Hi,
My position has changed slightly so that I am about to be somewhat more centrally located (I had been traveling between 5 sites - usually 3/day and often not to the main office at all during a day). Because I needed to take "my work" with me from site to site, I had a file box with folders for each context. Anything (plain NA or project NA) to be done (that wasn't someday/maybe) went into the corresponding @context folder (in my portable file box) and on my Outlook (with GTD add-in) list (which also has someday/maybe's). Project folders were sometimes with me and sometimes left at the main office.
I've noticed two problems:
1) When I get overloaded, I tend to dump things into the @context folder without putting it on my NA list (in Outlook). I then find things in my @folders that hadn't shown up as a "choice" on my Outlook lists.
Solutions: take time to get all NA's into Outlook and consistently do Weekly Reviews.
2) When I have an NA that requires a document (ex. catalog, report with handwritten revisions, meeting notes that I need to work through for NA's and reference, paper forms to be completed)... my current strategy is to add it to Outlook and put the paper document in the @context folder. I carry around my @context folders in my portable file box and, therefore have "my work" with me. But, then project papers tend to get scattered quickly across folders. It takes too long to find what I need if something comes up on the project - ex. supervisor asks 'what are the current numbers for new enrollment?'.... I know that the applicant list is somewhere in my system, but it takes too long to remember (or check in Outlook if I don't have it up) whether I had it in @calls to get more information from Sue or in @computer to finish the data entry portion.
Solution(s): any suggestions?
Now that I'll be more central, should I keep the applicant list in the project support file for "New Enrollment" and add the next actions to my Outlook list? I then would be pulling the paper documents out of project support files whenever I'm ready to do a project NA. Do I keep my @context folders for non-project NA's only? My Outlook list would show both plain NA's and project NA's by context so that all of my work shows up there.
I guess my question is do all of the physical things (even actionable things) you need for a project stay in the project support file or do you move them to an @context folder as you work through the NA's?
I'm leaning towards keeping ALL project materials in the project support folders... I'm just hesitant to keep all of my work at the office (in my project support files and @context folders) because, while I'll probably be at the main office at least once daily now, I'll still need to work at other sites and at home regularly. It's too much to carry both sets of folders (project support and @context) with me - I did try to do it for awhile - I took a "wheeled-crate" with me everywhere!
Sorry this is so long. I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks!
Julia
My position has changed slightly so that I am about to be somewhat more centrally located (I had been traveling between 5 sites - usually 3/day and often not to the main office at all during a day). Because I needed to take "my work" with me from site to site, I had a file box with folders for each context. Anything (plain NA or project NA) to be done (that wasn't someday/maybe) went into the corresponding @context folder (in my portable file box) and on my Outlook (with GTD add-in) list (which also has someday/maybe's). Project folders were sometimes with me and sometimes left at the main office.
I've noticed two problems:
1) When I get overloaded, I tend to dump things into the @context folder without putting it on my NA list (in Outlook). I then find things in my @folders that hadn't shown up as a "choice" on my Outlook lists.
Solutions: take time to get all NA's into Outlook and consistently do Weekly Reviews.
2) When I have an NA that requires a document (ex. catalog, report with handwritten revisions, meeting notes that I need to work through for NA's and reference, paper forms to be completed)... my current strategy is to add it to Outlook and put the paper document in the @context folder. I carry around my @context folders in my portable file box and, therefore have "my work" with me. But, then project papers tend to get scattered quickly across folders. It takes too long to find what I need if something comes up on the project - ex. supervisor asks 'what are the current numbers for new enrollment?'.... I know that the applicant list is somewhere in my system, but it takes too long to remember (or check in Outlook if I don't have it up) whether I had it in @calls to get more information from Sue or in @computer to finish the data entry portion.
Solution(s): any suggestions?
Now that I'll be more central, should I keep the applicant list in the project support file for "New Enrollment" and add the next actions to my Outlook list? I then would be pulling the paper documents out of project support files whenever I'm ready to do a project NA. Do I keep my @context folders for non-project NA's only? My Outlook list would show both plain NA's and project NA's by context so that all of my work shows up there.
I guess my question is do all of the physical things (even actionable things) you need for a project stay in the project support file or do you move them to an @context folder as you work through the NA's?
I'm leaning towards keeping ALL project materials in the project support folders... I'm just hesitant to keep all of my work at the office (in my project support files and @context folders) because, while I'll probably be at the main office at least once daily now, I'll still need to work at other sites and at home regularly. It's too much to carry both sets of folders (project support and @context) with me - I did try to do it for awhile - I took a "wheeled-crate" with me everywhere!
Sorry this is so long. I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks!
Julia
