Separation of the workflow phases?

[jena]

Hello,

I have read GTD and been lurking here in the forums for a while.
I'm also trying to incorporate gtd in my daily life.
One thing which I have trouble with is the separation of the different workflow steps (collect, process, organize).

The book seems to be focused on the initial things you have to do set up the system, ie one big collect phase. How is this supposed to work on a daily basis?

If I'm in a meeting it's not a problem. I "collect" by writing down meeting notes and then tossing them into my inbox for processing later. But how is this supposed to work during the chaos of a normal workday? Should I write notes to myself as things turn up and then process them in batch mode later on? What I tend to do is to try to put them in my filofax as soon as they appear.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[taxgeek]

Hi Jena. Welcome.

You might try processing your inbox first thing each morning or last thing each night. I know some people like to do that. Although what you're doing (I think) by putting something in your filofax as soon as it pops up is simply collecting, processing and organizing right then. As long as that doesn't interrupt your workflow too much, go with it.

And you're right about the notes. I have tons of little pads of paper laying around, and I'm always scribbling something on them and chucking them in the inbox. I do try to process things as they come up if possible though, if it doesn't interrupt, since it's just more efficient that way.

For me, Collect is ongoing, Process/Organize are one step that gets done each morning, and Do is something I'm still working on!

Hope that helps a little.
Taxgeek

 

[jerendeb]

Hi Jena. Welcome.

For me, Collect is ongoing, Process/Organize are one step that gets done each morning, and Do is something I'm still working on!

As if I am so smug & perfect...don't forget to review! :lol:

Seriously I like the way you wrote that. It's concise & simple & makes sense.

So...

Collect is ongoing, Process/Organize are steps that gets done each day, and Do is something I'm still planning on when I review weekly if I make time.

 

[Esquire]

Jena:

By "putting things in a FiloFax as soon as they appear", you're most likely moving right to the "organize" phase without "processing". Certainly there are times when you get an idea, and can decide immediately what the desired outcome and next action is, and then store that on your todo list, but often we place "unprocessed stuff" on our todo lists, and this is why they don't get done.
I don't hesitate to scribble my ideas or thoughts down and toss them into the inbox on my desk, or my Clie voice recorder if I'm in the car. I just make sure that at the end of each day, I go through everything in those inboxes and process them as per the workflow diagram.