Question about using a Waiting For folder for email

blynchus

blynchus

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I've heard David mention multiple times that he recommends having a Waiting For and Next Actions folder in your email client. While this makes sense to me, I am struggling about whether or not I should also duplicate that email onto my Waiting For list in my task manager after adding it to the folder in the email client. The problem I see with not duplicating it and only leaving it in your email client, is that your task manager no longer acts as the single source of truth.

Thoughts?
 
What you do is dependent on both your preferences and the technology you use. In my case, it is easy to forward email to my list manager and I prefer to associate waiting for items with their projects, so that’s what I do. i don’t usually have that many at any one time. If I were you, I would go with your gut, but if that doesn’t work well for you, try something else.
 
Do you need access to the email itself? I mean, what do you do if the awaited for reply never arrives? Do you need that email for that?

If you regularly have projects that get bottlenecked to an email-back-and-forth, then the Waiting For email folder is just a very quick way to organize that type of project, meaning you save the effort of scribbling everything onto a separate list. That would be the purpose of the Waiting For email folder.

If your experience is that you have "kick" people a lot to proceed with the work, consider a more elaborate follow up sub-system. A "tickler" sort of thing for email follow up.
 
blynchus said:
I've heard David mention multiple times that he recommends having a Waiting For and Next Actions folder in your email client. While this makes sense to me, I am struggling about whether or not I should also duplicate that email onto my Waiting For list in my task manager after adding it to the folder in the email client. The problem I see with not duplicating it and only leaving it in your email client, is that your task manager no longer acts as the single source of truth.

Thoughts?
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@blynchus

Whatever is the easiest way to find for Review to keep your Mind Like Water ?

As you see GTD fit. . . .
 
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