Communications with other people: how do you handle these tasks?

SDK5899

Registered
Hi everyone,

I've used GTD for many years and one of the things that has always evaded me is making decisions around tasks and contexts in communicating with others. An example: to move a project ahead I have to talk to somebody about something. I have a few options, I could: call a meeting, email them, IM them, call them, swing by their desk and if they're there I can talk to them face to face, text message, etc.

As you can see we have so many ways to communicate these days and many of these would fall under different contexts. Using the traditional contexts, these would cover @office (or @home), @computer, @calls, etc. I've never nailed down the best way to handle these sorts of tasks and what lists they should be on. What do you do for these sorts of tasks? Are you using the traditional contexts to manage them, or do you have another context setup?
 

ivanjay205

Registered
Hi everyone,

I've used GTD for many years and one of the things that has always evaded me is making decisions around tasks and contexts in communicating with others. An example: to move a project ahead I have to talk to somebody about something. I have a few options, I could: call a meeting, email them, IM them, call them, swing by their desk and if they're there I can talk to them face to face, text message, etc.

As you can see we have so many ways to communicate these days and many of these would fall under different contexts. Using the traditional contexts, these would cover @office (or @home), @computer, @calls, etc. I've never nailed down the best way to handle these sorts of tasks and what lists they should be on. What do you do for these sorts of tasks? Are you using the traditional contexts to manage them, or do you have another context setup?
I have struggled with this too. What I have settled on is to FORCE myself to make a decision at clarify time.

For example, if it is not urgent I avoid visiting the desk or intercom. Some people might say I hide behind a computer but truthfully I am trying to be respectful and not interrupt them.

I have limited myself to less contexts also to help it.

If it is an in person conversation I use an Agenda tag with their name. This way it only happens during a check-in meeting etc. If it is a phone call I use Call (or video chat via teams is calls also). Email or teams/chat is just "computer" as I find a context just for outlook is too much management.

This works well for me.
 

Gardener

Registered
If I need to talk to Joe, the context will be joe

If I talked to a whole bunch of different people, and many of those people not often enough to justify them having their own context, I'd make up a context that reflects, "Communicate with somebody in whatever way is most convenient in the moment." Maybe communicate or touchbase or ask.
 

cfoley

Registered
I also force a choice at the clarification stage. There are usually multiple paths to progressing a project. I see the purpose of the clarification stage being to choose one option so that later I can act without having to reconsider at each step.

I'll try to choose a medium that has worked well in the past for that person. For example, I know some people who work very efficiently by email. Others seem to never reply so I might call them.

All else being equal, my favourite is to add the item to my agenda list for that person. I enjoy talking to people so it's good to have something to talk about.
 

Murray

Registered
Don't forget if you can fire off an email or message in 2 minutes or less, you may want to go ahead and do that during your clarifying time. Then add it to your Waiting For list.

But considering using a timer for a while to gauge if your sense of 2 minutes is accurate. Mine certainly wasn't!
 
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