gtdstudente
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Baring any ad Hoc interruptions, a "GTD Next Action" from a Project is any Start-to-Finish action with "how long" being an irrelevant factor ?
"GTD Next Action"
- Thread starter gtdstudente
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Regarding strictly Next Actions (as not every Action is a Next Action) -- this is correct, although generally actions that take less than two minutes to complete are done immediately rather than deferred as a Next Action. But there may be, for example, a required Context that would cause even a very quick action to be deferred to a Next Action.
'Write novel' is a fine Next Action. If it's a Next Action.
'Write novel' is a fine Next Action. If it's a Next Action.
gtdstudente
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@mcogilvie,
Given time constraints, sometimes one must break down a Next Action which seemingly turns into a 'need to get back to' as soon as possible Next Action. . . .
Completed Two-Minutes or Less Actions, Next Actions and completed Projects seems to be what a productive life is built upon?
gtdstudente
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@Roger,
Given time constraints, sometimes one must break down a Next Action which seemingly turns into a 'need to get back to' as soon as possible Next Action. . . .
Completed Two-Minutes or Less Actions, Next Actions and completed Projects seems to be what a productive life is built upon?
mcogilvie
Registered
I suppose, but if you don’t get the higher levels right, then you might be busy but not effective. Also, I use next actions as bookmarks and placeholders, so a small next action sometimes takes me on a multi-hour dive into a project. As I see it, the totality of my actions are not so much planned but steered.
René Lie
Certified GTD Trainer
I would say yes - but: time isn't completely irrelevant in my opinion. I've heard in many podcast episodes with @megedwards and @kelstarrising that they talk about things that can be 'done in one sitting'. Sure, 'write a novel' can be a next action if everything you need to do so is in place, but I would at least break it down to chapters or pages in order to not be overwhelmed.
Remember: if you look at your lists and see 'write an email', 'surf the web' and 'write a novel' - what would you choose to do in the moment, and - more importantly - what would you procrastinate on..?
Just like @Oogiem, I've had a long-term project where the next action is to just pick up where I left and keep going, but this was just a repetitive task of proof-reading, and at some point I was done. Therefore, the task lived on my list until I was done, but it was easily broken down to small sections, keeping me from being overwhelmed.
FocusGuy
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There is no question about tasks < 2 mn sure, they are done immediately. Then some tasks which are over 2 mn can be either planned or done.
I try not to plan too much. During my daily review I make a kind of daily road map for the day. I put there what I must do and do it one by one during the time I have. If I find something complex which need lot of things and focus I put it on my diary as an appointment and do it. No matter if it is today or later. If it is later it happens that I have to move it at an other day or time.
Just like @Oogiem, I've had a long-term project where the next action is to just pick up where I left and keep going, but this was just a repetitive task of proof-reading, and at some point I was done. Therefore, the task lived on my list until I was done, but it was easily broken down to small sections, keeping me from being overwhelmed.
So do I.
Tom_Hagen
Registered
Maybe I'm wrong in my understanding of GTD, but it seems to me that among the various key elements that Allen wrote about, in the next actions, it is worth remembering to avoid amorphous lists and to avoid to-do lists. Of course, GTD is much more than lists of next actions, but - in my opinion - one of the goals is not only to get rid of projects from your mind but also to support in choosing the right action at a given moment. Therefore, including even such homogeneous things as reading a book into one action seems to me a questionable approach because we lose the feature of time unless we use the solution - time: any. If I were to illustrate this with an example, let's assume that our name is Helen Mask and we have to produce one car a year. The amorphous list is: "New car". The next activity similar to "Read a book" is "Produce a car" or "Paint the car" (you need to know in what order and what to paint and how much time each part will take). The next action of type Bookmark is "Produce a car - Start from produce chassis" (assuming that's where you start). However, it is not known what will happen next. Each time I have to refer to the car's design and decide what to do next. However, it seems to me that the most appropriate approach is to define as the next actions all the steps needed to produce a car, even if there are hundreds or thousands of these steps. Because either way I will have to - each time - follow this procedure to produce the car. In efect, during production, I do not have to redefine my work every step of the way. Of course, if screwing the right front wheel consists of 30-second actions such as "Tighten bolt 1, 2, ..., 5", the action "Install the right front wheel" is enough for me. I believe that this approach maximizes the effects of GTD.
FocusGuy
Registered
@Tom_Hagen I agree with your approach of GTD. When You get complex project the best is doing an NPM for making the shape of it. It includes steps. The trap is for me to be too exhaustive at this point ;-) Then Only take the first step and put the next action. The reference material will show every steps in details including every support you need like mind map, kanban and so on. But the most important is for me to have a clear view of my engagement. Also, David said somewhere that when you know a process by heart you can be more global in your approch. But if you dont know the process you must be more precise. For taking your example If I would do it my self, I know I never builded a car. So I would in different order learn : read every thing about this subject etc... Meet people; use reference material such as plans, steps, check list and so on...
I would be clear about one point be very precise about my first step, my actionnable projects and my next action.
I would be clear about one point be very precise about my first step, my actionnable projects and my next action.
Not just ANY action. It has to move the project forward.
Not all actions ABOUT the project will move the project forward. For example researching something I already know how to do is not moving the project forward. It's just planning to procrastinate. I consider a real next action to be my best thinking on how to move the project forward.
Not all actions that would move the project forward are things that I would ever do. I made a decision years ago to never work at the top of a ladder. Therefore, "clean the gutters" is not a suitable next action for me. I would rather have mossy, overflowing gutters than do that. A better next action for me would be to call someone who does it professionally.
Not all actions that would move the project forward, and that I would hypothetically do are things that I would actually do in real life. Some actions are just so unappealing that they will languish on my lists forever. A trick to get me started is to choose a smaller version of that action. Instead of a next action to send an emotionally-difficult email, a better action for me might be to write the first draft, or maybe just the outline, or maybe just to click "new email".
Not all actions that would move the project forward and that are attractive to me will ever actually be done. Using the four criteria model, it has to have a context I expect to be in, with enough time to do it, and enough energy and all this at the same time as being high enough priority to chose above the other next actions in that context. So, a four hour hike on my "errands" list won't ever get done if I only ever have two hours for errands.