re: Integrating Digital & Paper Inventories
Will,
If you run your life on a Mac computer you may like trying out the new set of Applescripts I just released called "Ready-Set-Do!" and downloading the "Sync iCal ToDos" plug-in that comes with it. If you don't run your life on a Mac, then you may still be interested in the backstory that led me to end up developing them. See especially the sections on "Falling Prey to Temptation: Total Reduction & the "Pefect" Program" and the "The 'Downside' of Lists & the Power of One-At-A-Time." at the link below.
RSD Backstory
Briefly, though, you will find that trying to shoehorn your life into all paper or all digital is just not going to be possible in the digital age. Some type of integration will be necessary. If you really want to go all-paper you can try taking a look at the Hipster PDA approach some are writing about on the web. What I've found though is 2 major things:
1. There will always be a paper inventory. And of this paper inventory most of it will be in the 8 x 11 format. I have done what you have with 1 folder and 1 8x11 paper having one idea on it. I slap a post-it note on the front of each one with the location context and next action. And when I do my Weekly Review each week I make stacks on my floor putting all of the @ Home together, all of the @ Office together etc. Then I look at which stacks are getting the thickest and I sort the stacks by putting those locations that are getting the thickest at the top. And I put them all back in my Actionable folder. (I don't use multiple folders for multiple contexts any more because I've just found that that multiplicity gives me too much to review -- I've just found it better to have 1 Actionable folder with organized items by location context and I can just review that folder every day to get the items done.) I also am not a big fan of keeping non 8x11 items in my Actionable folder and so if I process a 3x5 card or a post-it note or a napkin I've written on, I grab a blank 8x11 paper (which I keep in a tray underneath my physical Inbox) and write whatever is on those things on the 8x11 paper and put that into my Actionable folder with next action and location context specified. So far this is working well for me.
2. PDA's have limits. People who want their entire inventory on their PDA take more pride in having everything organized in the palm of their hand than they do in actually getting things done. At some point it becomes ridiculous to have your entire inventory of projects and actions on your handheld device with the viewing space the size of a 3x3 Post-It Note, and to scroll, scroll, scroll to find what you're looking for. What I've found is that I don't need to review my Waiting Fors as often as I need to review my "Actionables" and "Read-Reviews" -- and there is also no reason for me to have my @ Online or @ Computer actionables or read-reviews on my handheld device since I would rather/must be at my computer to get them done. So I limit the items on my handheld to only location contexts and reading I don't have to be at my computer for and I keep my computer and online related actionables and reading on my computer to do. And I do those when I'm at my computer. I likewise review my waiting fors when I do my weekly review as I've found that is about the frequency I need to stay on top of those.
Not sure if any of this is useful at all. But that's what's been working for me.
Todd V
