Which List Do You Look At?

D

DKPhoto

Registered
Let's set the scene.

You're at your place of work (be that office, home office, warehouse etc).

It's 09:48 and you've just finished preparing for an appointment at 10:00, for which you don't need to travel (so it's a zoom, telephone call or they come to you).

Your inboxes are at zero.

Which list do you look at to use those 12 minutes effectively?

I'm interested in what you would actually do, not GTD theory, and it would be great to hear from coaches, and even the man himself if he looks in.

Thanks.
 
C

cfoley

Registered
No list. I would make myself a coffee for the meeting.

Or

No list. I would continue with the coding task I was doing earlier.

Or

No list. Look at gtd forums.

Or

@Desk context list, and do the first quick action I notice.
 
mcogilvie

mcogilvie

Registered
If the meeting requires significant attention, I would do nothing which would take my head elsewhere. My @anywhere list is usually where I find such tasks. If it’s a zoom meeting where I just have to sit there, same answer, but I’ll continue working through the meeting. I know, you’re shocked. Shocked to find that going on.
 
D

DKPhoto

Registered
cfoley said:
No list. I would make myself a coffee for the meeting.

Or

No list. I would continue with the coding task I was doing earlier.

Or

No list. Look at gtd forums.

Or

@Desk context list, and do the first quick action I notice.
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Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Would you do it in that order?
 
D

DKPhoto

Registered
mcogilvie said:
If the meeting requires significant attention, I would do nothing which would take my head elsewhere. My @anywhere list is usually where I find such tasks. If it’s a zoom meeting where I just have to sit there, same answer, but I’ll continue working through the meeting. I know, you’re shocked. Shocked to find that going on.
Click to expand...
Shocked and appalled!

Thank you though.
 
René Lie

René Lie

Certified GTD Trainer
If there are 12 minutes before a meeting, I usually go to 'the other office' (if you know what I mean) and therefter I'd get a cup of coffee.

Other than that, if I really have 12 minutes, I would probably choose a quick and simple task like looking something up, drafting or replying to an email, or another task that doesn't require 'deep work'.

I work from my 'office' list which is divided into sections such as general computer tasks, email, and software specific tasks.
 
FocusGuy

FocusGuy

Registered
Make a coffee
Review my goals / Checklist for the meeting.
Cleaning something : desk or papers or make desktop
Look at my inbox or next action list if there is something I could do fast
But most of the time I would choose the 3 first one...
 
D

DKPhoto

Registered
René Lie said:
If there are 12 minutes before a meeting, I usually go to 'the other office' (if you know what I mean) and therefter I'd get a cup of coffee.

Other than that, if I really have 12 minutes, I would probably choose a quick and simple task like looking something up, drafting or replying to an email, or another task that doesn't require 'deep work'.
René Lie said:
If there are 12 minutes before a meeting, I usually go to 'the other office' (if you know what I mean) and therefter I'd get a cup of coffee.

Other than that, if I really have 12 minutes, I would probably choose a quick and simple task like looking something up, drafting or replying to an email, or another task that doesn't require 'deep work'.

I work from my 'office' list which is divided into sections such as general computer tasks, email, and software specific tasks.
Click to expand...
So you would look at the generic 'office' list which is sub-divided into the sections (if I understand you correctly). Are the sections alphabetical, so based on the labels you gave, 'email' would be the first set of NAs that you see? Or is there a section above with no label? Or are they organised differently?
Click to expand...
 
Lucas W.

Lucas W.

Registered
I would probably go throughout my waiting for list or select a 5 min. task from my next action list - below you can find some examples from my logbook – which mean real examples:
  • Ask an assistant to place a request for the office supplies.
  • Remind an employee about the periodic health tests.
  • Ask an employee about photos from the workshop.
  • Set the appointment with an employee.
  • Check the warehouse status of the one specific product.
  • Remind an employee to reschedule the planned webinar.
Ask/remind/respond – those are common phrases for my 5 min. tasks.
 
schmeggahead

schmeggahead

Registered
DKPhoto said:
Which list do you look at to use those 12 minutes effectively?
Click to expand...
First, I am at my work location so I would have already looked at my list for that location to select the previous task (since it's 9:48, I probably have looked at relevant lists multiple times by now).

Second, I would check my energy level (i.e. need for recovery). When this I'm raring to go, I might see if an action comes to mind (remember, my reticular system has been activated by earlier list review), I would consider whether it is less than 6 minutes (allowing for bad estimation I always do, optimistic) and start it. If I'm tapped then ...

Third, I would grab a cup of coffee, walk to the nearest window with a long view and look out to expand my horizon (have a capture tool at the ready). There are few opportunities (unless we make them) to clear our minds for the next focused work.

It's sometimes called playing the pauses, so your work makes music rather than noise.
Clayton

What looks like laziness is often exhaustion.
 
G

gtdstudente

Registered
DKPhoto said:
Let's set the scene.

You're at your place of work (be that office, home office, warehouse etc).

It's 09:48 and you've just finished preparing for an appointment at 10:00, for which you don't need to travel (so it's a zoom, telephone call or they come to you).

Your inboxes are at zero.

Which list do you look at to use those 12 minutes effectively?

I'm interested in what you would actually do, not GTD theory, and it would be great to hear from coaches, and even the man himself if he looks in.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
@DKPhoto,

Clean the monitor, double-check/test Audio, Video, etc. for any potential tech/zoom glitches

Remind 'everyone' of upcoming Zoom appointment/commitment

See what else can be emptied including restroom possibility to make sure teeth are 'spinach-free', face-rinse refreshment, brush/comb hair, adjust shirt, etc.

Scan to also see if anything can be filled like paper, pen, beverage container, ect.

'Prior' Preparing to Process Meeting Notes: Project(s), Next Action(s), and File Reference(s)

Preview after Meeting commitment possibilities for the remainder of the day including the hope of going outside for a air fresh-air walk ofr some exercise-&-reflection along with an errand including trash disposal
 
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mcogilvie

mcogilvie

Registered
I put all my projects with next actions due soon into an area at the top of my list called Timely, and that’s where I would look. David Allen says to put next actions that have to be done today at the top of your calendar. I do something a little more prospective and more organized this way and it works well for me.
 
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