Looking for Something

G

Glitch

0
Here is the premise:
I'm looking for a decorative photo frame to put a picture important to me in.
I want to buy it, but also want to get the fun out of looking for it in some of the shops I regularly go to. That and these other object that I want to "shop for".

This is not a "Getting Things Done" thing per say that it HAS to be done ASAP so I'm tempted to not put it on a "Next Action"list but to put it on one of my "Someday/Maybe" list. But when I'm out for errands, I rarely think to look there for "possible buys". The thing stems from the fact that I often times "prefer" to pull something from my "Someday/Maybe" list and make it Active to start going for it... actively.

I also thought to make an Errands/Maybe list so that if I come by one of these articles, then I can grab it there.

What would you guys and gals do?
 
I would just put in on my @errands list to remind me, but with some wording that gives me permission to not necessarily finish it, that is, instead of "Buy picture frame" it would be something like "Look for picture frame, if there´s time and I´m in the mood" or whatever.

If I put it in my someday/maybe and it would just stay there - or worse, in my head, bugging me. @Errands/Maybe would make things to granular for me.

But that´s me, you need to find out what works for you. :)
 
Glitch;69543 said:
I want to buy it, but also want to get the fun out of looking for it in some of the shops I regularly go to. That and these other object that I want to "shop for".
Click to expand...

I use a separate software package to track all needed and possible purchases called SplashShopper. It organizes the items by store so in my case I'd have the stores I regularly shop in listed there and one item to buy would be picture frame. It would be linked to all the stores where I could purchase that. When I go shopping I look at the list for that store. I don't always buy the things on the list, we have one on ours that is find a new desk chair for hubby. It has to be a certain height from the floor and be comfortable. We haven't found one yet but it's still on the list and we look whenever we are in a store with desk chairs. I have one looking for a navy casual blazer for me I can wear with jeans. Haven't found anything close to what I want in fabric I like that I can afford. But it's still on the list and I keep looking whenever I am in the mall where clothing stores are. I also have it listed under the fabric store, if I find a nice fabric I like I'll buy it and figure out how to make one.

I use SplashShopper for all purchases even possible or future ones. I can always make a decision on the fly not to get something. Only if I really decide I never want the item do I delete it.

Also saves time because as I add things we buy over and over (grocery shopping items) I no longer have to think about where to get a particular thing and since shopping for us is a once a month deal to the city for most major stuff and once a week or 2 for groceries it's critical that I list everything so we don't forget something.
 
I would put an undated task in my outlook context @errands. In my system, @errands items that need to be done ASAP are dated, and others are not. Because they're all in one place, I can do a quick review when I'm out and about to see if there's anything I want to think about on that trip. SplashShopper sounds very interesting to me, although I'm hesitant to have a different piece of software with part of my errands list. The way my brain works, fewer programs makes for an easier implementation.
 
I had dozens of things like that including: stuff I need to 'look around for' in pretty much any store I visit (like you), also I need to remember to sit up straight and watch my posture (as I have RSI). I need to be regularly reminded of some habit changes I need to make (mostly for GTD), bits of information I need to keep in mind (*1 example at the bottom) or websites I want to remember (*2).

The problem is that the time between learning the information and needing it is too long. I have a fairly wild mind, thinking and dreaming of so many things all the time that remembering is really quite hard for me. Basically, as DA said, your mind is really bad at remembering things. That's why he made the reference system, so you can store and look up information. HOWEVER, a reference system alone doesn't do it for me, because I forget that there is some information that I need to check and remember. To use the cellphone example: It's nice that the information about the li-ion batteries is in my reference, but if I don't check my reference sytem next time I pick up my cellphone, then I will miss the information. I obviously don't check it because at that moment I don't see why I should. I know how to use my cellphone, right? Yes, but I forgot that I wanted to change something about how and when I recharge it.

To fix this, I added a reminder system to my gtd system. It consists of 4 simple checklists with stuff I want to be reminded of daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. reading the daily one is part of my daily gtd process and the others are part of the weekly review.

You might say, why not just use the tickler system? If you have a paper tickler system (43 folders) you could make a paper checklist and put it in there and move it to the next day every day. However, most digital tickler systems (like daily items/tasks in google calendar) aren't very fit for this. I have about a dozen items on the daily reminder list. I don't want a dozen extra tickler items on my google calendar for all 365 days of the year. That would just be a mess.
It's a bit of a strange hack / addition to the gtd system but it's been working reeaaally great for me as there are so many things I need to remember and my mind is so bad at it. It's truely one of the most important parts of my system. Thoughts or alternatives are welcome.

And sorry for the long post :-)

(*1) For example recently I learned that li-ion batteries (found in laptops and cellphones) should be treated totally different from other batteries. for most batteries it's a good idea to use them till they are empty and then fully recharge. for li-ion batteries this is bad. To maintain them a long them, ideally they should be reloaded when they are 1/3 to 2/3 empty. Unfortunately I keep forgetting this and have end up rediscovering this fact.

(*2) I discovered www.snopes.com, a website that has information confirming or debunking hoaxes and urban myths. It's a great website and I bookmarked it and even put it in my reference system. However, in 6 months from now, when I come across an urban myth, I won't remember snopes. I also won't check my reference system or bookmarks, because I simply have forgotten that such a website exists. The idea just doesn't cross my mind.
 
Thanks Oogiem and RoninTDK, your posts helped me a lot.

I'm not sure yet what I'll use but both options seem viable for me.

By the way RoninTDK, what you are doing is not a hack of the GTD system.
It is talked about in the book and it is used exactly as you are saying you are.

The reason why I "more or less" considered it is that I don't want to put my tasks here and there for the more you spread your stuff around, the more you forget to look at it.

If I was using a Paper Based system, it wouldn't be an issue but I use "Things" as a software to keep my tasks in order. That software cannot make "Ad-Hoc checklists/Reminder Lists". So i'd have to use a notepad software that I have to do the trick.

Unfortunately, doing that splits my tasks/reminders in 3 places (counting calendar in) so I'm more or less hot to the idea. Once I get better used to GTD, maybe it will be less of a problem...

@ Peakaytea:
Your software suggestion is very welcomed but I'm looking at a more "Pure GTD" semantic to solve the problem...
 
My set up

i used word tag for my system on .txt file sync to my windows mobile pda.

i would add tags like @ER- for errand, @BUY- for things to buy

so if i would like to buy bread from hypermarket. i would it like this:

@ER - TESCO @BUY- BREAD X1 LOAF

so when i use filter/search for @BUY, all my to buy list are listed out according to the place. :D
 
Additional Someday/Maybe Lists

I maintain several @Someday/Maybe lists that allows me to subcategorize items. For abbreviation, I use "@s/m". For example, I have the following:

@s/m buy - This is where I keep a list of all my "look into getting" or "shop for a good bargain"...but not just yet ready to purchase or want to wait until a good deal comes along

@s/m travel - A list of places I want to travel or visit someday

@s/m read - A list of books or articles I want to read or check out

@s/m experience - Things I might want to do such as take a drawing class, take a public speaking class, etc.

@s/m call - A reminder list of old contacts and friends to call to keep in touch

So in the scenario where I have something I would like or need to buy fairly soon (e.g., ran out of printer paper), I would put that on an "@errand - buy printer paper (Office Depot, Staples)"

But if I want to shop around for a good deal on printer cartridges, I would put it on "@s/m buy - printer cartridge if good deal"

In my Blackberry / Lotus Notes task list, I can filter by key words (e.g., buy), so that if I am on an errand to buy printer paper, I filter my list by the key word "buy" and see both my @errand and @s/m buy lists to remind myself to also look at prices for printer cartridges while I buy the paper.

Finally, I can also keep a running list of prices and retailer name I come across in the note section of my "@s/m buy."

I hope this helps or gives you other ideas.

David
 
Spreading information over multiple tools is not a problem, as long as you remember to look at all those tools often enough. On linux, i'm using basket note pads (If you ever used google notebook, it's basically like that but with more features and no web clipping) to organise and tag all my checklists, small information bits, notes, etc. In it I have a "gtd daily" checklist that tells me all the places i need to check. Not that there are all that many, but it prevents me from ever missing any single one. I've spend months testing and trying tools and I really can't find any single one that does everything I want it to do. Maybe we should write one ourselves? ;-)
 
Interesting! I'd personally add it to my @Errands list, as "Decorative photo frame." I don't have to buy it when next I go on my errands; it can just stay on that list until I find one I like and buy it.
 
djc2008;69565 said:
I maintain several @Someday/Maybe lists that allows me to subcategorize items. For abbreviation, I use "@s/m". For example, I have the following:

@s/m buy - This is where I keep a list of all my "look into getting" or "shop for a good bargain"...but not just yet ready to purchase or want to wait until a good deal comes along

@s/m travel - A list of places I want to travel or visit someday

@s/m read - A list of books or articles I want to read or check out

@s/m experience - Things I might want to do such as take a drawing class, take a public speaking class, etc.

@s/m call - A reminder list of old contacts and friends to call to keep in touch

So in the scenario where I have something I would like or need to buy fairly soon (e.g., ran out of printer paper), I would put that on an "@errand - buy printer paper (Office Depot, Staples)"

But if I want to shop around for a good deal on printer cartridges, I would put it on "@s/m buy - printer cartridge if good deal"

In my Blackberry / Lotus Notes task list, I can filter by key words (e.g., buy), so that if I am on an errand to buy printer paper, I filter my list by the key word "buy" and see both my @errand and @s/m buy lists to remind myself to also look at prices for printer cartridges while I buy the paper.

Finally, I can also keep a running list of prices and retailer name I come across in the note section of my "@s/m buy."

I hope this helps or gives you other ideas.

David
Click to expand...

There we go!
Exactly the inspiration I needed, Thanks David!!!

And I found the way to do it in my software too so that it isn't too invasive or evasive :P

The S/M Section is a section instead of a list in "Things". I will use it as a "Backberner" to hold my stuff I will review on my Weekly Review and such. Then I will use my "Areas" and make a couple of "Mid-Hot" stuff like your "S/M: Read", "S/M: Looking for". This way they will appear when I filter my stuff by my "Errand" Tag for exemple but at the end of the list that's generated!

Perfect for me! What inspired me the most was a simple thing: "You named them "S/M:" and I didn't think of that." One thing that had baffled me was the use of TAGs in most softwares out there. The thing is that I understood them (or rather classified them in my mind) as the different context lists.
A list being a list, I started to put other TAGs to make S/M Lists. But it makes 2 places to check even when the context is the same! Plus I don't really like to put more then one Tag on anything, it just dilutes the effectiveness in my mind.

Now I know better:
TAGS for Context (and/or Time, Energy, Importance) to create N.A. Lists.
Areas to group my Projects and Actions AND make NON-N.A. Lists.
Head Clear thanks to you!
 
If that were related to the project I would put it at @Work list (it could be @Errands for you) and if that were not then I would put it to my Shopping List that is out of the system along with other checklists.
 
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