Context Lists

[graphicdetails]

Yes, but Calls and Agendas are still based on a location.

There really is no relation in any sense of GTD to have a context titled @Job Search. That would be a project, not a context, imo.

For instance: You may find yourself with an extra few minutes and decide to go into your "context" @Job Search to work on a next action. You find your next action is "Lookup Monster.com for updated listings". But yet you are not near your computer. So your next action can not be completed because your context is not based on any type of location to actually get it done.

Even based on this definition...
"Context is also the first criterion that limits your options and keeps you from being reminded of things you simply can’t do"
...there is nothing in the context "@Job Search" to limit your options or give you any indication at all if you can do anything in that context at any given time.

 

[Myriam]

contexts are not only physical locations

Many of these contexts that you folks are listing are not contexts in the GTD sense.

Contexts are physical locations.

@research, @development, @conception, etc, would be NAs or projects.

Same goes for @job search, which would definitely be a project.

I use @research, @development, @conception to make distinctions between types of work. Almost all my work is done @computer, so it would make no sense to use that as a context.
- When I'm in a "research"-mood (no thinking, just looking up), I just knock off different things I have to "look into". Could be the train hours for some location I need to go to, or information on how to grow a certain type of plant in the garden, or deeper research needed to prepare a specific training module...
- When I'm doing "conception" (just raw thinking), I know I will just sit down, let my thoughts flow, and write/type down some first ideas for some things, for example a new training module, a speech I need to give, etc..., so to me it means rough conception (mostly this type of NA's take me about 15 minutes)
- when i'm doing "development" (fine tuning) it means that from those raw versions, I work further to polish, develop and finish it (speech/training/presentation) (this type of NA's take me longer to work on)

So, I'm pretty sure I'm not mixing up contexts with NA's and projects... one project "develop training module xyz" could have in it for example the following NA's:
- look up info on the internet abouw xyz (@research)
- get out training material I used during last training on that topic (@research)
- make new time line for training (@conception)
- work on powerpoint presentation (@develop)
...

By the way: @calls is not a location either... yet it is a typical example of a context often used...

Myriam

 

[Myriam]

and ...

... I start to notice more and more that a lot of people use contexts that are very individual, and have a certain meaning only to them, which is great.

What i'm calling @research is also containing really "silly" NA's like "look for good picture in my archive to add to my resume". I do know that the word "research" probably means something really different to a lot of people, but the word works fine for me...

So maybe this @job search doesn't look like a real contaxt at first sight, but if it has a specific meaning to the user, then it might work (for all we know @job search could mean "when I have a meeting with my job searching coach").

Myriam

 

[Oogiem]

Not just physical

Many of these contexts that you folks are listing are not contexts in the GTD sense.

Contexts are physical locations.

Not necessarily, contexts are the necessary conditions to proceed. That might be location but might be something else. In the past I have had a context of @inside braindead It's partly location but also more attributes.

Biggest aha moment for me was that I need to feel free to create, use and delete contexts on the fly. Contexts are a fluid list, The ones I have now may not be appropriate in the dead of winter and also not appropriate in mid summer.

Contexts by definition must be very personal. Only you know what makes sense for your personal mix of types of actions.

 

[jrdouce]

Yes, but Calls and Agendas are still based on a location.

There really is no relation in any sense of GTD to have a context titled @Job Search. That would be a project, not a context, imo..

I agree that "Job Search" is a project, not a context which would require actions like "Call x" and "Revise current job description" on other lists. However; Calls requires a phone, not a place. My personal @Contact list can be done anywhere I have my smart phone, which is everywhere. Work calls and emails could be done anywhere, but I normally only follow up on work contacts at work, so contacts are location sensitive in that setting.

It really comes down to what works for each individual.

 

[graphicdetails]

By the way: @calls is not a location either... yet it is a typical example of a context often used...

Unless you are walking outside and hollering into the sky, then @Calls is certainly based on a location......by a phone. @Calls (or @Phone) is used because people have so many phones in different locations, it's based off ANY location with a phone. The same with @Computer. People have computers in many places, hence it is more logical to base it off the tool itself. Actually, as defined in the "great book" (see page 49), a context is based on a specific location or a specific tool.

Myriam, by your very explanation, all of your contexts listed are actually based at the computer. So essentially, it is based on a location, @Computer. It just seems you are able to do everything in one location, however, so you are breaking stuff down instead by stages of completion - @Research, @Development, and @Conception. If that works for you, great.

Exerpt from page 49 of the great book....
Context: A few actions can be done anywhere (like drafting ideas about a project with pen and paper), but most require a specific location (at home, at your office) or having some productivity tool at hand, such as a phone or computer. These are the first factors that limit your choices about what you can do in the moment.

This concept did not change with Making It All Work. It's the fundamental concept behind GTD.

 

[jrdouce]

Exerpt from page 49 of the great book....
Context: ...most require a specific location (at home, at your office) or having some productivity tool at hand, such as a phone or computer. These are the first factors that limit your choices about what you can do in the moment.

I think we're really all on the same page (49, apparently). We're just emphasizing different parts of DA's text. To me the key to a context is "...factors that limit your choices about what you can do in the moment". I can't deny that "most require a specific location...or having some productivity tool"; but "most" is not "all". If physical locations represent all the "factors that limit your choices", then you're all set. That didn't work for me, I had to adapt.