Backlogs / Piles - what's GTD best practice?

[Keith Scarlett]

Hello,

I'm after some inspiration and guidance regarding a GTD perspective on dealing with backlogs and piles of 'unidentified' items. To make this more relatable I am thinking here of 2 specific cases: a storage unit (small) containing items I had moved in there to assist with the sale of my house and a box of papers (handwritten notes, study materials, official documents). My house has sold yet I notice that I am not dealing with the storage unit items (it is clear I don't actually need a lot of what's in there) and the papers have been languishing in the box for too long.

Neither is urgent but they both 'have my attention'; it is easy to kick them down the road but I really want to address them. My question therefore is twofold:

1. If you're facing a backlog what is the best way to deal with it e.g. in small sections or just to roll your sleeves up and get on with it? Or is it more a question of personal style? Or contemplate the possibility that it won't get down and somehow 'write it off' (I think this wouldn't be possible in either example I mention above)?

2. Where / how does the preferred course of action then get integrated into GTD? Might this be on a daily checklist (actions possibly being 'Assess and organise 5 pieces of paper from the box' or 'Spend 10 minutes assessing and organising papers from the box')? Might it be part of a project (this is how I'm seeing it)? And perhaps this is where I'm falling down as in if it takes the form of project but there is always more pressing or interesting actions / options, how then do I ensure progress is made?

I wonder whether this goes back to GTD original principles i.e. being clear about how much something matters or, alternatively, paring other commitments back such that there is actually scope to undertake the identified / desired action? I also wonder whether it ultimately comes down to discipline: I imagine few people readily engage with matters that are unattractive, effortful and problematic where the yield is questionable?

Any thoughts or suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[mcogilvie]

1. There is plenty of room for personal preference in GTD.
2. If it takes more than one next action and has a desired outcome, it’s a project.

Deleting or delegating are valid options. So is deferring. I would like to note that stuff does not feel that it is languishing- you feel it is languishing. Perhaps you should examine your feelings and ask why this project is not moving forward.

 

[ivanjay205]

I personally find the best way is to scan and digitize whatever is possible and get it on my someday/maybe lists. While it does overwhelm that list at least it has a place and gets rid of the clutter for me

 

[Keith Scarlett]

1. There is plenty of room for personal preference in GTD.
2. If it takes more than one next action and has a desired outcome, it’s a project.

Deleting or delegating are valid options. So is deferring. I would like to note that stuff does not feel that it is languishing- you feel it is languishing. Perhaps you should examine your feelings and ask why this project is not moving forward.

Hello and thanks for your reply,

I understand both situations are Projects but they're strange in that either they're not suitable for a 'one next action' (in the case of the storage unit) or it's just the 'same' action (in the case of the papers). It wouldn't be practical for example in the case of the storage unit to have a next action of 'Open box', it's more a question of getting in there and getting on with it.

I can't delete or delegate here. Neither project is moving forward because I haven't created the opportunity for this to happen, I haven't created the opportunity for this to happen because they are unwieldy and overwhelming and I have other fish to fry.

Reflecting further on this after writing it, I wonder about blocking time but for some reason that doesn't seem to feature prominently in what David Allen lays out. But as you point out there is limitless scope for personal preference.

 

[Keith Scarlett]

I personally find the best way is to scan and digitize whatever is possible and get it on my someday/maybe lists. While it does overwhelm that list at least it has a place and gets rid of the clutter for me

Hello and thanks for your reply,

That's a useful option but I think I would get caught up in the dilemma of whether it's actually worth scanning and filing versus filing physically or disposing of.

I think my query is more about creating a framework to help me get down to the task rather than what to do with what I find when I get down to it

 

[DKPhoto]

What I tend to do in those situations is to treat them like the original GTD sweep by booking out a large period of time to go through it all.

If I’m not sure I have enough time in the immediate future then I’ll add a NA to book the time in my diary. Sometimes I’ll give this NA a start time a week or two hence, so that I know that it’s being tracked but won’t keep seeing it on my lists (a tickler if you like).

 

[DKPhoto]

What I tend to do in those situations is to treat them like the original GTD sweep by booking out a large period of time to go through it all.

If I’m not sure I have enough time in the immediate future then I’ll add a NA to book the time in my diary. Sometimes I’ll give this NA a start time a week or two hence, so that I know that it’s being tracked but won’t keep seeing it on my lists (a tickler if you like).

Just to add that you seem to know that you don’t need a lot if the stuff so a first stage might be to divide it up into definitely not wanted and not sure. That would reduce the size of the problem, especially if you can’t do it all in one go.

 

[RuthMcT]

My most successful attempts to reduce big piles have been when I've taken the approach typified by the saying "How do you eat an elephant? A slice at a time". I had a filing cabinet at work totally full of thin folders which were in a mess. I decided I would go through five folders a day until I finished the lot, clear out the stuff that wasn't needed, sort the stuff that was, and create a better filing system with ring binders. It took about 10 minutes nearly every working day for five months, but I ended up with a filing system that worked!

So basically I had a repetitive action which I committed to doing (nearly) every day. It became part of my daily checklist, like reading new emails, or returning phone calls.

 

[Gardener]

When I sort, I focus on getting rid of stuff.

So if I had heap of stuff to go through, my actions would look like the following. Note that this process involves touching each item multiple times. I still regard it as much, MUCH faster than any process that involves dispositioning each item separately.

- Get a pack of flatfold boxes.
- Box the stuff, stack the boxes.
- Repeating action:
-- Do a three-box trash sort of one box (What does that mean? Get a full box. Get two other boxes, one for trash and one for not-trash. Sort the full box into the other boxes. Flatten the formerly full box.)
-- Repeat until all of the original round of boxes are done. When the trash box is full, throw out the trash. When not-trash is full, close the not-trash box and stack it with other not-trash boxes.

FIRST ROUND DONE. Each single-box sort should be a decent one-task size. This is part of why you start by packing it all in identical boxes. If you are appropriately ruthless, the number of boxes should be substantially reduced after a full round of sorting all the boxes.

- Pick another category, probably another "leaving" category. (Recycle? Donate? Give to kid for college apartment? When I said trash above, I meant literally TRASH. Because trash goes away fastest.)
- Repeat the whole process.

Repeat repeat repeat. Eventually you'll be done with "leaving" categories and you're into what you're keeping. You'll probably discover more stuff that's leaving here--if you're extracting stationery supplies for the first time, and you discover that you have fifteen boxes of envelopes, some more stuff is likely to be leaving.

Finally you're down to a fairly small volume of one-off items that you presumably value, or you would have gotten rid of them by now. Go put them away. Done.

The process is very similar for papers, except you might sort each stack of papers through multiple categories rather than sorting ALL the stacks through trash first. (Though a laser focus on trash reduces volume the fastest.)

 

[Matt_M]

... just to roll your sleeves up and get on with it?

(For me personally: ) Yep and to find someone to keep you accountable (spouse, relative, etc.) as you make a plan with them to tackle it together. If this is an off site storage unit (I don't think it is but just in case) then calling ahead to make an appointment to have it available early one weekend is a great way to keep yourself accountable as that usually incurs a charge.

If this a storage unit in your home somewhere, then put it in a place that is directly in your way (i.e. in your living room or beside your chair/desk) so that you are forced to handle it and/or your spouse will force you to deal with it.

Personally, I don't put this kind of stuff in my GTD System because the reminder to do it is literally itself and I found that my GTD System would just enable the procrastination. Either I just suck it up and do it right away (i.e. that week night or weekend) or I won't do it at all.

If this stuff is not that important to you, really, and you just need to have the stuff exist/available just in case, someday, perhaps, maybe you need to find something in it ... then you can just leave it in the storage unit (i.e. a low-value archive).

It is totally up to you.

 

[TMac]

I’m dealing with a very similar issue currently! I appreciate the responses with clear next actions to tackle the project. Any thoughts on how to get moving on it (as I seem to be lacking the motivation to do the first step)
I have an issue with the feeling of overwhelm that is blocking my taking action.

 

[mcogilvie]

I’m dealing with a very similar issue currently! I appreciate the responses with clear next actions to tackle the project. Any thoughts on how to get moving on it (as I seem to be lacking the motivation to do the first step)
I have an issue with the feeling of overwhelm that is blocking my taking action.

First, visualize the desired outcome. If that is insufficiently appealing, you can try visualizing the negative consequences of not reaching that outcome.

Second, take the smallest possible step you are able to do now, even if it only takes a minute.

Then take a second step, even it is only to write down a next action of “Resume small, easy step.”

And keep going.

 

[RuthMcT]

I second the use of the smallest possible step. And reward yourself for doing it. At one stage when I was having problems with my mental health I used to do one action for no more than 5 minutes, then take at least 10 mins doing something I enjoyed or resting. Anything at all is better than nothing, and may well get you going to do further steps.

 

[mcogilvie]

I second the use of the smallest possible step. And reward yourself for doing it. At one stage when I was having problems with my mental health I used to do one action for no more than 5 minutes, then take at least 10 mins doing something I enjoyed or resting. Anything at all is better than nothing, and may well get you going to do further steps.

Yes, taking a break after overcoming an obstacle can be really helpful. Sometimes it’s like a train: starting is really slow, and progress is measured in inches and then feet, but eventually you get up to speed.

 

[gtdstudente]

Hello,

I'm after some inspiration and guidance regarding a GTD perspective on dealing with backlogs and piles of 'unidentified' items. To make this more relatable I am thinking here of 2 specific cases: a storage unit (small) containing items I had moved in there to assist with the sale of my house and a box of papers (handwritten notes, study materials, official documents). My house has sold yet I notice that I am not dealing with the storage unit items (it is clear I don't actually need a lot of what's in there) and the papers have been languishing in the box for too long.

Neither is urgent but they both 'have my attention'; it is easy to kick them down the road but I really want to address them. My question therefore is twofold:

1. If you're facing a backlog what is the best way to deal with it e.g. in small sections or just to roll your sleeves up and get on with it? Or is it more a question of personal style? Or contemplate the possibility that it won't get down and somehow 'write it off' (I think this wouldn't be possible in either example I mention above)?

2. Where / how does the preferred course of action then get integrated into GTD? Might this be on a daily checklist (actions possibly being 'Assess and organise 5 pieces of paper from the box' or 'Spend 10 minutes assessing and organising papers from the box')? Might it be part of a project (this is how I'm seeing it)? And perhaps this is where I'm falling down as in if it takes the form of project but there is always more pressing or interesting actions / options, how then do I ensure progress is made?

I wonder whether this goes back to GTD original principles i.e. being clear about how much something matters or, alternatively, paring other commitments back such that there is actually scope to undertake the identified / desired action? I also wonder whether it ultimately comes down to discipline: I imagine few people readily engage with matters that are unattractive, effortful and problematic where the yield is questionable?

Any thoughts or suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks.

Keith Scarlett:

The easiest long-term solution on this end would to simply become non-negotiability 'obsessed' with Clean, Empty, etc. with everything [begin with Bathroom, Kitchen [Sink > Sink-Strainer/Dishwasher, Trash], etc.?] one is responsible for . . . uninterested in keeping something Clean, Empty, etc. then time to move-on by saying bye-bye . . . for prudence sake . . . at least in a temporary bye-bye area/box/station ?

Ps. An adult sick/unconscious self-love joke in giving a child more toys than the child can manage or beyond the child's room capacity?

 

[schmeggahead]

Neither is urgent but they both 'have my attention';

There is something about your thinking on this topic that is incomplete.

To help complete your thinking, here's a menu of options to address that:
1. View this video on the natural planning model & apply it to the project. Be advised that going deep enough in this activity usually results in an "aha" that may get the whole thing off of your mind and/or onto cruise control.
2. Allocate time on your calendar with the desired outcome as "experience successfully clarifying one item from storage at a time for 30 minutes." Note: you may generate lots of projects in this timeframe that may be best handled as a queue of activities for the larger outcome you are working on, that are actually someday items.
3. (a modified @Gardener process) Allocate time in your calendar with this desired outcome: "spend 30 minutes sorting items into 3 piles: 1) Toss - I don't want, 2) Keep - I want, 3) Maybe retain - I might want it." The next step after this is to put away the keep stuff and here's why: Making the keep stuff accessible gives you value. Taking out the trash clears space and you may safely defer the decision to donate/recycle here in the clear the trash step.
4. Brainstorm a list of items in the storage that you know are there and you want to keep. Take this list to the storage and pull these items to take and put away. They aren't where they belong, so put them where they go. This option is support for you if the extent of the job or view of the storage overwhelms you. While doing this, you may see other things you definitely want to keep and can set them aside for next processing window.

For me, all of these activities generate motivation to continue because I can see value from them. Everything fully handled is off of your plate.

Thanks,
Clayton.

I saw a sign in the window of a cafe that said, "shoes must be worn." I couldn't go in because my shoes were new.

 

[Keith Scarlett]

Thanks all for the great replies, really appreciated.

I have been thinking a lot about this since posting on here and have got to a point where I reckon a large part of it is about paring back other commitments i.e. recognising that if I want these things done other things simply can't be done. This may sound so obvious but it perhaps represents a small revelation for me (the difference between grasping a concept intellectually and having it actually land or knowing it).

I really like Gardener's suggested approach and it strikes me that this is because it removes or substantially decreases the feeling of overwhelm; it offers clear steps and provides visible progress markers (which I think the brain, mine at least, probably likes). Visualising positive and negative outcomes is also likely to be very motivating for me.

So I think the way forward is something like:

1. Review other commitments such that I feel there is more scope to pursue these 'optional' projects.
2. Initially at least (over a period of say 4 weeks) block time in my diary (occasional days). This is to try and build some momentum and hopefully see definite progress. I'd seek to make those around me aware of what I'm doing such that there is greater accountability.
3. In advance, be clear on the approach I'm taking and ensure I have the materials required (boxes, folders, marker pen and so on).
4. Set realistic objectives for the blocked time periods.
5. Re-assess at an appropriate point to see whether what I'm doing is working!

In GTD terms I think the 2 areas (Storage Unit and Papers) count as Projects and as DKPhoto says I'd be using a type of tickler by allocating time in a diary.

I remain daunted by these however and figure there has been resistance to tackling them for a reason (which may well resurface). They do feel less amorphous than before and I hope I have more perspective on what's involved.

Thanks again for the helpful replies.

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks to all of you who have provided questions and suggestions on this topic! I have a moderate paper backlog to go through, and have been having trouble even approaching it, never mind getting it processed. I intend to apply your ideas in dealing with my "stack", with a boost in my optimism level as a result of reading this discussion.