A False Dilemma: Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?

Which is more important: Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?

  • Daily processing time – zero-ing IN

    Votes: 2 16.7%
  • Weekly Review

    Votes: 10 83.3%

  • Total voters
    12

topshelf

Registered
Hello, all. I am highly interested in self-monitoring, and I'm trying to decide which item I should track *indefinitely* from GTD. I've narrowed my focus to Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review.

As part of this thought experiment, I (you) can only pick one item to monitor.

I know it's a false dilemma, but I would like to know:

Which is more important? (Or, at the very least, which item would you track?)

Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?

I emailed David A. a version of this post, and his answer was, "Whichever gets this thing off your mind."

Thank you for participating!
 
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Jared Caron

Nursing leader; GTD enthusiast
My opinion is the daily processing is a keystone habit in which the rest of GTD is built. Yes the weekly review is probably more important to someone who has an established GTD system and can often compensate for sub optimal daily habits. But in terms of getting GTD up and running, I think the daily habits are the key
 

gtdstudente

Registered
Hello, all. I am highly interested in self-monitoring, and I'm trying to decide which item I should track *indefinitely* from GTD. I've narrowed my focus to Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review.

As part of this thought experiment, I (you) can only pick one item to monitor.

I know it's a false dilemma, but I would like to know:

Which is more important? (Or, at the very least, which item would you track?)

Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?

I emailed David A. a version of this post, and his answer was, "Whichever gets this thing off your mind."

Thank you for participating!
Topshelf,

On this end . . . Empty/Zero . . . is used for "Preparation/Prepared" Realities . . . and deemed as the highest GTD Standard . . . Motion-by-Motion . . . Minute-by-Minute . . . Hour-by-Hour . . . Day-by-Day . . . whenever reasonably possible . . . and as such, this unconscious GTD 'zer0-habit' must be adding to continuous inner peace/clarity . . . while the Weekly Review, without sounding too harsh, is a last/minimal GTD Back-Stop
 

topshelf

Registered
My opinion is the daily processing is a keystone habit in which the rest of GTD is built. Yes the weekly review is probably more important to someone who has an established GTD system and can often compensate for sub optimal daily habits. But in terms of getting GTD up and running, I think the daily habits are the key
Jared, thank you for taking the time to reply. This is almost exactly how I have been thinking about this - through the lens of Keystone Habits. (When I find this reference, I'll add it to this post.) In a conversation with Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit, David mentioned that the two keystone habits for him regarding GTD are Daily processing time – zero-ing IN and the Weekly Review.
 

Matt_M

Registered
Hello, all. I am highly interested in self-monitoring, and I'm trying to decide which item I should track *indefinitely* from GTD. I've narrowed my focus to Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review.

As part of this thought experiment, I (you) can only pick one item to monitor.

I know it's a false dilemma, but I would like to know:

Which is more important? (Or, at the very least, which item would you track?)

Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?

I emailed David A. a version of this post, and his answer was, "Whichever gets this thing off your mind."

Thank you for participating!

Interesting question. I might be slightly misinterpreting the question. Are you asking which is more important if you could only do one? Or are you asking which one is more important from a "make it a habit"/track the time spent doing it, perspective?

Assuming it's the former: Unless I a misremembering doesn't the weekly review include getting the inbox empty? Even if it didn't have that, I'd still choose the weekly review. Primarily because it's so absolutely critical for any system to be useful by just seeing everything in a person's system at once. Completed or irrelevant items can be "checked off" and critical items are still kept in focus. Granted, it's probably not anywhere near as effective if processing is not a routine habit or part of the weekly review. However, having nothing in your head and just re-clarifying it every week is, subjectively objectively, better than just using your head as an office overall.

Assuming it's the later: I'd still pick the weekly review for the same reasons as before because it helps ensure the system remains useful and current. While processing the inbox in a very frequent fashion is important, it's less important if the system is never deeply reviewed (deep being the key word) or kept current on a routine basis. Basically, from what I have read and experienced, the folks who try to use GTD but don't form the "weekly review habit" tend to have very rapidly decaying systems that ultimately lead them to not use GTD anymore and put everything back in their head. This is often what I see as a major objection to GTD: it takes so much time/investment to setup and the person has done "that" X times.

However, I do agree, regardless of which exact question you meant, it's an interesting question nonetheless.
 

schmeggahead

Registered

A False Dilemma: Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?​

It's an interesting dilemma but I think there is a key observation that Daily processing time is actually starting the weekly review Get Clear part, so they are not actually different things.
I agree with you this is a false dilemma.

Clayton.

If you haven't completed a weekly review recently, you are in a sense always trying and failing to complete one. - David Allen
 

cfoley

Registered
Given that doing the weekly review means that you will process at least once a week, I would choose to monitor the time for the weekly review. If the weekly review starts taking too long, then one of the things you might try to fix that is processing during the week.
 

ivanjay205

Registered
I think it is essential both are done. I know total avoidance of the real question. To me my startup and shutdown routines are essential for me. If I do not do a good job with my daily clearance to zero than my weekly review is not effective because I take an hour to get back to zero and am mentally tired at that point. So for me effectiveness is getting to daily zero or relatively close to it for a well rested and focused weekly review. I also find it makes me much more relaxed at night when I get home in the evening from work.
 

gtdstudente

Registered
I think it is essential both are done. I know total avoidance of the real question. To me my startup and shutdown routines are essential for me. If I do not do a good job with my daily clearance to zero than my weekly review is not effective because I take an hour to get back to zero and am mentally tired at that point. So for me effectiveness is getting to daily zero or relatively close to it for a well rested and focused weekly review. I also find it makes me much more relaxed at night when I get home in the evening from work.
You have one GTD thinking on this end:
All Simply GTD peacefully 'wrapped' into "Do . . . What You Can . . . When You Can . . . Where You Can . . . While You Can" for calm completion through peaceful preparation ?
 
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topshelf

Registered

A False Dilemma: Daily processing time – zero-ing IN or the Weekly Review?​

It's an interesting dilemma but I think there is a key observation that Daily processing time is actually starting the weekly review Get Clear part, so they are not actually different things.
I agree with you this is a false dilemma.

Clayton.

If you haven't completed a weekly review recently, you are in a sense always trying and failing to complete one. - David Allen
It's a false dilemma because it's a false binary; you can, and probably should, do both. But for the sake of the thought experiment and monitoring, I am trying to select one item. Thanks for commenting!
 

topshelf

Registered
Topshelf,

On this end . . . Empty/Zero . . . is used for "Preparation/Prepared" Realities . . . and deemed as the highest GTD Standard . . . Motion-by-Motion . . . Minute-by-Minute . . . Hour-by-Hour . . . Day-by-Day . . . whenever reasonably possible . . . and as such, this unconscious GTD 'zer0-habit' must be adding to continuous inner peace/clarity . . . while the Weekly Review, without sounding too harsh, is a last/minimal GTD Back-Stop
Just to be clear, do you believe that daily processing time - zero-ing IN is more important than the Weekly Review?
 

topshelf

Registered
Weekly review, because that is the anchor and includes processing time.
Oogie, thanks for commenting! I like thinking of the Weekly Review as an anchor.

My problem, likely shared by others, is that if daily processing time – zero-ing IN doesn't happen every 24 to 48 hours, my Weekly Review devolves into one extended processing session.
 

topshelf

Registered
Interesting question. I might be slightly misinterpreting the question. Are you asking which is more important if you could only do one? Or are you asking which one is more important from a "make it a habit"/track the time spent doing it, perspective?

Assuming it's the former: Unless I a misremembering doesn't the weekly review include getting the inbox empty? Even if it didn't have that, I'd still choose the weekly review. Primarily because it's so absolutely critical for any system to be useful by just seeing everything in a person's system at once. Completed or irrelevant items can be "checked off" and critical items are still kept in focus. Granted, it's probably not anywhere near as effective if processing is not a routine habit or part of the weekly review. However, having nothing in your head and just re-clarifying it every week is, subjectively objectively, better than just using your head as an office overall.

Assuming it's the later: I'd still pick the weekly review for the same reasons as before because it helps ensure the system remains useful and current. While processing the inbox in a very frequent fashion is important, it's less important if the system is never deeply reviewed (deep being the key word) or kept current on a routine basis. Basically, from what I have read and experienced, the folks who try to use GTD but don't form the "weekly review habit" tend to have very rapidly decaying systems that ultimately lead them to not use GTD anymore and put everything back in their head. This is often what I see as a major objection to GTD: it takes so much time/investment to setup and the person has done "that" X times.

However, I do agree, regardless of which exact question you meant, it's an interesting question nonetheless.
I am asking the second question you posed. "Or are you asking which one is more important from a "make it a habit"/track the time spent doing it, perspective?"

I am trying to decide which behavior is best to monitor.
 

topshelf

Registered
I think it is essential both are done. I know total avoidance of the real question. To me my startup and shutdown routines are essential for me. If I do not do a good job with my daily clearance to zero than my weekly review is not effective because I take an hour to get back to zero and am mentally tired at that point. So for me effectiveness is getting to daily zero or relatively close to it for a well rested and focused weekly review. I also find it makes me much more relaxed at night when I get home in the evening from work.
Thanks for your input. I agree with what you have said. When I am not current with daily processing, my Weekly Review turns into an extended processing session and usually little else.
 

gtdstudente

Registered
Just to be clear, do you believe that daily processing time - zero-ing IN is more important than the Weekly Review?
topshelf:

With all due respect . . . Armed Forces? If so, thank you for your service

On this end . . . a firm believer in "Do . . . What You Can, When You Can, While You Can" whatever the concern might be . . . unless something else needs to be done . . . including any 'Weekly Review' Processing components

The 'Weekly Review' is for a State of Being relative to one's external brain GTD System in order to be: Clear, Current, and Creative that needs to be done at least once a Week in order to have one's GTD systems operational.

If there is something 'there' that can be Processed . . . then it is either Processed or it will be Processed during the 'Weekly Review' at 11:33:22 or it won't because it was already Ad Hoc/randomly done because on this end of GTD system maintenance . . . the mantra is: "Do . . . What You Can, When You Can, While You Can" for everything including any of the Processing components of the 'Weekly Review' in order to be Clear, Current, and Creative. While the sequence in doing 'Weekly Review' has much seasoned merit, perhaps it could also be understood as a Check-List to make sure nothing false between to cracks for worthwhile certainty that the 'Weekly Review' has been completed . . . huge!

As such, find understanding GTD as a 'Handbook of PRINCIPLES' much more helpful than understanding GTD as a "How To Manual" which, to make the point, would deem as a sabotaging much of what GTD really has to offer.

For instance the Tickler-File is a useful 'Operational Tool' for what dealing with unknown decision regarding inevitable realties. As, while GTD shows one how to set up a Tickler-File, it is outside the realm of GTD to limit anyone's Particular deployment of the Tickler-File . . . as long as it's keeping one's mind is clear as water then all is good.

While open to any and all GTD corrections . . . GTD is like an instrument/guard rails/methodology that one might want to use to fulfill the Concerns [and perhaps obligations] one has as calmly/peacefully as possible and as such all are encouraged to play this instrument as they rhythmically see fit?

Perhaps another way to express GTD is a set of Objective Principles to be Subjectively Applied according to one's Subjective Standards?

For instance, on this end five general Areas-of-Focus inboxes to the single general inbox. Does that mean: "bad GTDer . . . very, very bad GTDer . . . no more GTD for you" ? What colors? . . . "Worse GTDer than previously thought . . . bad GTDer . . . very, very bad GTDer" . . . "No wait . . . please wait . . . remembering 'colors' were mentioned somewhere in GTD." "Oh yeah . . . tell it to the GTD Judge . . . until then . . . no more GTD for you . . . GTD Rules are GTD Rules"

For the reason(s) above, perhaps it could be said for that and for many other reasons as to why GTD falls very short and greatly disappoints in being cult? Cults always have a 'kick-out' mechanism?

Agree . . . disagree . . . more clarification requested?

All good and please without any 'walking on egg shells'

GTD thank you and peace
 

Oogiem

Registered
if daily processing time – zero-ing IN doesn't happen every 24 to 48 hours, my Weekly Review devolves into one extended processing session.
And htis is a problem why? So weekly review ends up being several hours of processing followed by an hour of weekly reviewing. So be it. There are weeks wheer I get NOTHING done all week in terms of daily processing. Come Thursday noonish I realy start to clear out inboxes in preapration for a Friday review. Often I still have several more hours to do on Friday. Is it good practice not really, but it does work for those weeks when sheep happens.
 

Oogiem

Registered
For the reason(s) above, perhaps it could be said for that and for many other reasons as to why GTD falls very short and greatly disappoints in being cult? Cults always have a 'kick-out' mechanism?

Agree . . . disagree . . . more clarification requested?
OK I give uo, I've tried and tried to understand your posts but this one is beyond baffling. I have absolutely bo clue what you rpoint is or what youa re trying to say. I'm sorry. It's probably me, but I really do not understand you at all.
 

topshelf

Registered
And htis is a problem why? So weekly review ends up being several hours of processing followed by an hour of weekly reviewing. So be it. There are weeks wheer I get NOTHING done all week in terms of daily processing. Come Thursday noonish I realy start to clear out inboxes in preapration for a Friday review. Often I still have several more hours to do on Friday. Is it good practice not really, but it does work for those weeks when sheep happens.
Maybe I should have used the word “experience” instead of “problem.” It’s an observation of a bottleneck in my implementation.

I understand your point.
 

gtdstudente

Registered
OK I give uo, I've tried and tried to understand your posts but this one is beyond baffling. I have absolutely bo clue what you rpoint is or what youa re trying to say. I'm sorry. It's probably me, but I really do not understand you at all.
Oogiem,

Thank you very much or your reply and please accept my apology for not understanding me at all.

Good news, others have expressed likewise so your good

With GTD gratitude and If good for you; given that there is more than one point expressed, please feel free to point to the particular point(s), even if simply a word, you kindly deem unclear and requiring clarification

Thank you very much

GTD peace

Ps. Respectfully in regards to "It's probably me" . . . your very good as far as he herein is concerned.
Thank you for being you . . . very noble . . . very noble . . . thank you very much
 
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