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What are your contexts?

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
home: calls
home: do
home: client
out: client
out: errands
think, create
work: calls
work: errands
work: phone
work: 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.

Chrome47's picture

This is an old thread...

pooks;6561 wrote:
This is an old thread and I may have mentioned this before, but one of my more helpful "context" issues is that I have separate "shopping" contexts for each place I regularly shop. I have one for Whole Foods, for the supermarket, for Sams Club, for Office Depot.

I have something similar. Like Merlin, I've got "meta-contexts," contexts, and even sub-contexts. In this case I've got a group called "Out," for when I'm out running errands or going shopping, and inside that group there's another group called "Errands." Within that I have individual cards for "Grocery," "Sam's," "Hardware store" (because I just bought a house and I'm going to Home Depot or Lowe's pretty regularly), "Walgreens," "Target," "Staples," and "Library." If I want, I can write up an "Errands" card (yes, within the Errands group!) and jot down a list of errands I need to run, which may include "Take checks to bank, Get car washed, Take mail to PO, Go to grocery." When I get to the grocery, I need an actual list because I'll forget something. I don't need a checklist for washing my car. :)

It may be kind of nitpicky at first, but I'm at a point now where it requires almost no thought, and it's easy to pull out whatever card I need.

 
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