Quick Question! Action Items and afterthoughts: best practice

J

Jimhardie74

Guest
Hey Guys,

I am going to explain roughly something that i have got into the habit of doing with my next actions-- I would love some feedback if you do something similar or maybe you have a better approach to this.

Often when I write a next action note ('call michele about flat veiwing', or 'write out a new morning routine') I will often write a few support ideas next to the action item. For example underneath the 'call michele about flat veiwing' action item i might write 'also check if he is okay to meet next week' OR next to the 'write out a new morning routine' I might write underneath 'make sure it includes drinking water, avoid eating large amounts of sugar straight away etc'.

These are usually afterthoughts that I will think of as I am writing the next action and organising the action on a list. These afterthoughts arent critically important, but they are things that I might like to be reminded of when It comes to doing that action item. Do any of you have a similar habit? Is this best practice? Is there something I could be doing better. I considered writing these afterthoughts (which are basically reference/support materials) in a seperate sheet but my concern is that I would then neglect/forget to also look at this sheet when the time came to me doing the action. But at the same time, I am not sure if its a great idea to also be adding afterthoughts to my clearly defined actions. (I am using evernote)

Love reading the input that you guys offer! Thanks so much for your time! James
 

jenkins

Registered
Jimhardie74 said:
I considered writing these afterthoughts (which are basically reference/support materials) in a seperate sheet but my concern is that I would then neglect/forget to also look at this sheet when the time came to me doing the action.

Hi James.

If GTD is fundamentally about finding ways to engage appropriately with your world, then I think placing these notes on a separate sheet would be putting form before function. Remember that GTD is a conceptual framework. In other words, something doesn't receive the title "support material" because it's in a folder or looks this way or that way. Rather, something is "support material" because it serves the functions that "support material" paradigmatically serves, e.g., providing information germane to an action or project. Now of course, support material and actions should not be mixed and blended so liberally that you can no longer tell the difference, but I don't think that's what you're describing.
 
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