ForumsGetting Things Done®The 'thought' context
The 'thought' context
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Disorganised |
Surely i'm not the only one that uses this.
Tasks don't always have to be physical actions that you do (eg take book to library, take bins out, speak to Fiona about this and that, etc). What about when you have to make a decision or to think about something. For example, "Decide topic of next assignment". This isn't something that happens in a particular place or is associated with any particular person - it's an action that happens in our heads. We can take time to do this action on the way to work, at home, down the pub, or wherever. Hence, the 'Thought' or 'Brain' context Anyone else use it? This message was edited Jun 13, 2012. |
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robmutsaars |
For sure i use it, and it note these 'must do thoughts' down as real actions in my GTD system. I have projects running where tasks are being executed by others (for me 'waiting for' actions) and based on the outcome of these actions i need to decide (think) how to move forward. And then based on my decision other actions will start.
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Canyon Russell |
I don't use this mainly because 'decide' is rarely the next action for me. When ever it looks like a 'decide' action is next I ask myself "why haven't I already made this decision?" The answer usually comes down to finding another piece of info, talking to someone else about it, or identifying some risk around the decision that I need to deal with. That then becomes my next action and once dealt with the decision usually becomes clear. Or I find I don't have a reason to not make it so it falls under the 2 minute rule, I just make it right then. The next action becomes the first step of enacting that decision.
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cabbage |
I have a @Brainstorm context. If not, processing my inbox or my weekly review would take a very long time indeed! It's also best for me to do my brainstorming when I feel fresh, energetic, creative and am in a good mood. A pen and paper also helps.
Of course, for most projects, the next step is obvious as Canyon Russell says but my @Brainstorm context is invaluable for the rest! |
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Salgud |
Haven't thought about a "Think" tag, but I do have a "Talk" tag. It's for tasks where I need to remind myself that I have to talk with someone about something, usually something I don't want to do in email (requires a delicate approach or is illegal:). It's also in my "Morning Drill" repeating series of tasks the I do, well, every morning. I review who I need to talk to when I see them, as well as check my schedule, my boss's schedule and a few other things.
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Disorganised |
Posted by Canyon Russell:
I don't use this mainly because 'decide' is rarely the next action for me. When ever it looks like a 'decide' action is next I ask myself "why haven't I already made this decision?" The answer usually comes down to finding another piece of info, talking to someone else about it, or identifying some risk around the decision that I need to deal with. There are many problems with that approach 1) Some people have to make lots of decisions in a short space of time, so breaking each and every one into step by step actions is just cluttering up the GTD system. 2) Deciding what i want the next uni assignment to be about, for example, i don't need to do any action other than find a quiet place to think. 3) Most decisions are not huge projects, which is what your approach is best suited to. A decision needs to be done and needs to be in the next action section. Even for large projects for which you seem to allude to, that decision can then be broken down into their relavant parts as subtasks when they're known. Posted by Salgud: Haven't thought about a "Think" tag, but I do have a "Talk" tag. It's for tasks where I need to remind myself that I have to talk with someone about something, I use something similar, but it's commonly called the 'Agenda' context (i use 'Contact' context instead). In a similar fashion to your Talk tag, i use the Contact context where each person that i want to mention something to has their own 'task'. There is a task called Rod, a task called Fiona, etc, and in the notes section of each task i put everything that i want to mention to them. This message was edited Jun 15, 2012. |
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Salgud |
[quote] Posted by Salgud:
[quote]Haven't thought about a "Think" tag, but I do have a "Talk" tag. It's for tasks where I need to remind myself that I have to talk with someone about something, [/quote] I use something similar, but it's commonly called the 'Agenda' context (i use 'Contact' context instead). In a similar fashion to your Talk tag, i use the Contact context where each person that i want to mention something to has their own 'task'. There is a task called Rod, a task called Fiona, etc, and in the notes section of each task i put everything that i want to mention to them.[/quote][/quote] Yours is the reverse of mine, and which I'll consider if I start having more situations where I have many things to discuss with each person. This message was edited Jun 15, 2012. |
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Disorganised |
Posted by Salgud:
Yours is the reverse of mine, and which I'll consider if I start having more situations where I have many things to discuss with each person. The reverse? This message was edited Jun 15, 2012. |
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Salgud |
You have tasks called "Joe", etc, under which you have an agenda of things to discuss with them. I just use a task named after the topic I wish to discuss, and tagged with "Talk", since I usually don't have lots of things to discuss.
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endofdays_old |
I use tags for this.
Each Task that has a dependency on someone else on my team/family gets tagged with that person's name e.g. "Joe" then when I am meeting them I can pull up all relevant Tasks and run through them. This shows Tasks that I am Waiting for their input/response or that I want to Delegate to them. |
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Dave |
For me this all falls under the @Review context. Then you can write in what exactly you need to do. I also use articles to read or emails you need to look at again.
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alexandr.molin |
For me the most convenient way to use the context of the importance of my role in life. About this in detail wrote Stephen Covey "First Things First". For example, a high-class specialist, careful father, the man, whose favorite hobby and so on. So the context of natural and harmonious fit into life. Some of the details can be marked with tags. For example, shopping, books, people, etc.
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