ForumsGetting Things Done®Going for the initial sweep this weekend - tips & tricks for Too


Going for the initial sweep this weekend - tips & tricks for Too
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g.stoel

Posted: Feb 13, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Hi there a lot has been set already here about how to use Toodledo for your GTD-ing. I am now in the process of making the full swing this weekend. Until now I have only been doing it half/half and experimenting with Toodledo for functionality.

So here is my a take on how I am planning to implement this using Toodledo and any of your feedback would be greatly appreciated:

1. FOLDERS - create several folders - each with a main purpose to categorize (and thus filter) on a high level, but keep it simple
Inbox --> this is the default folder where everything should drop in
Projects --> this is the main folder where all my projects will reside as toplevel tasks, while all actions will be listed as subtasks underneaht
Lists --> my books to read, websites to visit, etc.
Someday/Maybe --> my folder for setting my longer term someday/maybe items
2. CONTEXT - used to categorize locations/contexts where to act
Home - all the things to do at home
Work - all the things to do at the office
Calls - calls I need to make
Agendas - what to discuss with whom
Projects - each top level activity gets the Projects context for my weekly review
Waiting - waiting for someone else here (STILL IN DOUBT IF I SHOULD USE THE STATUS FIELD FOR THIS)
3. TASKS - either projects or non project related activities
4. SUBTASKS - project related activities

Now one of my biggest unknowns about GTD is how to use NAs. If you create a project, eg. Get car repaired at garage - how is the workflow going after that?
A. Do you create a project "Get car repaired at garage" and one NA under it: "Call Jim for his recommended Volkswagen garage" and after you have called Jim create the next NA: "Call garage to make appointment and ask for replacement car", etc.

or is it
B. Do you create a project "Get car repaired at garage" and multiple activities under that: "Call Jim for his recommended Volkswagen garage","Call garage to make appointment and ask for replacement vehicle", "Drop car at garage", "Pick up car at garage" and flag "Call Jim...." as the next action?

This is one thing I have always been struggling with conceptionally about GTD. Hope that some of you can reflect their opinions upon this and offcourse on my planned Toodledo setup. And if you have any tips, links, etc. to good articles about weekly reviews please feel free to post them in a reply.

Regards,

Geoffrey
KatBoy

Posted: Feb 13, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
Hi Geoffrey

I've also struggled with the Status/Next Action function and rarely use it. For something like your example, I would not make it a separate project with loads of actions. I would make it one task with the next action in the notes section, each being crossed off when complete, ie:

Task: Get car repaired

Notes.
1. Monday morning. Call garage to book
2. 8am Tuesday: Driver collecting car
3. 10am Tuesday. Engineer calling with diagnosis/cost summary
4. 4pm Tuesday: Engineer calling to advise status - is car ready or awaiting parts/carried over to next day? If ready pay with credit card. Have card ready.
5. 6pm Tuesday. Driver returning car

Some tasks would require many more steps and I don't always write every single thing down, just change the date/time to carry forward whilst I'm waiting, and note, for example: "waiting for John's email". If the email doesn't arrive by the time I've designated I can chase it.

I always think of the "Brushing Teeth" example when noting down tasks; you don't write down every step involved in what is essentially a simple task when you know what needs to be done next - documenting it may take longer than doing the actual task.

This works for me and it would be interesting to hear how others do this. Have a good weekend organising ToodleDo.
BoyO
azkikr74

Posted: Feb 23, 2009
Score: 0 Reference
To be honest I think that Next Actions are one of the most important steps to accurately walk through in GTD. A project list is in effect not much more than a reference list to be used by you in your (weekly) review. In the review you decide if you need new Next Actions.

Therefore you could set it up as simply as using contexts to create you Next Actions with. Then use another context "Folders" or just set up a folder with all your Projects listed in there as seperate items/tasks.

Correct or totally missed it??
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