How to plan for due dates of projects

[MarcoDuan]

I finally took the action to implement GTD in life and am enjoying lots of benefits from it already. However, there is one aspect that I don't know quite yet how to handle at this moment.

I work in an R&D department where we do product development and generally deliverables are determined 1 to 2 weeks before they are due. This means the time between identifying my project and delivering the result of the project are relatively short. I am familiar with the day specific and time specific actions as described in the book but if there are 10 subsequent action to come to the day specific actions which is "hand-over the deliverable", then how to plan for the 9 actions that are not day specific but all need to be done before the due date of the deliverable? And then to keep in mind that I have multiple of such projects running in parallel.
Currently I have all next actions for all my running projects defined and I look at my lists frequently where I see my tasks, which are the physical next actions. They sort on context, I see the labels for the time required for the action and the energy level needed. All following the book. But nonetheless I feel stress of not getting the actions done on time and running late for deliverables resulting in adding extra hours to compensate or not delivering the quality that is needed.

I know I must be doing something wrong but so far I can't figure it out. So I hope any of you have any tips or tricks how to tackle such issue?

 

[TesTeq]

But nonetheless I feel stress of not getting the actions done on time and running late for deliverables resulting in adding extra hours to compensate or not delivering the quality that is needed.

I don't think GTD can help in reducing the amount of actual work that you have to do. It reduces time wasted thinking what to do and stress of not knowing that you've got too much to do. You can consciously reduce quality or ask for help.

 

[PTKen]

I agree with TesTeq . I frequently use my GTD lists, particularly the Projects and Next Actions lists, to show my supervisors everything that is currently on my plate when they add yet another project. I simply say here is everything that you have already asked me to do and here is what I need to do from other sources. Which one should I not do in order to make room for the new project? Almost always, the reply is "Well, all of these need to get done. I guess it's not that important anyhow. I'll ask XXXX to do it instead." If it truly is important, my supervisor can be the one to make it okay to not deliver on a previous project. It really works.

GTD helps me to not only negotiate agreements with myself, but with others as well.

 

[Gardener]

And then to keep in mind that I have multiple of such projects running in parallel.

Do they HAVE to run in parallel? Is this something under your control, or under outside control? It's fairly well documented that working several tasks in parallel is a strategy that has a variety of flaws. Obviously it produces a longer start-to-finish time for each task, but it also means that each task takes more actual time, it tends to increase errors, and so on. After reading Kanban, by David Anderson, I'm trying hard to reduce the total number of parallel tasks I have going on.

Even if your management insists on a multiple-in-parallel work model, do you have any flexibility within your workload to actively focus on one project at a time--maybe even if that means making some extra context switches? So rather than working four projects every day for two weeks, maybe one project for four days, the next for three days, the next for four days, and so on?

One of the experiments that I keep seeing in this context is the activity of sending out a mailing--folding flyers, putting them in envelopes, stamping them, sealing them. Intuition says that it would be faster to fold them all, insert them all, stamp them all, then seal them all--that is, to stay in each context (Fold, Insert, etc.) as long as possible. Apparently, no--apparently it's faster to do the whole process on one flyer at a time. (No, I haven't created a fake flyer task for myself to test this directly. ) And this is a mindless task, where the benefit of maintaining focus is minimal. Tasks that involve a lot of immersive thought are likely to benefit even more.

Focus on one task until done should also reduce time spent organizing next actions--you could have just one set of detailed actions, instead of several.

I realize that your management may have this work organized to make this essentially impossible--for example, by starting tasks on staggered dates and then perhaps demanding interim status reports--but I wanted to raise it as an idea. And I recommend the book.

 

[mcogilvie]

I work in an R&D department where we do product development and generally deliverables are determined 1 to 2 weeks before they are due. This means the time between identifying my project and delivering the result of the project are relatively short. I am familiar with the day specific and time specific actions as described in the book but if there are 10 subsequent action to come to the day specific actions which is "hand-over the deliverable", then how to plan for the 9 actions that are not day specific but all need to be done before the due date of the deliverable? And then to keep in mind that I have multiple of such projects running in parallel.
...
I know I must be doing something wrong but so far I can't figure it out. So I hope any of you have any tips or tricks how to tackle such issue?

Maybe you are working too hard at it. GTD is not so much about planning as about awareness, and not dropping balls accidentally. If a project has a due date, it will have one in my project list. That builds awareness. Because most projects have one or a few next actions, I may repeat that due date on my next actions, not as a due date for the next action, but as a reminder. How you do this depends on your tools and preferences. The goal is to make it as easy as possible, plan as little as possible and make good, informed choices in the moment.

 

[PTKen]

Maybe you are working too hard at it. GTD is not so much about planning as about awareness, and not dropping balls accidentally. If a project has a due date, it will have one in my project list. That builds awareness. Because most projects have one or a few next actions, I may repeat that due date on my next actions, not as a due date for the next action, but as a reminder. How you do this depends on your tools and preferences. The goal is to make it as easy as possible, plan as little as possible and make good, informed choices in the moment.

Exactly! This was my point too. An awareness of how much work is on my plate makes it possible for me to also give my supervisors the same awareness (we'll skip the discussion about why they don't already know how much work I have to complete!). This makes it possible for me to make informed decisions about what to work on, but also to make it possible to sometimes say "No." without making me look incompetent or lazy. (Actually the opposite usually happens — Wow, you are really working on a lot of projects!)

 

[bcmyers2112]

MarcoDuan: It's true that GTD recommends only putting things on your calendar that must get done on a certain day or time, but I've found in practice that there is a gray area when it comes to actions that are truly time-sensitive but don't have a defined deadline (such as actions that are part of a project with a deadline). My own solution has been to assign somewhat arbitrary due dates to the individual next actions based on the needs of the project. Yes, I sometimes have to renegotiate those self-imposed deadlines but as long as I use such arbitrary due dates sparingly -- and only when the outcome is truly time-sensitive -- it's a solution that has worked for me.

Mine is by no means the only solution. mcogilvie's suggestion also sounds workable. There are some forum members who advocate blocking time on their calendars to work on time-sensitive projects, which can also work as long as you honor the appointment. I am sure there are other worthwhile solutions that I can't think of (and perhaps other forum members will suggest them).

The reason GTD suggests not using your calendar as a to-do list is to avoid the sense of frustration that comes from having to constantly carry over "not done" items from one day to the next. It's also an inefficient way of managing actions. But using somewhat arbitrary deadlines, if done sparingly, doesn't present the same problem in my experience.

If you're not sure, try something and see if it works. I've learned over the years to be open to experimentation, and to be flexible in my interpretation of GTD based on my individual needs.

 

[Instigase]

Two things I would consider: (1) Make/Tweak/Retool your lists to help you to not be stressed. (2) Use the lists as data to negotiate the work that must be done by you/your team.

(1) Make/Tweak/Retool your lists help you be focused and not be stressed.
(GTD is not so much about planning as about awareness, and not dropping balls accidentally. - @mcogilvie)

• Are you planning out too far ahead? I too work in a RnD environment and often times the result of the latest work dictates the next set of actions. Also as you review the lists regularly, paring back to the set of current Next Actions may make the list less daunting and when that task is completed, the evaluation/results of the last experiment/test will dictate the next action to write down.
• Are your Next Actions list too detailed? Are there tasks you are listing that come as second nature to you and listing is more perfunctory than useful? Perhaps the list may need to be adjusted so that all the list does is to keep you mindful of the breadth of the projects in your purview.
• Are the level of contexts too detailed, leading to multiple next action lists that really can be done in the same context?
• Are the level of contexts too sparse, leading to lengthy lists that have actions that cannot be done in the current context?
• Strict adherence to the book does not make for a list that works for you. You don't have to write down estimated times, if you know they are not going to be correct. You cant predict your energy level when you start to execute the task - you evaluate the energy needed vs. energy I have equation right at the time of task selection. Make the list work for you.
• Is this the correct tool for collaborative/team work? I find the GTD lists are great for keeping me focused, not for team project management.

(2) If possible negotiate the work that must be done by you/your team.

Now that you have all the next actions, lists and time/energy needed. You can evaluate if these deadlines are possible with the current resources. If not, you have the evidence to negotiate deadlines and resources. Clearly I've echoed PTKen