GTD1-2-3-Session3-20060213

Five Steps again
  Collect
    Gathering all outstanding triggers and ideas
  Process
    more than just writing things down, but discriminating on what each item means, and what sort of action it demands (if any)
    Reminder of the power of the 2 minute rule
    Reminder of the importance of delegation
  Organize
    estimate 20-40 seconds per item to process and organize (it takes time to think)
    Recall that processing and organizing are function and form
    Hard Landscape - calendar
    Reference storage
    For actionable items
      project lists
      next action lists
        organized by context
          home
          office
          calls
          errands
          &c
  Review
  Do
Tonights focus is on last two phases
Review - the Now What
  Once youve gathered, processed and organized, you have more todos than you may know what to do with. Now you need to regain comfort with what you are doing - and what you are NOT doing.
  The trust factor - trust that you will do what needs to be done vs the Hope factor ("I hope I will")
  Importance of care and feeding will also be discussed
  The important one if the Weekly review, but reviews happen hourly, daily, etc. And higher level reviews.
  Will have discussion of what helps systems survive.
  How do we make decisions about what we have
    a false assumption that our lists are up to date and complete
      systems ebb and flow, and rarely are static. The importance is to keep collecting and processing so you eventually do regain the handle on the pile
    The threefold nature of work
      An inventory is only a partial solution
        The ability to handle the decision of doing predefined work, preparatory work, or interruptive work is key.
        This is a constant dance
      When in adhoc, be sure to know what is not being done - dont just get sucked into latest and loudest.
      The better you get at doing and defining, the better you can handle interruptions
        if you have a full inbox, you cant discriminate what is important
    Learn to manage the stack - the new vs the old, not letting too much in on the front end (the power of no, or the qualified yes in 43F terms)
    Once youve looked at all your lists, your choices are limited by 3 criteria
      context (where are you and what affordances do you have available)
      time
        this is where having a well defined hard landscape helps - so you can predict gaps and decide how to manage them (vs working out of your inbox)
      energy
        how creative do you feel, how much mental strength is available to you
        learn where your sweet spots are (morning? evening?)
    Then you can prioritize - if you still have options - what provides the highest payoff
      Building visions, projects and strategies upfront helps to make better prioritization decisions.
      Working around horizons of focus provides better thinking as well (where does this fit in the longer term, is it important now?)
    The Weekly Review
      Should do it enough so you feel uncomfortable with not having done it. This can take upwards of 52 reviews (i.e. it may take a year).
      Recall that the system is not all the things in it - it is a scaffolding, but your thinking is what makes it work
      A time to confirm that the project list is complete and that it contains things barely captured in the last few days.
      Some research shows that ~6-8 days is the last optimal retention of memory
      Doing a regular review is the way to start, until it does become weekly.
      The only wrong way to do it is not to do it.
      Keep the review to an hour
        it is not a time to do work
        not a time to get caught up
        Just do the review.
      Remember that the review is after youve done all your processing and organizing. Dont use the review for that. Those items take place during the course of your week in between reviews. Define work in small chunks, not the review.
      The review is just reflecting.
      In the weekly review you can put your executive hat on.
      A time to build the big picture of the week ahead
      Important to have a well defined space (mental, virtual, physical) for the review
        often people can think of work at home, but not vice versa, so the review may be incomplete.
      Keeping it all in the system aids the ability to disconnect the thinking about the action at the moment of decision.
Q&A section
  Q: Tip from last week - Avaya offers an integrated system for PC to VM connectivity
  Q: To what extent do ongoing todos go onto our list
    A: if it is a habit, its not needed to be written down. But if you are building a habit, it can be helpful to write those down.
  A tip - deciding when to do the review is a good first step, but dont do it for when you can believe you are resistant.
  Q: Managing waiting for lists (emails). At weekly review, kill those that have been accomplished
    A: probably the simplest way to do it. Do you need to track those things?
  A tip: frame outcomes for projects positively, and be sure to attach a next action to it. Projects without this kickstart immediately become daunting.
  Q: Shared and messy environment
    A: try to build some walloff time or space to build your own processing space
  Q: What internal conversations do you have during or around the weekly review
    A: Some anxiety because you may overcreate. But to reduce some stress, occassionally schedules a long weekly review.
    A: Sometimes feels not enough time, but then commits to it.
    A: Use the weekly review as a time to listen to yourself.
    A: Use it as a way to rebalance.
Closing thoughts
  Next steps via davidco.com
    onsite and telecoaching is available
    GTD Roadmap seminars on the road again. Recall you cannot step in the same river twice. Offer alumni rates, too.
    Connect program is still launching