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Clarification on some of the books principles.

Hi all. I've just finished reading Getting Things Done about a week ago, and am starting on my second pass (hitting the main topics) to try and cement these ideas. However, I'm still left with some uncertainties on a few topics. Reading through some past posts cleared a couple up, but there's still some remaining. I'm hoping with the vast experience some of you seem to have, you wouldn't mind helping this amateur out a little bit. ;)

First up: projects. I took David's advice and created a project reference file system. I'm used to planning out projects when I get them, and detailing the steps needed on the road to completion, albeit at usually a broader scale, so I decided to refine this. When processing a project from "in", I plan it out right there, except instead of a broad set of steps, I create a list of narrowly defined next actions, write the first NA on it's proper list in my organizer, and file the project plan. However, from the sounds of it, you can/should only have the current NA for a project on list, but I find that if I'm not at home where my filing is, and I complete the NA, yet have time to do more, how do I know what my next NA is (since I shouldn't be keeping that in my head)? Do you guys take project plans with you in whatever you use to organize things? Do you write down the next few NA's on a list, just incase? I'm probably over-thinking this, I just don't want to become terribly inefficient.

Aw, son of a... I had more questions, but for the life of me I can't remember them at the moment (my memory is terrible. Hence my attempt at GTD :p ). They'll probably come to me in a day or two, so I'll reply again when they pop up.

Thanks for now!

Stew's picture

What I was thinking of...

SteveC;10179 wrote:
What I was thinking of was Stew of this parish.

Might help - explains things more clearly than I managed

S

Thanks for the link, Steve! I'm glad you found it helpful. :)

Kris, et al. -
I think the important thing to take away from GTD is that it's not an organization system or a documentation system - it's a reminder system designed to keep one's head clear. True, these reminders are organized in some fashion, but that's not the end-all, be-all of the system. If someone were to find my notebook and open it up, they'd have a tough time deciphering it. Lines from here to there, margin notes, colors, bits scratched out....some pages are just a mess. But I don't keep it to pass on information - I keep it for myself. Even the way I wrote something (or the pen I used, or the post-it note it's written on) can remind me of the state of mind I was in when I wrote it, which, in turn, can remind me of what I need to do next and why.

 
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