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What are your contexts?
kenzi | Apr 18 2006
I have been rereading some of Merlin's posts now that I have started GTD implementation and his post about contexts was really helpful because I am unsure about the contexts that I have set up. I found it interesting to read his list of contexts, and thought it would be helpful to hear what others have in their lists of contexts. Please post your contexts, maybe with a little explanation about the logic behind your system. Thanks. Here is my list (feel free to critique it): home: computer My logic: I have a home business that involves selling stuff online, meeting clients outside my home and also having clients to my house, plus I have a night job (for rent money and benefits) where, if I have downtime, I can do whatever I want (within reason) including phone calls, research, errands etc. I split out errands to "out" and "work" because there are some errands I can do near work, but actually those can be done at anytime, like on my way to work, so I will probably eliminate "work: errands". "Home: do" is a catch-all for chores and non-work stuff around the house that doesn't fit the other categories; I am thinking of breaking that out a little more. "Think, create" is another catchall for brainstorming, sketching, mulling in a controlled situation...not just daydreaming, but working out ideas for a specific project. 79 Comments
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 I've been following this thread...Submitted by mdl on September 30, 2006 - 10:00pm.
I've been following this thread with great interest for several months. (I even started my own thread titled "Context Headaches," documenting my own frustration with too many contexts.) I tried mightily to reduce my contexts to the bare minimum. So here's my most recent list: home I know, I know. The last four violate the rule that contexts are discrete places with unique tools. These are work modes (hence the verbs), rather than locations. But they are work modes in which I spend (or intend to spend) a substantial amount of time each day. And unlike the first 5 contexts (which often contain mosquito tasks), the actions in the last 4 contexts usually require more time and concentration. By the way, the "brainstorm" category replaced my old "anywhere" category. It includes all the outlining, brainstorming, planning, and drafting that I can do on the bus, at the library, etc. "Writing" includes drafting, revising, preparing for presentations, etc. "Research" is really more of an agenda. This is where I put any question/research agenda that will require more than a simple internet search to solve. For me, this process is a lot more intuitive and multi-faceted than putting small next-actions on a bunch of lists (check this book, google these words, take notes on this article). It works better for me if I have a question and let my intuition lead me to the right sources. Often this involves trips to the library or browsing through my own books. ("Research" thus serves as a de facto "library" context.) If the research question requires a call, then obviously I would put that in my phone category. ------ Quick addendum: The reason I added the last four "work mode" categories is that I found myself only chugging through the mosquito tasks and constantly procrastinating on more time intensive tasks such as writing. Now I can set aside times each day when I focus only on those more difficult tasks. Maybe every one else is different, but if I have all my tasks lumped together, I will always choose the easy ones first. Thus my poor pathetic procrastinating self has to create separate contexts for difficult tasks. » POSTED IN:
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