How can the GTD method give me a stress free task list?

[Milagro]

Hello I am working to implement the GTD method.

After making the list of projects and all the tasks associated with them I felt stressed with a feeling of overwhelm. All of the old task where now project with a large list of tasks. At nights I had troubles sleeping with all of the task on my mind.

Still I believe in the method, and I think it is of essential for me to master the method, but I am missing a step.

Is there anyone who can give me an advice on stress free mind?
(only the only the most important things to do?)

 

[Oogiem]

That's actually pretty normal. When you first realize just how much you have committed yourself to it CAN be overwhelming.

The key. Continue to collect and capture absolutely everything that you think might be an issue for you.

Process that into either actions on existing projects or new projects

Most importantly: REVIEW. Make sure you have really clarified whether you can do anything on that project or not and if not re-negotiate it, delegate it or put it onto the someday/maybe list for now and promise you will revisit that list regularly (weekly at first) to be sure nothing is going to jump out and catch you unawares.

You won't feel calm until your mind knows that the new way will really work. The inner mind is a stubborn beast, and you must patiently show it that the new system will work before it will relax enough to believe you.

 

[TesTeq]

After making the list of projects and all the tasks associated with them I felt stressed with a feeling of overwhelm. All of the old task where now project with a large list of tasks. At nights I had troubles sleeping with all of the task on my mind.

Previously you were deceiving yourself by not taking "the old tasks" seriously. Now you've clarified their real meaning and found that it is impossible to do it all. That's reality. And it's awful. But I congratulate you that you've decided to take the red pill like Neo in "Matrix".

 

[QuestorTheElf]

I've found in doing GTD that the stress comes from thinking we can do so much, only to realize our time each week is limited. I've found this especially challenging in modern times where it seems that with speedy technology we can do anything and everything in an instant, only to get extremely frustrated with delays from waiting for a page or video to download to dealing with a traffic light that seems red forever.

I've really found it useful to be extremely selective as to which tasks need to get done during a particular week. Those that can't or won't can be parked in the Someday/Maybe list, knowing they're there and won't be forgotten. (That list needs to be reviewed each week too. It's an interesting dynamic moving things to and from Someday/Maybe especially once they actually get done.)

Sometimes these prior commitments made earlier during the Weekly Review do change, so as stated above by Oogiem, renegotiating is important. This is especially true when you're dealing with an unforeseen event from emergencies to client requests which is what I like most about GTD. Some interruption may come in, and you can handle it while also staying on top of previous promises to others and yourself. I've found this too relieves much of the tension.

Good luck!

 

[Vickie]

I completely agree with all that's been said above. The feeling is normal because you've now shined a light on everything that your brain has been holding on to in some form. The good news is, now that you've extracted those things, your brain doesn't have to hold them any longer and can now decide what it wants to do with them (i.e. act, defer, delegate, etc). The feeling of relief will no doubt start to take the place of all you're feeling now. I think most of us can testify to experiencing much of what you describe.

Having said that, I will suggest that you make sure to make good use of your "Someday/ Maybe" list. When I first started practicing GTD, I barely utilized that list which lead to my feeling of overwhelm because everything seemed like a high priority. Decide on what you are prepared to act on in the immediate future and then put the other items on your someday/ maybe list. Just be sure to make some time to review the list from time to time (most review in the weekly review as do I) so that that sense of "missing something" doesn't creep in.

Best of luck and good job of sticking with it!

 

[PeterW]

Hello I am working to implement the GTD method.

Hi,

Have you read David Allen's book all the way through? It covers everything you need to know. Sometimes a second read-through is helpful after a short break to help embed the methodology. This might help you find the missing step.

 

[S-Tolland]

After making the list of projects and all the tasks associated with them I felt stressed with a feeling of overwhelm. All of the old task where now project with a large list of tasks. At nights I had troubles sleeping with all of the task on my mind.

I wonder whether you have really drilled down to the next action for each of your projects? Do remember that your action lists should only contain the very next action that you can take, rather than all of the actions that you will be taking. I often find an action repels me if I haven't actually got to the bottom of what I really need to do next. Good luck with implementing the system and I hope that you soon find yourself feeling stress-free!

 

[Folke]

I wonder whether you have really drilled down to the next action for each of your projects?

I wonder the same thing. It seem as if you have listed ALL the actions, both the now possible ones and the future, dependent ones that cannot be done until the first ones have been completed.

If you are using paper or a simple list app, you can keep all the future, dependent tasks entirely outside your normal GTD lists. This is the method described by DA in his first book. He includes all these future tasks in his general term "project support material". You then simply "lift" a few relevant tasks from there during your regular reviews and put them on your Next/Context lists or Waiting For list etc.

If you are using a more sophisticated app, chances are that it has support for differentiating between now-active tasks and future, dependent tasks. Some apps even have automatic progression of tasks from the inactive, dependent state (not listed on the main Next, Waiting lists; only visible within the Project) to the active, visible state.

 

[Najack]

Thanks for the initial post and the comments as well. All of it is definitely something to review as I seem to feel my heart beat much faster when I look at my projects list and next action lists. Back to the drawing board for me!

 

[Milagro]

When I [FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]started my list I have insufficient structure adapted so I could not find any urgent tasks quickly. After creating more structure I decided to fill it with not so urgent tasks used get my feet wet. I'm going to work on learning to setting priorities and to drill down to the next action, keeping a separate bullet list of projects and sub actions.[/FONT]

 

[Milagro]

When I started my list I have insufficient structure adapted so I could not find any urgent tasks quickly. After creating more structure I decided to fill it with not so urgent tasks used get my feet wet. I'm going to work on learning to setting priorities and to drill down to the next action, keeping a separate bullet list of projects and sub actions.

 

[Mark Jantzen]

Make sure you keep your list of projects (successful outcomes) on a list that is separate from your next actions.

You should be able to look at a list of next actions and choose anyone of them to actually do the action without having to think. It sounds so simple but it takes a bit of work to make sure you identify the very next physical visible action. For example you might think a phone call with the phone number is the next action but have you thought about what you want to say or questions to ask?

As David says, this stuff is subtle ...

 

[bcmyers2112]

When I started my list I have insufficient structure adapted so I could not find any urgent tasks quickly. After creating more structure I decided to fill it with not so urgent tasks used get my feet wet.

If you don'd mind me asking, what do you mean by "insufficient structure" and what did you do to create "more structure"?

I'm going to work on learning to setting priorities and to drill down to the next action, keeping a separate bullet list of projects and sub actions.

Just remember that life is fluid and if you're following GTD by the book you'll be re-evaluating your priorities multiple times a day. It's tricky to learn at first but less difficult than trying to follow a list of priority codes that can unravel with one phone call from your boss, a co-worker, a client, a relative or even a friend.

As for "projects and sub-actions," it's usually best to only add things you can actually do now to your next actions lists. Actions you can't do now but don't want to forget are best kept wherever you keep your project support.

 

[John Forrister]

Hello moretrisha, please keep the posts to a discussion of the topic, without soliciting for testers. In the post above, most of the first paragraph, and all of the third, are to advance a different agenda than the GTD discussion in this thread. I've deleted a couple of your other posts that were out of bounds. More information here:
http://gettingthingsdone.com/forum/f...before-posting.