How do you manage contexts when everything is to be done on a computer?

[MichaelVino]

Don't overcomplicate it. Do you really need to keep track of each chapter you've read?

I just keep two lists: 1) Books I want to read and 2) Books I've read. When I finish a book, I cross it off my want to read list and add it to the read list.

Agreed with @jwsamuel here. My @read/review context is for single-action tasks (e.g. “read HR’s email re: new training program” or “review credit card statement for suspicious transactions”). Most of the material for these tasks are kept in a read-review email folder or in a read-review paper stack that lives in a tray under my physical inbox.

For longer-term reading, I might make one repeating task such as “read book ABC for X# minutes” and set it to repeat on whatever my reading schedule may be. For example, I’m currently studying for a certification exam and I have a task set for every weekday to “read and highlight text book for 45 minutes.” Or, if my goal is to read a whole chapter or section during every session, then I might word the task “read next chapter in textbook” and just pick up where I left off in the book.

Similar to @jwsamuel, I keep track of books I want to read in a separate reference list within Apple reminders. I consider these non-actionable lists so they don’t live within my task manager. It’s great to just tell Siri to “add book ABC to my want to read list.” Apple reminders is also where I’ll keep list of movies to watch, gift ideas, restaurants to try, fun things to do around my city… I’ll review them from time to time and create an action when needed (e.g. “@computer: make dinner reservation at restaurant X” or “@errands pick up book Y from Shakespeare & Co…”).

 

[Instigase]

What does context mean to you?

 

[benedikt]

On the computer I split up the lists in:

• Focus Work
• Project Management Work
• (Calls)

Project management, which includes administrative tasks, are smaller tasks that I need to take care of. Focus work, I need to switch off notifications and block a one-two hour slot to get it done. The work Calls I usually do via Zoom or Slack.

Above context lists relate to my employment since I need a VPN access to do any of these. Besides that I have three other lists that relate to "computer" tasks

• Mobile device (tablet/smartphone)
• Computer
• Surfing the web

Anything that can be done on a mobile device (while taking the tube or waiting for sth.) The computer tasks usually require a bigger screen. Note that all mobile device tasks can be done at the computer, too. Surfing the web I usually do on the sofa when relaxing.

Hope this helps.

P.S.: I also have a context "Anywhere and Offline", which I use for topics where concepts need to be created. Since I spend a lot time at the computer, this give me the opportunity to switch off the screen and do some creative focus work offline. Away from the computer.

 

[kelstarrising]

I add an additional tag to my computer next actions for the project or area it relates to and then sort on that within the list.

 

[MichaelVino]

I love this topic so much and I feel your pain @christophe.portier. As a fully remote employee, nearly everything I do at work -- and at home for that matter -- requires a computer to get it done. Email, design work, writing courses, online purchases, reading articles or company communications, paying rent, researching a new idea, planning a trip... most technically happen on a computer. So how do you keep your @Computer list from becoming a wooly mammoth? What's been working well for me is changing the way I think about each context and the types of actions that fall under them, rather than changing the contexts themselves. As someone who likes to my system lean and mean, here's what's been working for me:

@Admin: Little life/work management tasks -- pay a bill, schedule a Zoom meeting, reorganize OneDrive, update Safari bookmarks, sign a PDF form, book a flight... Yes, many of these will happen at a computer (or iPad) but they're typically short and don't require much cognitive heavy-lifting. They're more about keeping life and work "up & running."

@Agendas: ALL my communications with colleagues, friends and family. Whether it'll ultimately be an email, phone call, MS Teams chat, 1:1 meeting topic, SMS, social media DM... if it's something I need to discuss with another human it goes under @Agendas.

@Computer: tasks that require me to be not just physically at my computer but fully present in "doing computer work" mode. Examples include building a PowerPoint deck, writing a course syllabus, designing an infographic, creating a home inventory spreadsheet, creating an itinerary for a trip to Rome... These are the longer, more cognitive-heavy (and processor-heavy) tasks that require a computer to get done (versus the shorter, simpler @Admin examples above that I can often bang out on my iPhone, iPad, whatever...).

@Errands: anything that requires my physically leaving the apartment (pick up dry cleaning, buy a book at Shakespeare & Co...)

@Home: anything that requires my being physically in my apartment (cleaning, organizing, installing, repairing, etc.). The @Home context is different from my Home area which includes any and all NA's relating to my home environment (i.e. an errand to pick up ingredients for dinner; and admin task to research new internet providers...)

@Office: this one gets a little tricky but I try to reserve this context for things I need to do when I'm in my home office environment, such as "rehearse facilitating material for new training course." While my computer is typically involved, it's less about doing "computer work" and more about being in office mode (for example, I wouldn't rehearse a workshop if I happen to be working from Starbucks). I don't use this too often but it helps for those work tasks that don't naturally comply with my definition of @admin or @computer.

@Purchases: anything I need to, intend to, or am considering buying whether online or in-person. Typically reserved for larger or discretionary purchases so I can compare all the things I plan to spend my money on and (hopefully) make an informed decision. It's also a way for me to incubate those nasty impulse purchases for a few days. (Small necessities like regular household items don't go here -- those will either become an errand or an admin item to pick up or order...)

@Read/Review: probably my favorite context. All the company communications, articles, newsletters, blogs, etc that I need or intend to read. Most of these, of course, are digital and I'll read them at my computer but this context helps separate them for when I'm in "reading mode."

And that's a wrap. Hope some of these help you out, too!

Interesting, I've just reread this thread and noticed how my system has or hasn't changed in this regard. I am still using the same basic set of contexts but with slight adjustments based on my new circumstances. Since this post, I've transitioned from a fully remote L&D trainer role back to a field-based sales position. I've tossed and added a couple of contexts and my current set seem to be working for me so far:

@agendas: could also be called @communiations. Bucket for all calls, emails, texts, Teams chats, DMs, things to discuss with my partner/family, etc. I keep my 1:1 meeting topics in a dedicated OneNote page for each of those standing meetings. I'll capture those to my Things inbox and organize them into the appropriate pages when inbox processing.

@computer: things I need to do at my Mac/iPad/iPhone (personal) or Lenovo/iPad (work). Typical actions might be to search/surf the web, draft a document, build a PowerPoint, edit a photo, etc.

@errands: out and about, and generally personal in nature (i.e. pick up paper towels, drop off Amazon return, etc.)

@field: this is a new context that I've been messing with. As a field sales manager for a large wine importer there are certain tasks I need to do when I am "in market" and in work mode, such as "deliver samples to client X" or "survey account Y's wine list for by-the-glass opportunities." Most of these will be calendared as they're often date/time bound appointments, but some do fall into the "as soon as I can get to them" category.

@home: stuff to do in/around my apartment. Pretty straightforward.

@office: I'm one of those lucky New Yorkers who actually has space for a home office setup! I use this context for items that I'll typically do at my desk and in work mode such as "prepare talking points for sales presentation" or "print and bind brand portfolios and price guides." Generally, these items are about preparing for or recapping my day in the field and not particularly computer-heavy.

@review: reading and reviewing large documents, articles, company communications, recorded webinars, etc. Often done at a computer but less about "doing computer work" versus reading/watching content.

@waiting: tried and true waiting for's

Contexts I've tried and tossed:
@admin: more of an area than a context for me. These almost always end up on my @computer list.
@anywhere: never could get my arms around this one. It felt too general for me and wasn't getting much value from using it.
@purchases: I've started using Apple Reminders for specific categories of Someday/Maybe such as Things to Buy, Books to Read, Movies to Watch, Gift Ideas, etc. If I decide to make a purchase that requires a physical visit to a store, I'll move it to Things and add it to my @errands context.

My 2023 Contexts as a Field Sales Manager:

 

[Murray]

I have stopped using contexts altogether, since I hardly ever found them useful. They are just another thing to worry about when clarifying actions. When I'm ready to get stuff done, I focus on the projects where progress is needed most or where my energy is engaged.

So when you clarify your inboxes, do your actions all go on the same single list?

 

[Stefan Godo]

So when you clarify your inboxes, do your actions all go on the same single list?

my experience is that there are project managers for whom "working on Project XY" is the (virtual) CONTEXT.

This is OK, if working only on a very few (e.g. like a freelancer with completely different stakeholders for the projects = e.g. reporting is completely separate). they want to do ALL actions related to project A in the next 4 hours, and in the afternoon move to the next project.
writing book A and B might be other examples.