How to prioritize contexts when multiple are “available”

[mcogilvie]

@mcogilvie @schmeggahead

If aligned with your discussion, happy you bought the concept of "Overlapping Contexts" . . . which seems to simply be a reality of life

@Walking for Clearing Head, Physical Health [Cardo, Muscles, Respiratory, Sleep, Strength, etc. ], Meditating, Thinking, Talking, etc

@Errands walking for ambulatory transportation vs. bike, car, etc. ?

Thank you very much

As you see GTD fit. . . .

For me, I think the examples you gave had more than area associated with them. When we see a film with friends, we may be interested the film, but we also want to be with friends. We like to try new restaurants, but it’s more fun with friends. Health is important, but it’s better to exercise someplace nice. I agree that sometimes it’s hard to make clean divisions, and that’s a good thing. It’s nice to have coworkers who are friends too, for example.

 

[gtd solo-studente]

For me, I think the examples you gave had more than area associated with them. When we see a film with friends, we may be interested the film, but we also want to be with friends. We like to try new restaurants, but it’s more fun with friends. Health is important, but it’s better to exercise someplace nice. I agree that sometimes it’s hard to make clean divisions, and that’s a good thing. It’s nice to have coworkers who are friends too, for example.

@mcogilvie

Hopefully respectfully appreciating your very good GTD observation and kind GTD reply

Thank you . . . yes . . . 'Area' overlapping vs. Context overlapping

Areas-of-Focus seems to 'mostly' serve necessary decreasing-&-increasing while Contexts seemingly 'mostly' necessary serves execution for purposeful decreasing-&-increasing

Seemingly, the more one develops one's GTD skills-&-systems* the more Areas and Contexts seems to all the more productively overlap; often without notice and hopefully one of many long-term GTD benefits ?

Thank you very much

As you see GTD fit. . . .

*As such, suggesting each GTD Workflow step is in itself a system that ultimately needs to work together while perennially decreasing frictions among its necessary interrelated 'GTD systems' seemingly making GTD itself a very worthwhile Area-of-Focus and perhaps the 'only' requirement all levels of GTD practitioners have in common ?

 

[Stefan Godo]

Maybe this can help:
Contexts are simply necessary CONDITIONS (they are criteria making things doable/possible is the "as soon as POSSIBLE" sentence).
Whenever you think about "what is now possible?" Your criteria should be granular enough, otherwise you will have a too long list.
For me "in the garden" is good enough (maybe a few items, further selectable by tome, energy and then usefulness/importance).
For a gardener (being there the whole day) it would be a too long list. But some items will not be possible, so he will have rather lists like (warm/cold/rainy...maybe with some specific numbers).
As we usually have a phone or computer (often the same device ), the respective lists from the original book became not limiting enough for most of us.
Be more specific: "online + high mental load", "online + short admin stuff", ....
Be creative and experiment with it.

The easiest way to come to reasonable labels is to ask "what is not possible now, and why?"
The inverse of the answer (or what woul make it possible?)
is your category.

 

[BenjaminBrasil]

A lot of people struggle with 90 percent of their work being in a laptop context. While that is somewhat true for me it is manageable and not a problem.

What is a problem is when I am in my office and my office context, laptop, and calls are all “available”. I can work on any of those. So how do I decide / prioritize which to do? I find myself defaulting to laptop a lot and calls and in office tasks sit just because I focus on laptop ones.

trabalhe ´´ de baixo para cima``
1.CONTEXTO
2.TEMPO
3.ENERGIA
4.NÍVEIS


1-CONTEXTO
Além do local, você tem as ferramentas e as pessoas que precisa disponíveis para realizar as ações?

2-TEMPO
Você olhou a agenda e verificou o quanto de tempo tem para realizar as ações?
Você tem todas as suas ações organizadas por tempo de execução?

3-ENERGIA
aqui eu acho que você pode usar critérios pessoas que não são citados no livro e podem ajudar...
eu por exemplo classifico as ações por:
1 nível de resistência
2-minha energia física, mental e emocional do momento


4-PRIORIDADES
aqui é interessante você ter no seu sistema uma forma de enxergar quais ações estão ligadas a:
valores, áreas da vida, objetivos e projetos... para que você possa decidir com mais clareza
Eu utilizo um analise de Pareto também


espero que tenha ajudado, qualquer coisa é só perguntar

 

[fooddude]

@fooddude

Some Context List distribution examples could be:

@Home Context List 'only' in Home

@Office Context List 'only' in Office

@Car Context List 'only' in Car


Potential Advantage(s):
Only Attentively Seeing When Useful, i.e., decreases other Contexts Needlessly Undermining Current Context, might help to decrease distraction temptations, etc.

Potential Disadvantage(s):
Seemingly, unless Digital Format is Available, Unable to 'Preview Prepare' prior to Context being Actionable, etc. . . . 'Only' able to Review [and immediate add 'without' Capturing] Context List When Context List is actionable


Everyone's needs can be very different


What to do . . . whatever most increases Mind Like Water and avoid/eliminate whatever decreases Mind Like Water . . . GTD's tip of the spear ?

If you did that you could only add to the @Home list when you were at Home. What happens if you look at a project at the office and need to add to the @Home list? You can't constrain your system like that. You have one system with all contexts, and then you can "do" in that context.

 

[gtd solo-studente]

If you did that you could only add to the @Home list when you were at Home. What happens if you look at a project at the office and need to add to the @Home list? You can't constrain your system like that. You have one system with all contexts, and then you can "do" in that context.

@fooddude

Yes, as attempted to express, that is one of the disadvantages of Context 'distribution' . . . most things in life, including GTD, have trade-offs ?

Thank you very much

 

[mrty3]

Hey there, Ivanjay,

I understand your sticking point and have been wondering the same thing regarding what context is most important when several are available.

I currently have:
Anywhere
Desk
Phone

If I am at my desk, I have access to all three contexts. I have tried to keep the Desk context for actions that require the full use of the computer and/or being seated and comfortable to do more focused work.

I don't make a ton of phone calls, so I changed 'Calls' to 'Phone', thinking I could get easy wins on the go. One right now is "log in to bank account to verify automatic payment." Technically, I can do that anywhere, so I may be experiencing the same confusion.

I recently watched a video on the GTD Focus YouTube channel where Meg Edwards walked viewers through her trusted system. She has @Evening and @Weekend on her context list. The time-of-day buckets were interesting and could break up a long list of computer tasks or other activities. Here is a link to the video if you'd like to watch.

I will try playing with contexts that map to the time of day or energy levels.

I will keep you posted on how I go. Have a great one!