gtdstudente
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@fooddude
Nice @Contexts:
As such, which are done Only/Usually:
1. When home ?
2. When 'away' from home ?
Thank you very much
What if @Computer wasn't a context?
- Thread starter cfoley
- Start date
Nice @Contexts:
As such, which are done Only/Usually:
1. When home ?
2. When 'away' from home ?
Thank you very much
I do the @Home list when I'm at home and have the mental capacity (energy) at that time. For example, I can't do @Errands when I'm home. And even though I don't go to a "work" site per se. I don't do at work things when I'm not at "work". Keeps me balanced.
gtdstudente
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Oogiem
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I LOVE varied and numerous contexts. Since I work in a 12WY approach and since I make active all projects that can be done in that 12 week year and since mine are tied to seasons because I am first and foremost a farmer many contexts are helpful. I currently have 47 contexts. I was a 1 context per task person for years then I realized that there are some tasks that can be sliced and diced different ways. So while I have my "primary"contexts there are ancillary ones like one for each current beta test customer of AnimalTrakker. It's easier in my system to find everything related to AT-003 or AT-012 (meaning specific AnimalTrakker Customers) even if it crosses the definition of the tool, location or condition needed to perform the task because I can verify I am keeping up with all their requirements and requests. I have ways to see specific contexts but also contexts that give me a big picture of my varied and numerous actions.
Oogiem
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I still have many contexts that are based on the Primary tool I need. Not the only tool but he one that I will need most to work on that action. So I don't find it to be micromanaging but rather liberating. I can pick a tool I wm in the mood to work in and get a lot done EVEN IF I need to dabble in something else for a tiny bit of the action.
I just have the @phone and @computer contexts for technology. @ phone I put only things i can do at the phone. ie: call and text. @computer is for computer work that yes I can still do on my phone. But I don't want to hide a computer next action in the @phone context.
jonkan
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My @computer is currently split into these:
@focus: For actions that take significant time and/or energy.
@quick: Everything else that doesn't fit into the above, eg. handling certain emails, submitting expenses, scheduling meetings etc.
@review: Things to read, watch or otherwise consume. Perfect for sitting in the couch with an iPad.
Non computer contexts are pretty standard.
@home
@office
@school
@errands - headings (Things feature) for the main destinations
@agendas - headings (Things feature) for the commonly used people/meetings
waiting
@focus: For actions that take significant time and/or energy.
@quick: Everything else that doesn't fit into the above, eg. handling certain emails, submitting expenses, scheduling meetings etc.
@review: Things to read, watch or otherwise consume. Perfect for sitting in the couch with an iPad.
Non computer contexts are pretty standard.
@home
@office
@school
@errands - headings (Things feature) for the main destinations
@agendas - headings (Things feature) for the commonly used people/meetings
waiting
gtdstudente
Registered
I can definitely relate to your experience of rethinking contexts. Early on in my GTD journey, I followed the context suggestions from the book quite strictly and even added a personal twist by tagging tasks with energy levels (high, medium, low) based on how I felt I needed to approach them. Over time, though, I realized from a Lean perspective that this effort to tag was a waste during the clarifying phase.
As my GTD system matured using Outlook desktop client, Todoist, and OneNote, alongside my use of the 12 Week Year methodology, I made a significant shift that goes against the book but works well for me. I’ve retained key contexts in Outlook, but purely for a visual overview. The category colors give me an at-a-glance understanding of how my calendar is structured (@12WY tactic, @call, @meeting, @errands, @family, @sharpen the saw). My 12 Week Year tactics automatically populate my calendar during my weekly review, with color-coded events and the tactic name embedded in the calendar event.
For tasks that don’t need to go into the calendar, I’ve simplified Todoist. I assign a due date, which pulls those tasks into my morning review of the “Today’s view.”
For Waiting For (@WF) items, I place them into their respective projects in Todoist’s board view—automated using API calls between Outlook and Todoist. I prefer seeing @WFs within each project rather than all lumped into one bucket, though I can always use the @WF label view if needed. I also use the first section of Todoist’s board view for each project’s Next Action (NA).
In response to your thoughts, I believe it’s important to experiment with contexts and refine them based on what helps you be more effective. For me, simplifying and focusing on visual cues has been key. I haven’t abandoned contexts entirely, but I’ve repurposed them in a more practical way. I no longer work from a “menu” of what I could do today based on lists. Instead, I approach it more like an athlete, focusing on “what training type and intervals” I need to execute today. This analogy of training for sport mirrors how I approach work and life—it helps cut out the unnecessary clutter.
As my GTD system matured using Outlook desktop client, Todoist, and OneNote, alongside my use of the 12 Week Year methodology, I made a significant shift that goes against the book but works well for me. I’ve retained key contexts in Outlook, but purely for a visual overview. The category colors give me an at-a-glance understanding of how my calendar is structured (@12WY tactic, @call, @meeting, @errands, @family, @sharpen the saw). My 12 Week Year tactics automatically populate my calendar during my weekly review, with color-coded events and the tactic name embedded in the calendar event.
For tasks that don’t need to go into the calendar, I’ve simplified Todoist. I assign a due date, which pulls those tasks into my morning review of the “Today’s view.”
For Waiting For (@WF) items, I place them into their respective projects in Todoist’s board view—automated using API calls between Outlook and Todoist. I prefer seeing @WFs within each project rather than all lumped into one bucket, though I can always use the @WF label view if needed. I also use the first section of Todoist’s board view for each project’s Next Action (NA).
In response to your thoughts, I believe it’s important to experiment with contexts and refine them based on what helps you be more effective. For me, simplifying and focusing on visual cues has been key. I haven’t abandoned contexts entirely, but I’ve repurposed them in a more practical way. I no longer work from a “menu” of what I could do today based on lists. Instead, I approach it more like an athlete, focusing on “what training type and intervals” I need to execute today. This analogy of training for sport mirrors how I approach work and life—it helps cut out the unnecessary clutter.
jonkan
Registered
Agreed, I occasionally look at other tools, and while some of them have good features that are missing in Things, it's very hard to beat the flow I get using Things. Like I mentioned in the other thread, I recently moved to not linking next actions to projects, to further reduce drag. It's working great so far, but we'll see how long it lasts.
gtdstudente
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@cfoley
Again, thank you for your good GTD post
Likewise . . . clear-&-crisp Contexts remains GTD paramount in preventing "List Numbness" from setting into one's GTD system ?
Even the most subtle of overlaps can 'cripple' the best of GTD systems
Clear distinction(s) is one of the most important decision rigors in one's GTD system
For example' despite possibly 'bucking' otherwise; this particular rigor might be another GTD reason for keeping Projects and Next Actions in their appropriate Contexts separate; since in terms of GTD behavior, one you "can't do' while the other are "can do's", respectively
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For example' despite possibly 'bucking' otherwise; this particular rigor might be another GTD reason for keeping Projects and Next Actions in their appropriate Contexts separate; since in terms of GTD behavior, one you "can't do' while the other are "can do's", respectively
projects are supposed to be separate from next actions (contexts). Project is anything that takes two or more steps to accomplish. The very next action should be in a context list.
gtdstudente
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@fooddude
Correct, perhaps it takes one to know one, in that, there can be a 'scaling-sabotaging' GTD 'temptation' in 'cleverly' thinking a visual connection between that which is actionable and unactionable is somehow 'better' while actually undermining appropriate engagement in the midst of doing ?
Moral of the story: when GTD 'says' you can't do a project . . . it means it !
As you see GTD fit. . . .
Suelin23
Simplicity on the far side of complexity
I have a tendency to overthink things, so looked at setting it up so it aligns with the Do approach (Context, time, energy & priority). My To Do tags focus on the time element - To Do is <1hr, To Do 1 is ~1hr, To Do 2 is ~ 2 hrs, To Do 3 is ~ 3hrs, and if a task is going to take 4 hrs or more I need to time block in calendar or break it down into smaller chunks. I have duplicate tags with yellow denoting low energy or the ability to multi-task.
Here's my full OneNote tag list
Here's my full OneNote tag list
gtdstudente
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FocusGuy
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The more the system is complex the more it will take time, to make it work, update and use mental energy. As Leonard de Vinci said "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" and David Allen said, "the system must be as complex as it must be but not more".
Suelin23
Simplicity on the far side of complexity
I started this about June this year, and I've had many versions of GTD over the years but this time I'm feeling the most happy with my lists. I didn't really like having to use time blocking for tasks which have an optional time to complete, they just need a large open block on my calendar, and now it has shifted a lot of tasks off my calendar onto my lists which is good.