Do you plan your day in advance?

[HappyDude]

I have an option how to spend my day. I can go to the office or stay at home. So for me the 4-criteria model for choosing what to do in the moment was not clear. I think it is wise to start the day (or better finish the day) with defining 1 to 3 most important tasks. When doing that tasks and there' free slots of time only then can I apply 4-criteria model.

If you have the flexibility to decide where to spend your day, I'd definitely gather all the important marbles for the day and then decide where to be for the day.

My "Online" context can easily be done at home...or even at school, or even StarBucks; it's my decision. But depending on what the actions are, will determine where i'll decide to be. If my actions/projects concern typing up a paper (online), I may go to the library and make an afternoon out of it..or hell, I could even stay at home..but of course I have the TV and other distractions.

I mention this cause numerous days out of my week I'm given the opportunity to decide where to go. & when i'm given that opportunity, I always decide to head out the door. Personally, I hate being at home. For me home is a place to simply relax and spend time with family, aside from sleeping and tackling those @home items.. but that isn't to say I never spend time at home; just yesterday I decided to simply relax (on Monday) at home, rather than start my productivity pistons at full gear, not wanting to burn myself out. Again, I think this where that intuitive decision making comes into play.

 

[Foxman]

David Allen and his staff recommend to make a choice of what to do in the moment. No planning of the day in advance. I think it is also important to plan the day before it starts. You need to choose the most important projects before other people start choosing that for you. Should you have discrete time only then you should check your action lists.

do you plan your day in advance?

To me this is confusing GTD with life management - which it is not. Your life and work happens without following GTD methods. The very fact you are alive means you plan your day!

The idea of GTD is to get the most done with the shortest amount of effort. If you try run your life using GTD as a basis then you will end up failing and making a mess. You need structure to get anything done and that, by default, means you need to plan.

If you have five important projects that need to be completed by the end of the week you have to set aside time in the week to work on them. If you dont consciously do ths before hand and soley follow GTD knocking things off your lists, there is a very, very good chance you won't get those five projects completed. (Ive been there many a time!)

I think you should see GTD as a bolt on to your existing life, don't just get up in the morning saying 'what do I do today?' and start knocking things off your lists and expect to be productive. It won't happen - you'll get half way through a load of projects that aren't really that important and achieve hardly anything of significance.

You need to plan your day to an extent and when that plan collapses make use of GTD to keep moving. You have to have a plan, something to follow - a track. Most of the time the plan will crumble the minute you walk into the office, but using GTD means you can make the most of your current environment and what you have to hand to get things done.

And besides the very nature of writing future next actions/projects etc means your planning anyway!

 

[Chesnokov]

Foxman, didn't fully got what you meant. Can you give examples?

 

[Foxman]

Foxman, didn't fully got what you meant. Can you give examples?

There are 1000's of very successful people who have never heard/don't use GTD. What you will find among those people as a general common thread is daily/weekly planning.

So plan your day as much as possible and use GTD to fill in the gaps and streamline.

 

[Chesnokov]

Foxman, this is anti-GTD. You are HERETIC

 

[Foxman]

Ha! No just a realist. Following GTD in it's rawest form I find doesn't work, but planning your work and when it falls down (Internet collapses, meeting canceled, etc) that's when GTD kicks in. You are maximising your situation and resources to the full.

I feel this is GTD and how it's supposed to work - ultimate productivity.

 

[Oogiem]

Ha! No just a realist. Following GTD in it's rawest form I find doesn't work, but planning your work and when it falls down (Internet collapses, meeting canceled, etc) that's when GTD kicks in.

Interesting viewpoint. For me the closer I get to doing processing, staying in context, really defining next actions and then actually working from my lists the more I can get done and the better the quality of my work and life.

I use GTD principles to track everything now, hobbies, dreams, work, it's all one life and I am doing more now than I ever was before when I used other time management systems..

 

[TesTeq]

Planning your day is part of the GTD methodology.

Foxman, this is anti-GTD. You are HERETIC

Why do you think that planning your day is not part of the GTD methodology :?:

The important part of this process is parking date and time sensitive actions in your calendar and reviewing this calendar.

David Allen can start his seminar on time because he plans his day. He is prepared because he has reviewed his notes the day before.

 

[Chesnokov]

TesTeq, he never wrote about planning. When he plans his day: in the morning or in the evening?

 

[TesTeq]

No daily to-do lists but daily GTD system review.

TesTeq, he never wrote about planning. When he plans his day: in the morning or in the evening?

Here http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?5575-The-hazards-of-vacationing...&p=39996#post39996 he says:

Nope, no daily to-do lists. Other than what's on my calendar as have-to's (if they're not done today, they're not done).

Reviewing all my system, and it's reduction into my action lists, plus my calendar, gives me a focus for the day, but one that can (and does) unhook easily as surprises show up with opportunities and issues that take precedence over everything else. Tomorrow will start the same game, all over. - David​

 

[Chesnokov]

Focus for the day. Stared items?