If you so please: How do fellow GTDers/GTD Enthusiasts avoid PROJECTS being able to disguise as NEXT ACTIONS? Thank you!

Gardener

Registered
My main definition for a next action is something that I can "just do". I know how to do it, and I'm prepared to do it without having to do any prep work. If I have to do prep work, then that prep work is one or more next actions.

So let's say that I have a "next action" of "plant rose hedge."

But I can't just do that. There are a lot of "but first..." things. So that's really a project.

But first...I have to have prepared ground for the hedge.

So I have a "next action" of "prepare ground for rose hedge."

But first...I have to have soil amendments.

So I have a "next action" of "get soil amendments for rose hedge."

Let's say that I already know what I want, so I don't have to add next actions for research. But I have to get the stuff, and I have to get it home.

Finally, I have a next action.

My project is "Plant rose hedge" or, if I want to make it outcome-based, "Rose hedge is planted and thriving."

My next action is "call the Grange to see if they can deliver bulk compost."

Now, really, I would have several projects for planting that rose hedge, because I like small projects. So I would split it into several parallel efforts:

Project: Prepare ground for rose hedge.
Project: Choose and acquire plants for rose hedge.
Project: Establish irrigation for rose hedge.

When those are all done, and I have lush prepared dirt, and plants in pots getting hand-watered every day, and the drippers are all set up and the timer knows how to turn them on, and we're within a week or so of appropriate weather, then I'm finally prepared for:

Project: Plant rose hedge.
 
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gtdstudente

Registered
My main definition for a next action is something that I can "just do". I know how to do it, and I'm prepared to do it without having to do any prep work. If I have to do prep work, then that prep work is one or more next actions.

So let's say that I have a "next action" of "plant rose hedge."

But I can't just do that. There are a lot of "but first..." things. So that's really a project.

But first...I have to have prepared ground for the hedge.

So I have a "next action" of "prepare ground for rose hedge."

But first...I have to have soil amendments.

So I have a "next action" of "get soil amendments for rose hedge."

Let's say that I already know what I want, so I don't have to add next actions for research. But I have to get the stuff, and I have to get it home.

Finally, I have a next action.

My project is "Plant rose hedge" or, if I want to make it outcome-based, "Rose hedge is planted and thriving."

My "next action" is "call the Grange to see if they can deliver bulk compost."

Now, really, I would have several projects for planting that rose hedge, because I like small projects. So I would split it into several parallel efforts:

Project: Prepare ground for rose hedge.
Project: Choose and acquire plants for rose hedge.
Project: Establish irrigation for rose hedge.

When those are all done, and I have lush prepared dirt, and plants in pots getting hand-watered every day, and the drippers are all set up and the timer knows how to turn them on, and we're within a week or so of appropriate weather, then I'm finally prepared for:

Project: Plant rose hedge.
Your providing rich context and meaning to: "just do. . . . without having to do any prep work", "I like small projects", and 'Project to Project' thinking very helpful . . . thank you!
 

Fedja_b

Registered
My main definition for a next action is something that I can "just do". I know how to do it, and I'm prepared to do it without having to do any prep work. If I have to do prep work, then that prep work is one or more next actions.

So let's say that I have a "next action" of "plant rose hedge."

But I can't just do that. There are a lot of "but first..." things. So that's really a project.

But first...I have to have prepared ground for the hedge.

So I have a "next action" of "prepare ground for rose hedge."

But first...I have to have soil amendments.

So I have a "next action" of "get soil amendments for rose hedge."

Let's say that I already know what I want, so I don't have to add next actions for research. But I have to get the stuff, and I have to get it home.

Finally, I have a next action.

My project is "Plant rose hedge" or, if I want to make it outcome-based, "Rose hedge is planted and thriving."

My next action is "call the Grange to see if they can deliver bulk compost."

Now, really, I would have several projects for planting that rose hedge, because I like small projects. So I would split it into several parallel efforts:

Project: Prepare ground for rose hedge.
Project: Choose and acquire plants for rose hedge.
Project: Establish irrigation for rose hedge.

When those are all done, and I have lush prepared dirt, and plants in pots getting hand-watered every day, and the drippers are all set up and the timer knows how to turn them on, and we're within a week or so of appropriate weather, then I'm finally prepared for:

Project: Plant rose hedge.


Thank you so much for this excellent write-up! I just have one question; when we arrive at the actual next action (after going through all the "but first") how do you actually make yourself do that next action when it is repealing you?

I know what my next action is: "just do" and write a section of my report. There are no "but firsts" there. However, I'm still procrastinating on it because the next action is literally pushing me away.
 

RuthMcT

Registered
Thank you so much for this excellent write-up! I just have one question; when we arrive at the actual next action (after going through all the "but first") how do you actually make yourself do that next action when it is repealing you?

I know what my next action is: "just do" and write a section of my report. There are no "but firsts" there. However, I'm still procrastinating on it because the next action is literally pushing me away.
You have my full sympathy - I am a dreadful procrastinator. This needs some anti-procrastination techniques. Things I find useful
  • set a timer for 25 minutes, and agree with yourself that you will only commit to that 25 minutes. It's amazing how often I find at the end of that time I say "I'll just do another 25"
  • break the report writing down into tiny steps. I have been known just to commit to typing up just the cover page, or the list of headings.
  • What is the absolute next action? Why is it pushing you away? Can you find something else useful to do on the report to bypass it e.g. writing the conclusion first, or preparing a table or results?
  • promise yourself a reward for achieving something, whether that be 25 minutes work, or writing 500 words
  • consider telling a friend about your difficulties and asking them to ask how it's going in a couple of day's time
  • have a look at the website Procrastinators Anonymous, which has an excellent set of resources, and you can also use to record your commitments and achievements. (I couldn't function without it)
and good luck!
 
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cfoley

Registered
If you so please: How do fellow GTDers/GTD Enthusiasts avoid PROJECTS being able to disguise as NEXT ACTIONS? Thank you!

I use a convention that I think helps me avoid this. My projects are phrased as outcomes as if they were already true. e.g.
Driveway light is working.

My actions are phrased differently, as something I have to do, often starting with a verb. e.g.
Order bulb for driveway from Amazon.

I find that this difference in phrasing helps to prevent me from inadvertently putting projects on my actions list. I have come to realise that some verbs often indicate false actions. This will be highly personal but for me, an action starting with "Fix" is probably not an action at all. I can't Fix the light but I can Order a bulb and I can Install bulb in light.

Of course, I get it wrong sometimes and when this happens, I will either update my project and action in the moment or capture that it needs to be corrected.

Finally, if I am not sure whether I am looking at a project or a single action, then I will choose to create a project even if that may turn out to be unnecessary. The waste in extra tracking is minimal and in my experience, single actions often morph into projects anyway.
 

Oogiem

Registered
How do fellow GTDers/GTD Enthusiasts avoid PROJECTS being able to disguise as NEXT ACTIONS?
I don't it happens fairly often. Once I identify the "next action" as really a project I then just change its type in my task manager and figure out what the REAL next action is.

I usually discver these things when I thought it was a single quickie action but when in the context to do it I keep skipping over it. And any action that I avoid is nearly always really a project in disguise. Sometiems I can't take the time when I realize this to clarify that action into a project so I'll capture it as a ntoe and process it when I do my normal GTD inbox clearing.
 

Gardener

Registered
Thank you so much for this excellent write-up! I just have one question; when we arrive at the actual next action (after going through all the "but first") how do you actually make yourself do that next action when it is repealing you?

I know what my next action is: "just do" and write a section of my report. There are no "but firsts" there. However, I'm still procrastinating on it because the next action is literally pushing me away.
I shrink and shrink and shrink the next action until it's ridiculously tiny. So if it logically would be "write next report section" I might shrink it to, "spend ten minutes outlining next report section" or even, "create Word file for next report section." Then I make another ridiculously tiny action.
 

mcogilvie

Registered
I shrink and shrink and shrink the next action until it's ridiculously tiny. So if it logically would be "write next report section" I might shrink it to, "spend ten minutes outlining next report section" or even, "create Word file for next report section." Then I make another ridiculously tiny action.
Yes. The flip side of the little next action is that it’s just a bookmark. Often when I have Focus on a project, I can see the next few small steps to take, and make nice progress easily.
 

John Forrister

GTD Connect
Staff member
Yes. The flip side of the little next action is that it’s just a bookmark. Often when I have Focus on a project, I can see the next few small steps to take, and make nice progress easily.
I very much like to think of a project's next action as a bookmark. It's not only efficient, it's a way to be kind to my future self. It reduces the switching cost to get back into that project. Imagine I'm reading a long book, in chunks of 30 minutes a day. A bookmark means I can open the book and start where I left off in a couple of seconds. What about no bookmark and I memorized the page number to start? I still have to leaf through the pages to find that page, and I've used memory for that page number instead of the content of the book. What about no bookmark and no memorized page number to start? Even worse. I pick up the book and leaf forward and backward until I see something familiar. Maybe I go too far back, and then have to go forward until I find something unfamiliar. And is it unfamiliar because I haven't read it, or unfamiliar because I didn't absorb and retain if from the last session? I resist some projects plenty on my own without making it harder to hop back into them easily.
 

mcogilvie

Registered
Thank you so much for this excellent write-up! I just have one question; when we arrive at the actual next action (after going through all the "but first") how do you actually make yourself do that next action when it is repealing you?

I know what my next action is: "just do" and write a section of my report. There are no "but firsts" there. However, I'm still procrastinating on it because the next action is literally pushing me away.
A big part of my job is writing, and I have studied some of the literature on how to write. In most cases, for most people, “write next section of report” is not a good next action. My process for writing is generally brainstorm (what to say), arrange (in what order), draft (make complete sentences), revise (connect it all up), polish (check grammar, spelling, et cetera). Like the gtd five phases of work, or the natural planning model, it’s an iterative model which can be applied at many levels. Most professional writers do something like this, although some are so practiced it seems like they ”just write.”
 

Fedja_b

Registered
A big part of my job is writing, and I have studied some of the literature on how to write. In most cases, for most people, “write next section of report” is not a good next action. My process for writing is generally brainstorm (what to say), arrange (in what order), draft (make complete sentences), revise (connect it all up), polish (check grammar, spelling, et cetera). Like the gtd five phases of work, or the natural planning model, it’s an iterative model which can be applied at many levels. Most professional writers do something like this, although some are so practiced it seems like they ”just write.”
Thanks! That's a really great tip!
 
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