Using paper, but not switching to paper

[Gardener]

Do you use paper for your system, without having a full paper system?

I never thought I'd use paper for task management.

I'm using paper for task management.

Not for ALL task management. But I recently decided to take another shot at keeping a hand-written journal, and I find my personal (not work) task management system bleeding into that.

First it was just capture--the journal I've chosen has a narrow left column and a wider right column, and I've been journaling in the right column and using the left column as a capture space, in a kinda sorta bullet journal way, when an actionable thought pops up while I'm writing.

But it's becoming less pure capture and more a sort of active task workspace. I entered "Buy another seed starting mat" in the journal and later transferred it to OmniFocus. But when OmniFocus told me to "Make frittatas with that sausage before it goes bad", I entered that in the journal. I worked the task from there and checked it off there, then only later saw it again in OmniFocus and said, "I did that," and checked it off there, too.

And as a week or three went by, I realized that the journal was seeing a lot more task activity than OmniFocus was. Tasks, including tasks that supported defined projects, were being entered there, worked, and checked off there, without ever going near OmniFocus. That left-hand column has become my primary go-to for, "What should I do now?" in my off time.

And I'm going there more often than I went to OmniFocus, and I'm getting more done. I want to support that trend.

I'm not willing to go to a full paper GTD system. I think this is working partly because of the simplicity and the fact that the lists are short, and moving projects and contexts and Someday/Maybe and so on to paper would undermine that. But I'm also not prepared to give up the GTD level of structure.

Right now, I think the best plan is to model this after the two-minute rule, which is, as I see it, the main place that GTD offers guidance for things that never actually enter the GTD lists. They're not two-minute tasks, but...still.

That leaves the issue of trust in the system. Tasks I enter in the journal don't have this problem--I trust that I will work them or transfer them. Tasks that I enter in OmniFocus and move to the journal are more complicated. If I move them to the journal and check them off in OmniFocus, the system doesn't really know if they got done. If I move them to the journal and just leave them in OmniFocus, I'll have longer lists on OmniFocus than I need, and long lists annoy me.

So I've created a 'moved to journal' context for OmniFocus and set it to On Hold to hide those tasks from my daily lists. Once a week I'll go through those tasks and check off the ones that did get done.

We'll see how this goes.

Anybody else similarly using paper for just part of your system?

 

[Matt_M]

Do you use paper for your system, without having a full paper system?

I never thought I'd use paper for task management.

I'm using paper for task management.

Not for ALL task management. But I recently decided to take another shot at keeping a hand-written journal, and I find my personal (not work) task management system bleeding into that.

First it was just capture--the journal I've chosen has a narrow left column and a wider right column, and I've been journaling in the right column and using the left column as a capture space, in a kinda sorta bullet journal way, when an actionable thought pops up while I'm writing.

But it's becoming less pure capture and more a sort of active task workspace. I entered "Buy another seed starting mat" in the journal and later transferred it to OmniFocus. But when OmniFocus told me to "Make frittatas with that sausage before it goes bad", I entered that in the journal. I worked the task from there and checked it off there, then only later saw it again in OmniFocus and said, "I did that," and checked it off there, too.

And as a week or three went by, I realized that the journal was seeing a lot more task activity than OmniFocus was. Tasks, including tasks that supported defined projects, were being entered there, worked, and checked off there, without ever going near OmniFocus. That left-hand column has become my primary go-to for, "What should I do now?" in my off time.

And I'm going there more often than I went to OmniFocus, and I'm getting more done. I want to support that trend.

I'm not willing to go to a full paper GTD system. I think this is working partly because of the simplicity and the fact that the lists are short, and moving projects and contexts and Someday/Maybe and so on to paper would undermine that. But I'm also not prepared to give up the GTD level of structure.

Right now, I think the best plan is to model this after the two-minute rule, which is, as I see it, the main place that GTD offers guidance for things that never actually enter the GTD lists. They're not two-minute tasks, but...still.

That leaves the issue of trust in the system. Tasks I enter in the journal don't have this problem--I trust that I will work them or transfer them. Tasks that I enter in OmniFocus and move to the journal are more complicated. If I move them to the journal and check them off in OmniFocus, the system doesn't really know if they got done. If I move them to the journal and just leave them in OmniFocus, I'll have longer lists on OmniFocus than I need, and long lists annoy me.

So I've created a 'moved to journal' context for OmniFocus and set it to On Hold to hide those tasks from my daily lists. Once a week I'll go through those tasks and check off the ones that did get done.

We'll see how this goes.

Anybody else similarly using paper for just part of your system?

There seems to be a few different topics here:

1. Using the journal as a working space / "What to do next?" place
2. Trusting & keeping the journal and OmniFocus in-sync with each other
3. Duplication of effort / multi-purpose of tools

In short, using a separate tool like your journal's column for an "On-deck" or "Next" kind of list of tasks is fine, even if some of them might be duplicated between OmniFocus and the journal. Ideally, having a single source of truth is better than two. However, having two sources of truth is better than having three or four and so on. Personally, I see it as a OmniFocus being a sort of perpetual backlog/database of tasks that you have to sync-up with on a frequent basis but maybe don't need to drive with every single day. The journal is a more distilled or focused (i.e. prioritized) list of tasks that you find more approachable and actionable in the present or very immediate future (i.e. week). Makes a lot of sense, especially if you keep up on "syncing" them up during a weekly review.

As long as you make sure that inputs are properly clarified and at least organized in one of the two places and eventually reconciled with each other, you should be fine. There is probably a bit of duplication of information and/or effort between the two tools and keeping them up-to-date with each other and that's probably a good thing in the sense of "repetition reinforces memory and instills focus". A potential pitfall is that your journaling practice might suffer or that you look at the journal as a place of action rather than reflection. Which may or may not be a good thing; that's up to you to decide on that being a worthwhile trade-off, if that happens.

I myself don't do exactly the same thing per se, however I have a set of plans (i.e. daily, weekly, etc.) in my system that purposefully duplicate some information in the sense of the most important tasks (i.e. 3) that I plan to work on/ensure I am putting my energy towards on a consistent basis, no matter what else may come up or grab my attention. In other words, ensuring I am always making consistent forward momentum on the valuable things. I don't use paper all that much anymore, but when I did, I had zero qualms about using it for smaller inputs/tasks and just handling them there versus running them through my digital system (i.e. different in execution but similar in philosophy of the two-minute rule: avoid adding unnecessary overhead to actually doing work).

Keep us posted on how it goes and any learnings you may get from the practice. I think it's a very good idea.

P.S.

It's not dissimilar to what I recall David doing in his own practice of having mind-maps focusing on specific immediate "things" in a certain shape and duplicating some of the information between his primary tool and his mind-maps.

 

[gtdstudente]

Do you use paper for your system, without having a full paper system?

I never thought I'd use paper for task management.

I'm using paper for task management.

Not for ALL task management. But I recently decided to take another shot at keeping a hand-written journal, and I find my personal (not work) task management system bleeding into that.

First it was just capture--the journal I've chosen has a narrow left column and a wider right column, and I've been journaling in the right column and using the left column as a capture space, in a kinda sorta bullet journal way, when an actionable thought pops up while I'm writing.

But it's becoming less pure capture and more a sort of active task workspace. I entered "Buy another seed starting mat" in the journal and later transferred it to OmniFocus. But when OmniFocus told me to "Make frittatas with that sausage before it goes bad", I entered that in the journal. I worked the task from there and checked it off there, then only later saw it again in OmniFocus and said, "I did that," and checked it off there, too.

And as a week or three went by, I realized that the journal was seeing a lot more task activity than OmniFocus was. Tasks, including tasks that supported defined projects, were being entered there, worked, and checked off there, without ever going near OmniFocus. That left-hand column has become my primary go-to for, "What should I do now?" in my off time.

And I'm going there more often than I went to OmniFocus, and I'm getting more done. I want to support that trend.

I'm not willing to go to a full paper GTD system. I think this is working partly because of the simplicity and the fact that the lists are short, and moving projects and contexts and Someday/Maybe and so on to paper would undermine that. But I'm also not prepared to give up the GTD level of structure.

Right now, I think the best plan is to model this after the two-minute rule, which is, as I see it, the main place that GTD offers guidance for things that never actually enter the GTD lists. They're not two-minute tasks, but...still.

That leaves the issue of trust in the system. Tasks I enter in the journal don't have this problem--I trust that I will work them or transfer them. Tasks that I enter in OmniFocus and move to the journal are more complicated. If I move them to the journal and check them off in OmniFocus, the system doesn't really know if they got done. If I move them to the journal and just leave them in OmniFocus, I'll have longer lists on OmniFocus than I need, and long lists annoy me.

So I've created a 'moved to journal' context for OmniFocus and set it to On Hold to hide those tasks from my daily lists. Once a week I'll go through those tasks and check off the ones that did get done.

We'll see how this goes.

Anybody else similarly using paper for just part of your system?

@Gardener

On this end, dependable Paper contributes to the GTD system as much as Digital because of its:
1. Ease of use
2. Paper has very low cost 'mistake remedies' compared to digital, while digital receives mistake kudos for its copy-&-paste capabilities?

GTD Practice: Clipboards 'filled' with Plain 8 1/2' x 11' Copier Paper and Pen(s), strategically 'all over' the House, Car, etc.
On this end, 'chunkiness is a non-issue' since while carrying is actually enjoyable the sense(s) of 'dopamine preparedness'

'Reliable' Pens are crucial; delighted with PaperMate's recently introduced inexpensive 'loss-able' pens (straight-retail; $3.29 for a package of 10) making their easier 'detachment loss' all the better

As you see GTD fit. . . .

Ps. Heard a story of man whose Rolex watch lost/stolen and was actually kind of happy since he said the Rolex watch came with excessive 'ownership concern(s) / obligation(s)' that far exceeded the Rolex's value

Pps. Look at me, I have a Rolex watch without remembering "be careful of what you want, because you just might get"

 

[TesTeq]

Anybody else similarly using paper for just part of your system?

@Gardener Not similarly but I do use "modified https://alastairjohnston.com/tag/the-alastair-method/" for general Project/Next Actions/Calendar management and iPhone for recurring events, critical reminders and errands. I do not replicate my main system in any baroque OmniFocus-like system.

 

[fooddude]

I use a 3x5 notepad for capture, but my system is in apple notes. I saw a video of how David Allen does his and I use it that way. One note per sheet and then into the in basket. My system is so simplified, I could switch to paper almost instantly though. I won't combine paper and digital.

 

[Oogiem]

Do you use paper for your system, without having a full paper system?

Only as a capture tool. Otherwise no.

My journals and tasks, pretty much everything is now all tied into one system so I no longer have artificial barriers. It no longer bothers me if a task finds its way into my journal notes because I can get to them all easily.

What I do with paper is use it to capture and brainstorm and put ideas on and then they eventually get entered into my real system. Paper is never the ending point but only a starting point for me.

 

[FocusGuy]

Hi @Oogiem
I did exactly the same. I have a paper spiral notebook and I jot everything down One item per line. it's is my main (with mail) inbox. I got a better focus and increased my productivity. Then only after clarifying it goes into omnifocus.

 

[Oogiem]

I now buy 3 x 5 inch top spiral bound notepads by the dozen for cheap on Amazon because I love writing down the things that come into my mind, the flow of ideas that I can then tear off, staple the days notes at the top, add a date and let them marinate in my inbox. Some go sour and are tossed, some ferment into something better than I envisioned but need fine tuning and some age like a fine wine and are perfect the way they are.

 

[FocusGuy]

clarifying too fast was one of my mistake. Some items needs time. Time to appropriate the information, let it grow in the inbox and the decide if it worth or not organizing somewhere.

 

[fooddude]

clarifying too fast was one of my mistake. Some items needs time. Time to appropriate the information, let it grow in the inbox and the decide if it worth or not organizing somewhere.

Same here. If it isn't a two minute item (or somehow urgent), I will usually let it sit until my weekly review.

 

[mcogilvie]

I try to process my inbox to zero every 24 hours, but I will use a process next action if needed: decide whether to…..; brainstorm next steps on …; review history of … in order to …; outline steps needed to ….

 

[densteed]

Weekly Review Checklist (2014)
.....
Get “IN” to Zero
Process completely all outstanding paper materials, journal and meeting notes, voicemails, dictation, and emails.

 

[gtdstudente]

Only as a capture tool. Otherwise no.

My journals and tasks, pretty much everything is now all tied into one system so I no longer have artificial barriers. It no longer bothers me if a task finds its way into my journal notes because I can get to them all easily.

What I do with paper is use it to capture and brainstorm and put ideas on and then they eventually get entered into my real system. Paper is never the ending point but only a starting point for me.

@Oogiem

Very good GTD post . . . thank you very much

On this end, with Digital being in the 'middle' while Paper is very often the beginning for Project development tracking and the end in carrying out a Next Action(s)

 

[PhillyBass]

I just recently switched to a hybrid GTD system where I keep most material in digital form (Obsidian), and some specific material in an A5 sized paper-based personal organizer. I find myself adhering to GTD better with this hybrid system. I am now better organized, more compliant with GTD, and feeling the "mind like water" state. For context, I originally followed the paper and folder system for 2 years before switching to an all-digital system that I used for 15 years.

This is my split:
Digital (Obsidian): All reference material, nearly all project material, a lot of incubation ideas.
Digital (Phone): Calendar
Paper (Organizer): All context lists (@phone, @computer, etc), waiting-for, active project list, incubation lists.
Paper (Tablet): List of actions to be completed today, plus all new actions added during the day.

 

[FocusGuy]

This is my split:
Digital (Obsidian): All reference material, nearly all project material, a lot of incubation ideas.

Mine is one drive (professional) and iCloud (personal). I dont like data base like Evernote and obsidian.

Digital (Phone): Calendar

Paper diary + digital > Paper for today's tasks and following my daily stuff eg call messages, so, everything I need to do or follow today.

Paper (Organizer): All context lists (@phone, @computer, etc), waiting-for, active project list, incubation lists.

All that is in Omnifocus much better for planning and organizing stuff + Waiting for / reminders / Deadlines...

Paper (Tablet): List of actions to be completed today, plus all new actions added during the day.

I use a spiral paper notebook for that. I jot everything and clarify later. Everything less that 2 mn is done immediately everything which is relative to a project goes to Omnifocus with contains all my projects active or no, some task stay in the note book because I want to do them asap or I dont know what to do with them.

 

[fooddude]

Paper (Tablet): List of actions to be completed today, plus all new actions added during the day.

This really isn't a GTD technique. More like old fashioned to do lists. Kind of what David was trying to get away from. If you have a to do list for today, why do you need contexts? Personally, I only use contexts. If something is due today, it goes on my calendar.

 

[PhillyBass]

All that is in Omnifocus much better for planning and organizing stuff + Waiting for / reminders / Deadlines...

Omnifocus is awesome, but only available for the Apple ecosystem. This is why I went back to paper. I run MacOS or Linux for personal use, and Linux or Windows for professional use. Paper always works!

 

[fooddude]

Omnifocus is awesome, but only available for the Apple ecosystem. This is why I went back to paper. I run MacOS or Linux for personal use, and Linux or Windows for professional use. Paper always works!

I just use apple notes. One note for projects. A note for each context. As an aside, Groceries are not next action but I use it so frequently it is a check list in next actions. The numbered notes are Agendas. I do have a someday maybe note similar to my project note. This can easily be duplicated in paper form. Any project goes on the project list and the very next action goes in the correct context note. Any day or time specific item goes on apple calendar.