Calendar, preparations, some stuffs i dont understand

[zrifter]

Hello,

I'm new in GTD and this forum, so, hello..?

I have some questions about GTD, perhaps I have more but I hope I can ask them later

Here they are:
1.How often should I review my calendar?

2.If, for example, I have an appointment for Saturday(xx date, xx month) tomorrow, today is Friday, and I haven't prepared that document I need for it! What should I do to avoid this kind of havoc?

3.The GTD suggest that if we have a project, we do project planning, when the next action is determined, it goes to the Next action list according to its context.

My question, does the next action related to a project needs to have a mark on it to remind me that its connected to my project?
For example, I may have a project:"Help dad stop smoking", then I'll have the next action:"Browse the web how to stop smoking", "Buy hypnosis book", etc. What if then I buy the hypnosis book, then I learn interesting stuffs in there, that I forgot I have to help dad to stop smoking?

4.I am a student, so, I attend school everyday, where does this "going to school" go into my system? I have a calendar that could repeat items(like cut my nails every two weeks), but I don't really need to be reminded about going to school everyday!

5.And about the school subjects, like "learn math", perhaps the next action is "buy math book", then "study trigonometry chapter", then "make a summary about trigonometry", you might realize that the "study trigonometry chapter" and "make a summary about trigonometry" needs the math book first. Do I have to write them all or should I just write "buy math book", then I figure out the next actions after that? I worry if I do that, I'll keep wondering about the later actions...

6. Can you explain the runway, 10.000 ft., 20.000 ft., 30.000 ft., 40.000 ft., 50.000 ft. ? I don't really get it....

I'm sorry I have too much questions... You should now realize that I don't have that mind like water state right now

 

[Suelin23]

Some answers

1 - daily. I check my calendar every morning, before leaving.
2 - Whenever you accept an appointment, if there is an action associated with it, eg 'prepare document' put that on the calendar too. I like to put it the day before, not same day, but choose based on how much time you think you'll need.
3 - either use codes to indicate the project, or write the action so its clear what project it belongs to. If you do forget, the weekly review will remind you
4 - regular stuff doesn't have to go into the system, use checklists or tickler file, or I just write up my morning routine and evening routine so I don't forget regular stuff like music practice.
5 - you could make each subject a project, make a project plan in Word, and if you get ideas about future actions you could do but can't do now, you stick them in the project plan, and come back to the list when you have done a next action and need an idea for the next one.

 

[klyakh]

1.How often should I review my calendar?

I check it every time I pick a next action to do. But in my system not completed today's calendar events are shown first in the next actions list.

2.If, for example, I have an appointment for Saturday(xx date, xx month) tomorrow, today is Friday, and I haven't prepared that document I need for it! What should I do to avoid this kind of havoc?

I create a separate next action required to create the document. Also I might add "due Saturday" to the next action. Sometimes it helps when picking a next action to work on.

3.The GTD suggest that if we have a project, we do project planning, when the next action is determined, it goes to the Next action list according to its context.

My question, does the next action related to a project needs to have a mark on it to remind me that its connected to my project?
For example, I may have a project:"Help dad stop smoking", then I'll have the next action:"Browse the web how to stop smoking", "Buy hypnosis book", etc. What if then I buy the hypnosis book, then I learn interesting stuffs in there, that I forgot I have to help dad to stop smoking?

As it suggested on GTD book, I don't link next actions to projects. Also it exercises in creating very clear next actions. The clearer your next action is, the less resistans I have to do it.

4.I am a student, so, I attend school everyday, where does this "going to school" go into my system? I have a calendar that could repeat items(like cut my nails every two weeks), but I don't really need to be reminded about going to school everyday!

Nowhere I guess. If it is well established habit then it is ok.

5.And about the school subjects, like "learn math", perhaps the next action is "buy math book", then "study trigonometry chapter", then "make a summary about trigonometry", you might realize that the "study trigonometry chapter" and "make a summary about trigonometry" needs the math book first. Do I have to write them all or should I just write "buy math book", then I figure out the next actions after that? I worry if I do that, I'll keep wondering about the later actions...

I'd suggest that you treat "learn math" as a goal. Then create projects under this goal. Project is something you can actually finish. Like "pass math exam", "write an article", etc.

6. Can you explain the runway, 10.000 ft., 20.000 ft., 30.000 ft., 40.000 ft., 50.000 ft. ? I don't really get it....

As it is suggested in the books, use bottom-up approach. Start with your "runway level" first.

 

[Cpu_Modern]

Hello,

I'm new in GTD and this forum, so, hello..?

Hi!

1.How often should I review my calendar?

As often as you need to, to know if you are at the right place. Maybe you should get moving to attend a meeting in ~10 min. ? If you don't know, check the calendar.

Reviewing the calendar in the sense of tidying up? I do it daily.

2.If, for example, I have an appointment for Saturday(xx date, xx month) tomorrow, today is Friday, and I haven't prepared that document I need for it! What should I do to avoid this kind of havoc?

When you take a look into your calendar on Friday, you see that the paper is due in two days. This builds up your intuition and when you later work from your NA-lists you will know which action to choose. Because you read "write paper" and you instantly know: "Crazy! It's that thing for Saturday I have to do this now!". Regularly reviewing and updating your lists does the trick. Specially after a while of doing GTD you will see this working. But, OTOH, if you need to be a little "harsher" to yourself, then just write a
But the reality of your example is even bigger than that. When was the assignment given? On Friday? If that's the case, you have no choice other than write the whole project into your calendar as an appointment/must-get-done-today. If not, you had a couple of days to look at your action list each day and see the assignment and act on it. Apart form that, when you got the assignment, you should first determine if the preparation of the document is a project or if you can safely say that you can finish it in one go. If it is a project, it would be one with a deadline, which obviously goes into your calendar as a reminder.

the next action:"Browse the web how to stop smoking",

No GTD advice here, but choose Allen Carr's Easy Way Out. It works. It comes in book-form or as a seminar. (No hypnosis or other external messing with your system involved.)

but I don't really need to be reminded about going to school everyday!

If you don't need a reminder, than you don't need a reminder. If you don't need a reminder, don't maintain a reminder. You may want to put your schedule into your general reference, in case you need to look something up.

6. Can you explain the runway, 10.000 ft., 20.000 ft., 30.000 ft., 40.000 ft., 50.000 ft. ? I don't really get it....

The 'higher levels' are a metaphor, a model thinking about something. They are a metaphor for six conversations that are going on in our heads, regardless if you practice GTD or not. The metaphor helps us get a grip on them.

Each altitude refers to one of those conversations. For instance, the runway refers to the self-talk we do in terms of 'what should I do now?'. On the 10,000 ft level we think about our commitments and the results we want to archive with our actions. One level above that, on the 20,000 ft level, we think about the various areas our life consists of. And so on.

You can use each level as a tool to gain clarity about what is going on in your head and in your life regarding a specific level. To become aware of the problems and challenges you face on each level. Clarity gives power to do something about it.

I think you overall approach here in this forum to have all the questions prepared is already pretty GTDish

 

[TesTeq]

Study the "Getting Things Done" book thoroughly.

I'm sorry I have too much questions... You should now realize that I don't have that mind like water state right now

I would suggest you to study the "Getting Things Done" book thoroughly. You can't see the whole picture using the GTD Connect forum only.

 

[zrifter]

Thanks!

Thanks guys, the replies you made really help me implementing GTD. Now, the only thing I have to face is(ARE) these overwhelming stuffs!

I pray to God to help me handle them...

Thank again! Please anticipate my next questions!