differerence Projet folders and next action folders ?

[churchill141078]

Hello,

I am desperately trying to implement GTD
if I can tell the difference between a project and a next action.

I can't figure out how to divide the documents between these two files?

what is the next action folder?

If I'm working on a project and I've added next actions, should I put them in there?

Should I move documents from one to the other depending on the progress of the project and therefore the next actions?

Thank you in advance for your help.

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[RomanS]

This was exactly the question that concerned me when I started with GTD. In the end, I kept in mind that the filing itself is usually not the reminder (that's what the lists are for). It therefore didn't seem to make sense to me to use the filing system to map the lists and move documents back and forth between the folders. That's why I only have support material and in there alphabetically sorted topic folders. It doesn't matter whether a topic folder contains a project or just the next action.

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[churchill141078]

Thanks you for your
Can thé export of thé forum help us ?
Manu thanks in advanced

 

[Y_Lherieau]

Hello!

It's great to see you diving into the GTD methodology! It can indeed feel a bit confusing at the start, especially because GTD emphasizes maintaining distinct lists and folders to organize your projects and actions effectively. Here’s a refined guide considering your concerns:

1. Project vs Next Action: Think of a project as any outcome requiring more than one action to complete, usually within a 12-month timeframe. A next action is the very next physical, visible activity that will advance your project. Projects are outcomes to achieve, and next actions are the specific, immediate steps to achieve them.
2. Organizing with GTD Objects:
   • Project List: This should include the names of all your ongoing projects. It serves as an overview or dashboard of what you're working on.
   • Next Action List: This hosts all the immediate actions required for each project. Each action should be actionable on its own, without further planning.
   • Project Support Material Container: This is where you store everything related to a project that isn't a next action—this could include future possible actions, reference materials, and elements related to the Natural Planning Model (NPM) of your project.
3. Workflow and Tools: Depending on how you prefer to think and organize, you can streamline and tailor your GTD ecosystem:
   • For example, in my case I use Todoist to manage both projects and next actions, keeping them closely integrated and easily accessible.
   • Project Support materials is stored in applications like TheBrain for professional life and OneNote for private matters, where I can keep detailed notes and extensive project information.
4. Adapt and Customize: Implementing GTD is about creating a ecosystem that works uniquely well for you. Feel free to tweak these suggestions as you find what's most effective for your workflow. The initial setup might feel complex, but as you adapt the system to your personal and professional life, it becomes more intuitive and efficient.

Keep at it, and don’t hesitate to adjust the system as you go. Best of luck with your GTD journey, and remember, the key is in regular reviews and updates to keep everything moving smoothly!

 

[churchill141078]

Hello
Thank you for your reply.
What you have written, I have understood relatively well.
But what should I put and how should I organize the next action Support Material Container folder?

Could you please give me some details about this folder?

GTD is indeed a good method and I'll try to apply it as best I can.
Hence the questions

Thanks in advance


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[HelenM]

Hello
Thank you for your reply.
What you have written, I have understood relatively well.
But what should I put and how should I organize the next action Support Material Container folder?

Could you please give me some details about this folder?

GTD is indeed a good method and I'll try to apply it as best I can.
Hence the questions

Thanks in advance


Traduit avec DeepL

For your Project support material, it's really however suits your needs. You could simply keep a piece of paper with an outline of the project or some scribbled notes - this might be fine for a simple project. You could have a computer folder with complex project plans, resource trackers, budgets etc. It's basically whatever you need to keep handy to refer to for the project.
So if you have a project of "fix up the garden" you might have a plan of the garden, a list of materials you're going to need, a planting list and map to show what plants go where, and a schedule which tells you what order you need to do things in roughly. You might also have some inspirational photos, or telephone numbers for contractors. Whatever is useful! These could be digital or hard copy. I keep quite a bit on OneNote for example.

 

[fooddude]

I noticed you said next actions. There is only one next action you can take. You don't want to list all conceivable next actions. I see more people thinking about getting things done than actually getting things done. Also, your title said project folders. I just have a project list. All the outcomes I have. Rarely do I have folders unless the project is large. I may currently have three or four. If I have two or more steps it is written on my project list. The list is about 60 projects. I also have about 50 Someday/Maybe items.

 

[churchill141078]

I understand what you're saying
But I'm talking about the next action folder.

I understand perfectly well about the project folder. Except that this folder doesn't contain any elements that can be used for the next actions.

I'm talking about the documents used for the next action.

For example, you need a document to do a next action.
Which is a physical action you can perform.

Knowing that you have several next actions

How do you manage this next action folder?

I don't know if that's clearer
Maybe I misspoke,
I'm sorry if this is the case.

Don't hesitate to tell me if it's confusing
I will clarify my thoughts


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[Y_Lherieau]

Hello
Thank you for your reply.
What you have written, I have understood relatively well.
But what should I put and how should I organize the next action Support Material Container folder?

Could you please give me some details about this folder?

GTD is indeed a good method and I'll try to apply it as best I can.
Hence the questions

Thanks in advance

Thank you for reaching out for help with your GTD setup. It can indeed feel a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get your system in place, it becomes much more manageable. I'd like to share how I've structured my own system using OneNote and Todoist, which might give you some ideas on how to organize your documents and actions.

In OneNote, I have a workbook named "GTD" that's divided into multiple group sections. One of these groups is called "Project Support Material." Within this group, I create a section for each project. For instance, one section is named 'Do income tax 2023 declarations'. Inside each section, the first page is a template I've created, which serves as an index or log. This page contains hyperlinks to all other pages in that section, providing a quick overview of what support material is available. Each link takes me directly to the page I need to consult, whether it's an email sent from Outlook, a spreadsheet, or a PDF file. This setup helps me keep track of everything related to the project in one place.

In Todoist, I mirror the project names found in OneNote. I use the board view for managing tasks, where the first column always contains the next action required, labeled appropriately as 'Next Action'. The second column, named "Defer," is where I place all future actions that I know will need to be addressed later. When a current next action is completed, I simply drag the next task from the "Defer" column to the "Next Action" column. The third column, labeled 'WF' (waiting for), includes all follow-up triggers, often originating from emails converted into Todoist tasks via the Todoist Outlook add-in, which is now also available on mobile.

This system allows me to keep a clear overview of both the actionable and supportive elements of my projects. It might seem complex at first, but it provides a robust framework to manage multiple projects efficiently. Feel free to adapt any part of this system to better fit your workflow and preferences as you get more comfortable with the GTD methodology.

Best of luck setting up your GTD system, and don't hesitate to tweak it to make it work best for you!

 

[gtdstudente]

Hello,

I am desperately trying to implement GTD
if I can tell the difference between a project and a next action.

I can't figure out how to divide the documents between these two files?

what is the next action folder?

If I'm working on a project and I've added next actions, should I put them in there?

Should I move documents from one to the other depending on the progress of the project and therefore the next actions?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

@churchill141078

With all due respect, a "next action folder" sounds more like a Context folder that would include all of one's @Next Action list(s) ?

Perhaps in the same way a project's folder could include one's Project list(s)

Likewise, a Project Support folder would be project(s) support materials/plans kept separately available though the Weekly Review to support completing Project list(s)

As you see GTD fit

Thank you very much

 

[HelenM]

I understand what you're saying
But I'm talking about the next action folder.

I understand perfectly well about the project folder. Except that this folder doesn't contain any elements that can be used for the next actions.

I'm talking about the documents used for the next action.

For example, you need a document to do a next action.
Which is a physical action you can perform.

Knowing that you have several next actions

How do you manage this next action folder?

I don't know if that's clearer
Maybe I misspoke,
I'm sorry if this is the case.

Don't hesitate to tell me if it's confusing
I will clarify my thoughts


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ah ok, am I understanding you correctly - you mean for example physical documents that you need to carry out a next action?
I'll be honest I rarely have more than a handful of physical things I need. If I had a lot I'd keep it all in my project support material. When I get to the action for Project X, I just grab my Project X folder and pull out what I need. That saves keeping two sets of docs for the same project.
I think this is one of those cases where as long as it makes sense to you and you know where things are and it's easy to use, it doesn't really matter.

 

[gtdstudente]

ah ok, am I understanding you correctly - you mean for example physical documents that you need to carry out a next action?
I'll be honest I rarely have more than a handful of physical things I need. If I had a lot I'd keep it all in my project support material. When I get to the action for Project X, I just grab my Project X folder and pull out what I need. That saves keeping two sets of docs for the same project.
I think this is one of those cases where as long as it makes sense to you and you know where things are and it's easy to use, it doesn't really matter.

@HelenM,

Interesting . . . is the post herein saying your GTD system allows you to 'only' need Projects folders without needing Project list(s) or Context / Next Action list(s)?

If so, is it Paper or Digital?

Thank you very much

 

[HelenM]

@HelenM,

Interesting . . . is the post herein saying your GTD system allows you to 'only' need Projects folders without needing Project list(s) or Context / Next Action list(s)?

If so, is it Paper or Digital?

Thank you very much

No, I keep the lists. In fact, I rarely have this issue personally, I'm trying to figure out how I would deal with it to help the OP!

The OP's scenario seems to be having physical items needed to work on a Next Action, which means finding somewhere sensible to put those documents. I'm guessing like having a bill to pay, and you need the paper copy.

I would still have my NA list, Project List etc. When I picked up the NA that needs a particular document to help me complete it, I would go to the project support folder and extract the document. Hope that makes better sense!

 

[gtdstudente]

No, I keep the lists. In fact, I rarely have this issue personally, I'm trying to figure out how I would deal with it to help the OP!

The OP's scenario seems to be having physical items needed to work on a Next Action, which means finding somewhere sensible to put those documents. I'm guessing like having a bill to pay, and you need the paper copy.

I would still have my NA list, Project List etc. When I picked up the NA that needs a particular document to help me complete it, I would go to the project support folder and extract the document. Hope that makes better sense!

@HelenM,

Nice . . . your having me think it might be possible to 'simply' place Support Materials in one of its five particular Area-of-Focus folders prepared to support / serve both Projects and Next Actions instead of having separate Projects and Next Actions support folders

Thank you very much

 

[Y_Lherieau]

@churchill141078

With all due respect, a "next action folder" sounds more like a Context folder that would include all of one's @Next Action list(s) ?

Perhaps in the same way a project's folder could include one's Project list(s)

Likewise, a Project Support folder would be project(s) support materials/plans kept separately available though the Weekly Review to support completing Project list(s)

As you see GTD fit

Thank you very much

In my setup, I use Todoist to manage my next actions, which effectively function as container folder. Todoist's task module is quite robust, allowing not just for task naming but also for adding detailed descriptions and attachments. These features are invaluable, as they let me consolidate all necessary details and resources within the task itself, minimizing the need to dig through "rabbit holes" when it’s time to execute the action.

I've customized Todoist further by adding a 'Next Action' label, which I've pinned to my favorites for quick access.

Recently, Todoist has enhanced its 'View' options, introducing more advanced grouping and sorting capabilities. This update has greatly improved how I navigate through my lists. I now organize and sort my next actions list by project name, which streamlines my workflow and keeps everything orderly.

Although I've largely digitized my workflow, I still occasionally use a physical 'Action Support' folder—a holdover from when David Allen had physical products available. This folder is where I keep any physical materials required at execution of NA.

As for managing project and project support materials, I continue to utilize OneNote, as previously described. Each project is allocated its own section within the 'Project Support Material' group in OneNote, where I store all relevant documents and plans. This organization ensures that everything I need is readily available during my Weekly Review, helping me efficiently advance each project.