Daily Actions: Possible Hole in GTD system?

[Daniel Vigil]

Hello all,

First time poster here.

I have been using GTD for exactly one year. I love it. Although I cannot say I'm perfect at it, I have kept to it better than any organizational system I've tried.

With that said, I have found one thing I cannot reconcile in the GTD system: my daily actions.

These are the things I must do every day:

Exercise.
Prospect.
Read.
Meditate.

These don't seem to lend themselves to Next Actions, because if I check them off today I would just need to put them back on my NA lists for tomorrow.

They don't seem to be calendar items either, because they can be done at any time in my day.

And, of course, sometimes I skip them due to obligations and the general, pervasive apathy in my life.

How do the experts work these types of activities into their GTD system, if at all?

 

[vaughan76]

Make a checklist. I have lots of them.they don’t belong on either the calendar or NA lists, IMO, but checklists are also a core part of the GTD system. Use them and make your life easier.

 

[mcogilvie]

It depends on your implementation. You could have a daily checklist you run through. You could put them on your calendar as untimed or all-day events. If you use a digital tool with repeating events, no problem with putting them on lists. Another easy option is to re-enter at the end of your list when completed. It’s up to you.

However, GTD is not going to make you do things by itself; you have to want or need to do them. "I should" often ends with "but I’m not going to."

 

[kelstarrising]

As @mcogilvie shared, your calendar has 3 types of entries:

Day-specific actions (something to do on a day, but at any time)
Time-specific actions (something to do at a specific time)
Day-specific information (something to know about on that day)

What you're describing sounds like day-specific actions. That said, if they are already a habit, do you need to track them anywhere? And if they are more like nice to do items, I wouldn't want the guilt of putting them on my calendar, blowing them off, and feeling like I broke an agreement.

One thing I shared in a GTDConnect.com webinar recently is an additional calendar I added in my Apple calendar called "options." I toggle it on and off. Mostly holds various workout classes I could do, as recurring items. But because they are all just options, I don't feel like I'm breaking an agreement by not doing it.

Or, as others have suggested, a checklist could work well too. Or an app like Streaks to track it as a daily habit.

 

[John Ismyname]

Hello Daniel; I can empathize with you as I do all of these four things as well! I struggled with how this fits into GTD. My conclusion is that is that this is a tactical/execution issue.. Like KelStarRising, I use a separate calendar (in Outlook) that has my "ideal day", which includes all of these things and more. As I plan out my day the night before, I drag-and-drop these things into my "working calendar" (that only holds "hard" commitments"). Here is how I handle each of these things;
Meditation - My alarm goes off at 4am each weekday. I start meditating at about 4:05 and I am done at 4:30 (I get the best results this time of the day. Also, if I don't do this 'first thing', it does not get done)
Exercise 5 am free weights - the streets to my gym have no traffic, the gym is virtually empty, my body is in a carb depleted state. I get the best results this time of the day. Also, if I don't do this 'first thing', it does not get done)
Prospecting - I use pomadoros as I work, so I have the best times to prospect for the day 'time mapped out'. For me this is Tues - Thurs 9am - 11am and 1:30 - 3:30pm. if I am going to play "dialing for dollars" with prospects, I'm going to do so when I have the highest probability of reaching them and having them in a receptive state.

Reading -i admit this is my Achillies heel. I set aside 9:30 - 10:30pm to 'wind down" and read ink-on-paper. Lights out at 10:30 sharp

Note that I anchor 3 out of 4 of these things that I would "like to do" around something I "must do" - sleep! I really don't think much about these 3 things as they are habitualized.

 

[Pamela]

First - I love the forums and learn so much from the different points of view expressed.

To the point - I have many things that I prefer to do daily, but like you, I didn't want to have to add these to next actions every day. I also didn't want them cluttering my critical items in my Calendar.

Enter, an old tool - for years, I have been using an app called Chore Checklist by dotnetideas for the mundane tasks of a household, dishes, laundry... Mcogilvie mentions using a digital tool with repeating events and this one works for me. It took me a long time to realize how useful it could be as part of my GTD system, namely checklists.

I've found it to be helpful in maintaining my checklists that are not "chores" exactly. The checklists can be set-up in groups called routines that have their on repeat pattern, including daily routines. I created a checklist that is similar to John Ismyname's "ideal day" calendar. Mine is called "Daily Wake-up & Wind Down." This type of easy access, easy update list has become a part of my routine, but I know the things on this list are optional, so they don't feel like broken agreements. In this way the list is very similar to KelStarRising's "options" alternative calendar. Additionally, the list has helped remind me to do these things until they become habit.

Again, thanks to all the forum participants for such diverse and useful discussions!

 

[bproffitt1010]

Hello all,

First time poster here.

I have been using GTD for exactly one year. I love it. Although I cannot say I'm perfect at it, I have kept to it better than any organizational system I've tried.

With that said, I have found one thing I cannot reconcile in the GTD system: my daily actions.

These are the things I must do every day:

Exercise.
Prospect.
Read.
Meditate.

These don't seem to lend themselves to Next Actions, because if I check them off today I would just need to put them back on my NA lists for tomorrow.

They don't seem to be calendar items either, because they can be done at any time in my day.

And, of course, sometimes I skip them due to obligations and the general, pervasive apathy in my life.

How do the experts work these types of activities into their GTD system, if at all?

Hello all,

First time poster here.

I have been using GTD for exactly one year. I love it. Although I cannot say I'm perfect at it, I have kept to it better than any organizational system I've tried.

With that said, I have found one thing I cannot reconcile in the GTD system: my daily actions.

These are the things I must do every day:

Exercise.
Prospect.
Read.
Meditate.

These don't seem to lend themselves to Next Actions, because if I check them off today I would just need to put them back on my NA lists for tomorrow.

They don't seem to be calendar items either, because they can be done at any time in my day.

And, of course, sometimes I skip them due to obligations and the general, pervasive apathy in my life.

How do the experts work these types of activities into their GTD system, if at all?

Hello all,

First time poster here.

I have been using GTD for exactly one year. I love it. Although I cannot say I'm perfect at it, I have kept to it better than any organizational system I've tried.

With that said, I have found one thing I cannot reconcile in the GTD system: my daily actions.

These are the things I must do every day:

Exercise.
Prospect.
Read.
Meditate.

These don't seem to lend themselves to Next Actions, because if I check them off today I would just need to put them back on my NA lists for tomorrow.

They don't seem to be calendar items either, because they can be done at any time in my day.

And, of course, sometimes I skip them due to obligations and the general, pervasive apathy in my life.

How do the experts work these types of activities into their GTD system, if at all?

I have things like this, and I call them Routines. I have a separate calendar for routines; some are daily, some are weekly. I can switch it on and off and then concentrate on meetings and other calendar items. You could make a checklist with the item recurring daily, and then it would repopulate on the next day when checked off.

 

[treelike]

These are the things I must do every day:

Exercise.
Prospect.
Read.
Meditate.

I'm going to have to admit my ignorance, but what does "Prospect" mean in this context? I presume you're not searching for mineral deposits

 

[John Ismyname]

LOL, I assume this is sales prospecting… or maybe Daniel is a prospecting miner!

I do not consider this a “hole” in GTD. At the granular level of execution, it is all about personal preferences. My preferences for handling the specific activities you mentioned are below.



There is no shame in having a task that regenerates daily. (example, my wife and I just got a dog. One of my daily tasks is..er “land mine duty”. If I did not have a task reminder, I would not remember to do this. A reoccurring task in Outlook is simply the best way to do this. I can do this anytime there is daylight. If I do not do it for a day, it gets done tomorrow with no consequences. Two days, probably no consequences. Three days … my wife does it .., and will insinuate I am being irresponsible. Call it what you will, if you do not do what you say you will, you will suffer a loss of credibility.



If it is opportune to do a task at a specific time of the day, consider making it a routine. Free weights are just that for me. I plan a month’s worth of workouts at once (a separate recurring task). I know how to pack my gym back with clean clothes and a towel so I don’t have to think about it. It is a one-word routine – “WEIGHTS” and a chunk of contiguous time – 1.5 hours at the most

Meditating is the same. It takes a chunk of contiguous time 0.5 hours. At 4:30 am there are no distractions to this time!

Checklists are useful where the routine is a collection of many tasks. For example, at 8:30 pm is when I start my PM routine. I record my expenses for the day and record my time sheets, plan tomorrow Put the dog outside, lock the doors and windows, does anything need to be taken out of the freezer to defrost, adjust the thermostat, bring the dog in, ect. It ends with me in bed to read for an hour.

The premise is here is that every task on my “PM ROUTINE” checklist must either be done or considered not applicable as I execute the task list. Before you call me anal-retentive consider that when I execute PM ROUTINE, I have been up for 16 hours. This ain’t “prime time” for me. I am getting tired and careless. It is the perfect time do quick tasks that are simple and mundane and important. (i.e., If I didn’t have this list I could create a security risk with an unlocked door. If I don’t record my time and financial records on the day they occur, it will take ten times the effort to do it later)


My AM ROUTINE is the core what must I do from the time I get up to the time I am out the door. Meditating is not a must , exercising is not a must. Showering and dressing is, feeding my dog is.

For this reason, I would not include meditation and/or exercise in your morning routine – your routine will then take up too much contiguous time and have to many tasks.


Sales prospecting for me gets the best results on specific days and specific times. On Mondays and Fridays, prospects are usually in weekend mode. 11am to 1pm, prospects are in lunch mode. After 4pm, prospects are in leaving mode. Thus, I make sure I block off the time to prospect during “prime time” to do this.

 

[Cpu_Modern]

It's not a hole in the GTD system. I didn't read the newer versions of the book, but the original one, which is older than the iPhone, talked about a certain beast called a "tickler file." That's what is typically used for recurring items in the classic GTD setup.

So in the morning one would typically check the calendar to get a feel for the day and then proceed with emptying today's pocket of the tickler file.

1. One way to deal with a daily recurring action would be to have a reminder in the tickler and re-tickle it day by day.
2. This is different from just having a daily recurring event in the calendar for several reasons.
3. For one, once such a reminder is put back into the tickler, it is out of sight. Which it should be. You don't have to think about it until the next day.
4. Also by putting it back into the tickler you marked it off as "done" for today. With a calendared item this would only be possible, if your calendar allowed for marking things off, which is sometimes a troublesome thing with some of these apps.
5. The tickler is also more flexible with recurring actions because it is "fuzzy". You can re-tickle an action to tomorrow, but any other day is also fine, it is just the same move.

Your recurring items become "fluid" and thus, I would say, more realistic. It's nice to say "I'll do this twenty-one million tasks everyday", it's probably not going to happen in that strict manner anyway. So why tell yourself you would do it?

Here are two examples from my "tickling" this morning:

1. I had a simple reminder "clear computer desktop" in the tickler and decided to not bother with it for now. I re-tickled the reminder to the next month, which will be in three days. I'll deal with it then, which is fine. No need to make a "hard" commitment for now.

2. I am in the process of observing a strict diet at the moment. So I have a note about it in the tickler and every morning I quickly note how I performed the day prior. This way I always have a complete list of how good I did and a daily reminder to adhere to that diet. Of course I re-tickled the note for tomorrow…