Collection List

[Anonymous]

Jason, I think this question is for you. Is there a name that you use for the lists that we compile during the mind-sweep portion of the collection process? It's not a Project list nor a Next Action list, but (if I understand it correctly) it is a list that can generate items for the other two lists. What is it called? Thanks!

 

[Jason Womack]

"mind sweep": What do I call it???

Hi,

I call it "my mental in-basket."

I have an e-mail inbasket, I have a voice mail inbasket, I even have an in-basket at my desk...but, where's the in-basket for my head?

Well...I'll grab a piece of paper and download whatever I'm thinking about at the moment. Whatever you call it, the purpose is the same:

Capture what you're thinking about, so you can process it into a next action and (if appropriate) the successful outcome.

 

[Anonymous]

Kudos to Jason

Kudos to Jason for the prompt, personal response!

 

[bcgroup]

Initial Collection

Just starting--and worked on my initial "in box" this weekend. I'm struggling a little with my "mind dump." I've got a huge list--very random, just getting everything out of my head, but I know there's still more there--is it normal just to take a few days (or longer) to truly get everything out?

 

[ko]

My opinion - yes, definitely.

The whole idea of keeping everything out of your head takes practice to accomplish (I'm still not there yet, and I'm been using GTD for months. There are probably others here who have been using it for years, and would say the same thing).

I've found that once you release your mind from tracking the details, there's so much more that pops up in there. And once you get the sense that this system really will allow you to get things done where you didn't before, there are so many possibilities - things that you would have disregarded before because they just seemed impossible.

 

[spring]

Re: Initial Collection

Just starting--and worked on my initial "in box" this weekend. I'm struggling a little with my "mind dump." I've got a huge list--very random, just getting everything out of my head, but I know there's still more there--is it normal just to take a few days (or longer) to truly get everything out?

I don't know what "normal" means; I can only speak for myself. After processing my first inbox, I was still shaking projects out of my shirtsleeves for perhaps a week afterwards. I couldn't take a shower without coming up with 3 more things I had forgotten the first time through. After the first day or two, though, it was clear to me that the things coming to mind were mostly unimportant, and my confidence went way up. My advice is to give it a few days. And keep pen and paper close at hand at all times so you can write them down as they come!

By the way, you will never "get everything out." Life has a way of making more for you as you go. But the flood will slow to a trickle very soon.