Thanks for clarifying,
@gtdstudente! I believe I understand now that you are using "Tiny Habits" to futher your GTD practice, so there is a double benefit involved. That is a very interesting idea, to use one Next Action as an Anchor that triggers other Next Actions, such as, using a "Walk the Dog" Next Action commitment as an Anchor that triggers going to your Next Actions list for Calls.
I'm a little puzzled here because to create a habit in "Tiny Habits" we need to use a regularly repeating routine or habit as an Anchor behavior to which we can hook the new Tiny Habit. We use an already estabished regularly repeating routine or habit because the Anchor behavior needs to happen often enough to become associated with and trigger the new Tiny Habit.
I certainly think that "taking the dog out for a safe walk in the park" could be a regularly established routine or habit, perhaps even a daily one -- but is it then a Next Action?
Hmm. I'm not sure. Since it is a habit or a routine, I don't need to remember to do it, so I might not list it at all; or I might list it on a Routines or Habits list I consult regularly. However, what matters is whether it works for you, so probably a routine or habit could also be a Next Action commitment.
After we do our new Tiny Habit, we need to celebrate that we did it. I remember you like this very much, and so do I, because it makes me feel good, and that works to help me create the new Tiny Habit. I do not notice here in your comment any celebration of the completion of the new Tiny Habit, but you might be doing that celebration without mentioning it.
What am I celebrating? I am celebrating that I DID DO the new tiny behavior. Yay, I did it! This celebration is what reinforces and creates our new Tiny Habit behavior. I will break down the formula here:
AFTER I [do the Anchor behavior],
THEN I will [do the new Tiny Habit], and
FINALLY, I will immediately celebrate by [doing my choice of celebrating behaviors].
Here is one you can complete in regard to walking your dog:
AFTER I [take the dog for a safe walk in the park],
THEN I will [ _________ fill in the blank], and
FINALLY I will immediately celebrate by [ ________ fill in the blank]
I'm guessing that there may be a problem because your Tiny Habit may not be totally clear. What exactly does it mean to "Consult the Calls Next Actions list?" Precisely what is the small simple physical new Tiny Habit behavior you want to create?
How do you know exactly when you have completed this Tiny Habit? Is it complete when you get back from walking the dog and activate your computer and go to your Next Actions Calls list and open that list? Is it complete after you have made one or all listed calls?
Until you know exactly what Tiny Habit you want to create, it is hard to know when that Tiny Habit has been completed, and then it is difficult to know when it is time to immediately celebrate, which is very important in creating the new Tiny Habit.
Thanks for sharing your idea. It had not occurred to me to use Tiny Habits as an adjunct to implementing my GTD system. Very clever!
Warmly,
Emily
