whilst I've been noting down the Next Actions for projects on the "Next Action Sheet", it's the nature of the work that I do (web development - argh!) that means the Next Action isn't necessarily the exact Next Action. For me and my work, these are quite fluid and prone to change quite a bit therefore my NA sheet becomes a mess of actions and I don't necessarily know what project they're associated to (I know bad planning but I'm getting there - honest!)

So, I've developed my "Project/Next Action" Organiser which allows each project to be defined with all the relevant details attached, as well as the Next Actions associated with it. Therefore, everything is in one place and I don't have to scrat around several lists until I find the correct project/action.

I bring you the "Project and Next Action Organiser" - comments welcome!

Download the "Project and Next Action Organiser" here.