Task with a due date

manynothings

Registered
Hello,

If I have a solo task that must be done by a certain date, where do I put it in the GTD system? Maybe it's because I haven't reread the book in some time, but I don't recall any mention of this situation. Do I rely on the weekly review and prioritization to keep these on track? Or something else?

Thanks.
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
I would have the due date in my GTD task manager system and also add it to the top space of your calendar so you can see this approaching due date.
 

Peter Loerincs

Registered
When an action has a due date, that action is represented in my calendar (I use MS Outlook) I have a formatting rule that turns the item red (if contains '**') so I add a top task (like Longstreet said) and see that the description has '**' in it. That turns is red.

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Suelin23

Registered
I've now created a separate Outlook calendar for Deadlines, and add tasks with a deadline on it as appointments. If the deadline cannot be moved I make the appointment show as 'busy', if there is potential to renegotiate it then I make it show as 'tentative'
 

John Forrister

GTD Connect
Staff member
Hello,

If I have a solo task that must be done by a certain date, where do I put it in the GTD system? Maybe it's because I haven't reread the book in some time, but I don't recall any mention of this situation. Do I rely on the weekly review and prioritization to keep these on track? Or something else?

Thanks.
Of course you can customize GTD any way that works for you. If you have a copy of Getting Things Done, have a look at the Calendar section in chapter 2. In the version from the US publisher that's pages 43–45. The short answer is that there are only three things that go on the calendar.
  • time-specific actions (appointments, including those with yourself to work on projects or a set of tasks)
  • day-specific actions (do on that day but at any time)
  • day-specific information (e.g. reservation number for hotel you're checking into that day)
If a task has to be done on a day, it goes on the calendar. If it has to be done by a day, it goes on your tasks list, with a due date. The weekly review will help you rely on seeing that due date approaching. On a daily basis, your quick scan of your tasks list, especially noting and acting on tasks with due dates, will also reassure you that you're on top of the approaching due dates.
 
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