When's the best time to do a mind sweep?

[TimBourne]

In order to not get to the overwhelmed stage, I add a mindsweep to my weekly Sunday night weekly review. Often I find that the review triggers ideas and memories.

add a mindsweep to my weekly Sunday night weekly review. Often I find that the review triggers ideas and memories.

?

 

[TimBourne]

Make sure you are not confusing the mind sweep with the weekly review.

right ?

am I?

 

[TimBourne]

@TimBourne

Hi, Tim.



I hear that you are not sure how to "properly" do a mindsweep every day.

If it is not yet a habit to do a mindsweep, you might not realize how much it
will help you to get everything off your mind and into your capture tool, so
you can later clarify and organize it into your system. People say it is a relief to
have all that STUFF off their minds!

Yes - I would also think that ?

Remember that doing a mindsweep is not the same as landing a space ship on
Mars. A precision job is not required. Instead of attempting to do a mindsweep
"properly," just do a mindsweep as you now understand it. That will be just fine.

Not the same as a space ship?
not precision job?
fine?

It is a good idea to do a mindsweep every day, as you mention, but I think it is
better at first to start less frequently, so you can develop a successful habit. Pick
a convenient day and time once a week to start doing your regular mindsweep.

everyday?
less frequently is better?
i've already tried in the past?

I keep learning that there is no "proper" or "right" way to do GTD. The important
thing is that GTD is flexible enough to be used in whatever way works for you

no proper way?

Do you remember that animated video you liked about doing a mind sweep?
You were excited because the idea of a mind sweep had been hard to grasp,
and suddenly, when you saw the animation, it was clear and seemed simple.

animated video of mindsweep from GTD teens?

You discovered by experimenting that your brain may understand things more
clearly after watching certain animations. Clarity of thinking matters, so this is
very valuable information to know about yourself.

after the animation I was more clear?

I want to caution you about what happened to me, so you do not fall into that
difficulty. As I have mentioned, I do not yet have a GTD system in place. One of
the problems is that I need to set up a home office first.

caution
you keep writing you need to set up your home office in other posts also from my memory?

An essential David Allen recommends is an efficient reference file system where I
can write things down on paper or in a program, and I have a place to put them.
I am not equipped to do that yet, and things are getting lost, which is frustrating.
And that is only part of what is needed in a system, such as project files, and all the
lists needed for the system, and a place to put them, as discussed in the GTD book.

A filing system down on paper or program
have a place
you feel your not equipped - why?

I was doing frequent mind sweeps, and I was collecting a lot of "STUFF" on pieces
of paper, but I could not begin to clarify or organize because I had no place to put
anything. When there is no reliable place to put things, a system cannot be created.

Same - I was also collecting lots of stuff
and not feeling I was clarifying things?

I finally ended up throwing out my hundreds of captured notes because I could not
process them. In addition, my mind knew I was not processing the things I captured,
so it did not have trust in the capture process.

You threw out hundreds of notes
- because or did they all fell like clutter?

You want your mind to be free of clutter, so you can think creatively, and so your system
can do the work of remembering for you. To make sure this happens, I suggest that before
you start doing mind sweeps, read the GTD book and decide how to set up a your GTD system.

make your mind clutter free
read the GTD book on how to set up GTD system

Then get the digital or physical containers and supplies your system needs, so you have all the
proper places to put things you clarify and organize where you can find them. That's what I am
or will be working on until I can get that done.

get the supplies"

Take care!

Emily

 

[TimBourne]

Don't let perfect get in the way of good. GTD is getting things done. What is the very next action you can take to set it up? And you really don't need an office. All you need is a note with projects and several notes with contexts for very next actions and you're done. All that other brain crushing stuff can be done later. If you wait for all the pieces to be in place you'll never get anywhere. All the best.

Don't let perfect be in the way?

 

[TimBourne]

Hi, @fooddude, I know you wish me all the best. Thanks!

That is a helpful question: What is the very next action I can take to set up a system that does what I need it to do? My desired outcome is to have homes for each item, whether actionable or not, so I know where to put it and where to find it. I want to feel relaxed and peaceful and in control. Instead, things are getting lost, and I am feeling discouraged and frustrated.

homes for each item?

I am not saying that nothing I am doing is working because I do have several effective systems in place. For instance, I file my state and federal income taxes by year, and if I need anything related to taxes, I can find it. I also keep my credit card statements and purchase orders in a binder for each statement due date, and I can reconcile and confirm these charges before I pay them. I know I can create useful systems because these systems are working well enough.

nothing is working
taxes or credit cards?

"People say not paying in cash is bad"

Nonetheless. I am having trouble with most other things. Wthout places to put things and find things, I am losing things and feeling discouraged and frustrated. I have put a lot of time and energy and not a little money into trying to work this out. I have tried hanging file folders, manila folders, project boxes, three-ring binders, document protectors, disc-bound notebooks, project sleeves, mini-binders, thin binders, wide binders, bullet journals, presentation notebooks, and maybe 30 or more software programs.

other things
tried hanging all these different object

Nothing fits for me, so far, and that matters to me. I want to enjoy and feel comfortable with my system and to start out with the equipment and tools and supplies I need. David Allen does recommend this. He even takes people he is coaching out to get the supplies they need, so they have places to put things. Well, our mileage may vary.

nothing fits?

I'm not sure now what my next action would be, since nothing has worked for me yet. If perfectionism is the problem, as you suggest, that could be tested as a hypothesis. My next action could be to choose from the things I have already tried some things that would work okay for me, even if they are not ideal, and commit to using them for a few months, and see whether that helps me get started on my GTD system.

hypothesis?

Emily

 

[TimBourne]

Look don't make it so complicated. Use Parkinson's law in reverse. (I think that is the one I mean) Here is an example of my reference system and actionable system. Actionable includes input (pad and pen), In basket and current working files I want at hand. Notice the reference system is a certain size. When it gets full, I curate and toss files. Thus Parkinson's law in reverse. My GTD system is in apple notes and I think is in this thread. And there has to be one next action that you can do. Have you done a mind sweep of projects? A project has more than one next action. I have one: "Add upcoming sales to website" NA @Melissa. Get addresses for upcoming sales. See one project and one next action.

Parkinson's disease is what my grandfather had
example of your reference system?
actionable pad and pen
,basket ,files
toss
,system in apples notes
have I done a mind sweep of projects? no IDK, what is that? @fooddude ?

erm

your system - looks better in these photos than what I have "

View attachment 2295


View attachment 2296

S

 

[TimBourne]

If I understand, I think you are wondering how to locate an item on an Alastair Calendar, after the item is entered on the Calendar, and before the scheduled date the item shows up on the Calendar, and without remembering the scheduled date.

This is a very good question, and I'm not sure there is an answer that is fast and easy. I had that very problem with my paper calendar. I looked through my paper calendar, and I did not find the item in my search.

Darn it! This was not going to be fast. I would have to look through my calendar carefully for the item. In this case, the item was a tickler (an item I need to decide by a future date).

Recently @mcogilvie mentioned that a certain item I needed to clarify would be a tickler in his system. He said a tickler can be entered on the calendar, but he happens to use a tickler list instead. I believe he likes to see all his ticklers together.

This put the idea of a tickler list in my mind while I was thinking about finding things on my calendar. That's when I thought of using an Alastair Calendar as a tickler list. I thought it would be faster to locate a tickler item by searching down a paper tickler list (i.e., an Alastair Calendar with a column for each time period) than by searching through the pages of my paper calendar.

I don't know yet whether that is accurate.

I think the divisions into columns for separate periods of time in an Alastair Calendar could make it relatively fast to find an item prior to the date it is scheduled to show up, at least If you had some idea of the time period wnen the item might appear. In that case, you could search the column for that period, rather than having to search all the columns of the Alastair Calendar.

Ultimately, though, the only sure way to find an entirely lost item is to search through every single entry. It might not take too long, compared to searching through all the pages of a paper calendar, unless you have a long list of triggers.

However long that takes, you may discover the same thing I did: I had made NO entry in my paper calendar for that ticker item I was searching for. I was sure I had, but I had not. No wonder I could not find it.

Thanks for taking an interest in the Alastair Method. It is fun to try it!

Warmly,

Emily

...
to come back to ?

 

[gtdstudente]

If I understand, I think you are wondering how to locate an item on an Alastair Calendar, after the item is entered on the Calendar, and before the scheduled date the item shows up on the Calendar, and without remembering the scheduled date.

This is a very good question, and I'm not sure there is an answer that is fast and easy. I had that very problem with my paper calendar. I looked through my paper calendar, and I did not find the item in my search.

Darn it! This was not going to be fast. I would have to look through my calendar carefully for the item. In this case, the item was a tickler (an item I need to decide by a future date).

Recently @mcogilvie mentioned that a certain item I needed to clarify would be a tickler in his system. He said a tickler can be entered on the calendar, but he happens to use a tickler list instead. I believe he likes to see all his ticklers together.

This put the idea of a tickler list in my mind while I was thinking about finding things on my calendar. That's when I thought of using an Alastair Calendar as a tickler list. I thought it would be faster to locate a tickler item by searching down a paper tickler list (i.e., an Alastair Calendar with a column for each time period) than by searching through the pages of my paper calendar.

I don't know yet whether that is accurate.

I think the divisions into columns for separate periods of time in an Alastair Calendar could make it relatively fast to find an item prior to the date it is scheduled to show up, at least If you had some idea of the time period wnen the item might appear. In that case, you could search the column for that period, rather than having to search all the columns of the Alastair Calendar.

Ultimately, though, the only sure way to find an entirely lost item is to search through every single entry. It might not take too long, compared to searching through all the pages of a paper calendar, unless you have a long list of triggers.

However long that takes, you may discover the same thing I did: I had made NO entry in my paper calendar for that ticker item I was searching for. I was sure I had, but I had not. No wonder I could not find it.

Thanks for taking an interest in the Alastair Method. It is fun to try it!

Warmly,

Emily

@Mrs-Polifax

Yes . . . perhaps, this is a good GTD challenge question

How to find anything before it shows up as originally intended ?

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

Dear Emily,

Thank you for introducing me to the Alastair Method. It’s a clever way to do with paper what is more easily done digitally. Lately I have been thinking about Markdown and the role it plays for me in the Natural Planning Model. At its simplest, iMarkdown uses #, ##, ### et cetera for different heading levels, and - for items under headers. So a natural planning model project might look like:

# Royal Ball held
## Purpose and principles
- Secure the royal succession by finding a wife for the prince
- Make process transparent and fair
- Make it fun
## Desired outcomes
- Prince married to wonderful young woman
- Everyone satisfied that process was fair
- Everyone had a good time
## Brainstorm
- Invite all young women of the kingdom to a royal ball to meet the prince
- Find a good DJ and caterer
- Arrange for cloakroom to store hats, coats, glass slippers, et cetera

And so forth. It occurred to me that Markdown works pretty well with paper. I’m sure there is some equivalent convention among Bullet Journal users, but I don’t know what it is. Or maybe there are multiple methods?

Best,
Mike

Awww! Cinderella! I love it! I used to read fairy tales by the volumes as a child. I even had a trap door under my bed that led to a shimmering place of wonder. I think I half believed it then.

Mike, you have done something that really helps me, something I did not know I needed, or did not realize I needed to ask. You have helped me learn a bit of Markdown. This is important, since I understand that Obsidian uses Markdown. I thought it was too complicated to learn when I saw some of it, but you make it so simple. Different levels of header sizes and text sizes, indicated by certain symbols. It may be complicated as a whole, as you intimate, but I can see a place to start now. So simple.

When it is translated by certain programs, does it act similarly to html by showing up with the headers and text at the size indicated? I expect that must be the main point. Most importantly, I believe one can read the text in Markdown, even if one loses this translation from Markdown capability, so if the translating program is discontinued, the whole system is still safe.

Great example, too, for a practical beginner like me of the way to use the natural planning model for a project. It is amazing how much easier it is to learn and understand something when it is framed in a context that is easy to grasp, interesting, and familiar, with a tinge of nostalgia thrown in.

I love your story. So sweet and clever. Yet I wonder. Could ChatGTP4 do this?

Yes, there are basic symbols in the Bullet Journal community from the originator of the Bullet Journal Method, Ryder Carroll. The symbols and signifiers are not meant to define formatting but are ways to capture, interact with, and manage the items that have our attention. Ryder Carroll was diagnosed in childhood with ADHD. He had trouble understanding and learning. He was trying to find a method to survive under these limiting conditions by developing the bullet journal for his own use, which he did over a period of years. Along the way, he became a product designer. He has been using the Bullet Journal to live an intentional and mindful life. He says he has outgrown his ADHD, but I think he may have outsmarted it through his practices. The Bullet Journal community has evolved in diverse ways and especially includes artistic or decorative practices that were not part of the original method. The original Bullet Journal involves a certain format, symbols, signifiers, and methods. I hope I can represent it more or less accurately here.
START

# Bullet Journal

## Format:
- An Index at the start of the journal with page numbers and contents
- A Key at the start of the journal defining the symbols/signifiers used
- A Future Log (or calendar) at the start of the journal for each month.
- A current Daily Rapid Log that captures items as they arise to mind.
- A current Monthly Log on a two-page spread of calendar items and tasks.
- The rest of the bujo may continue this timeline through days and months.
- The rest of the bujo may add anything (projects, goals, artwork, ad infinitum).

## Symbols
- O Event or Appointment
- - Note
- • Task or To-Do
- / Partially Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- X Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- • Cancelled Task (dot overwritten, as shown)
- < Scheduled Item (the arrow points to the Future Log to the left, earlier in the Bujo)
- > Migrated Item (the arrow points to the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly log to the right, later in the Bujo)

## Signifiers (optional; if used, place to the left of a Symbol)
- * Important
- (•) Look into
- ! Idea

## Rapid Logging
- Uses brief entries
- Captures events, tasks, and thoughts that arise now and matter.
- Uses symbols and signifiers to manage captured items effectively.
- Promotes mindfulness with symbols that can relocate and cancel.
- Promotes an active orientation with symbols that can involve action.
- Uses a day, week, month forward orientation that leads to progress.

END

Thanks for asking, Mike. I love your story.

Warmly,
Emily

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

I think the Alastair Method is being presented as one way of doing the Tickler file, which is part of GTD. It looks like it would work very well in a paper system where sorting the items would mean rewriting them all. You can simply add a new item to the end of the list and the date columns make finding "Today's Ticklers" easy to do.

Exactly, @cfoley!

Thanks for clarifying this so succinctly. I love it that you are supporting me in getting started with my GTD system. Thanks!

Now I am not sure whether there is a difference between reminders and ticklers. I wonder if these are two words for the same thing. I tried to find out about this in the updated GTD book. The best I could do is Page 44, Paragraph 2. Here is the quote:

"Date Specific Information The calendar is also the place to keep track of things you want to know about on specific days -- not necessarily actions you'll have to take but rather information that may be useful on a certain date. This might include directions for appointments, activities that other people (family or staff) will be involved in then, or events of interest. It's helpful to put short-term tickler information here, too, such as a reminder to call someone after he or she returns from vacation. This is also where you would want to park important reminders about when something might be due, or when something needs to be started (in case it hasn't been yet), given a determined lead time."

(Text in the quote was bolded by me.)

It seems to me that David Allen is using Reminders and Ticklers interchangably here. Can you clarify how Reminder and Ticklers are different or whether they are two different words for the same thing? Maybe others also can also shed some light on this.

Thanks!

Emily

 

[TimBourne]

Exactly, @cfoley!

Thanks for clarifying this so succinctly. I love it that you are supporting me in getting started with my GTD system. Thanks!

Now I am not sure whether there is a difference between reminders and ticklers. I wonder if these are two words for the same thing. I tried to find out about this in the updated GTD book. The best I could do is Page 44, Paragraph 2. Here is the quote:

"Date Specific Information The calendar is also the place to keep track of things you want to know about on specific days -- not necessarily actions you'll have to take but rather information that may be useful on a certain date. This might include directions for appointments, activities that other people (family or staff) will be involved in then, or events of interest. It's helpful to put short-term tickler information here, too, such as a reminder to call someone after he or she returns from vacation. This is also where you would want to park important reminders about when something might be due, or when something needs to be started (in case it hasn't been yet), given a determined lead time."

(Text in the quote was bolded by me.)

It seems to me that David Allen is using Reminders and Ticklers interchangably here. Can you clarify how Reminder and Ticklers are different or whether they are two different words for the same thing? Maybe others also can also shed some light on this.

Thanks!

Emily

i just scanned over this

see
Yes, there are basic symbols in the Bullet Journal community from the originator of the Bullet Journal Method, Ryder Carroll. The symbols and signifiers are not meant to define formatting but are ways to capture, interact with, and manage the items that have our attention. Ryder Carroll was diagnosed in childhood with ADHD. He had trouble understanding and learning. He was trying to find a method to survive under these limiting conditions by developing the bullet journal for his own use, which he did over a period of years. Along the way, he became a product designer. He has been using the Bullet Journal to live an intentional and mindful life. He says he has outgrown his ADHD, but I think he may have outsmarted it through his practices. The Bullet Journal community has evolved in diverse ways and especially includes artistic or decorative practices that were not part of the original method. The original Bullet Journal involves a certain format, symbols, signifiers, and methods. I hope I can represent it more or less accurately here.
START

# Bullet Journal

## Format:
- An Index at the start of the journal with page numbers and contents
- A Key at the start of the journal defining the symbols/signifiers used
- A Future Log (or calendar) at the start of the journal for each month.
- A current Daily Rapid Log that captures items as they arise to mind.
- A current Monthly Log on a two-page spread of calendar items and tasks.
- The rest of the bujo may continue this timeline through days and months.
- The rest of the bujo may add anything (projects, goals, artwork, ad infinitum).

## Symbols
- O Event or Appointment
- - Note
- • Task or To-Do
- / Partially Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- X Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- • Cancelled Task (dot overwritten, as shown)
- < Scheduled Item (the arrow points to the Future Log to the left, earlier in the Bujo)
- > Migrated Item (the arrow points to the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly log to the right, later in the Bujo)

## Signifiers (optional; if used, place to the left of a Symbol)
- * Important
- (•) Look into
- ! Idea

## Rapid Logging
- Uses brief entries
- Captures events, tasks, and thoughts that arise now and matter.
- Uses symbols and signifiers to manage captured items effectively.
- Promotes mindfulness with symbols that can relocate and cancel.
- Promotes an active orientation with symbols that can involve action.
- Uses a day, week, month forward orientation that leads to progress.

you are writing - about bullet journal method
that's something I have not tried , but @gtds - I mean I @FocusGuy mentioned in the past to me

should I un follow this post now?

 

[fooddude]

Recently @mcogilvie mentioned that a certain item I needed to clarify would be a tickler in his system. He said a tickler can be entered on the calendar, but he happens to use a tickler list instead. I believe he likes to see all his ticklers together.

A tickler works best as a recurring event in a digital calendar or you can do the 43 folders for paper. You wouldn't use a tickler for projects because they are on your project list. And the very next action is in a context list. What are you trying to accomplish with a tickler system? For example I use Apple Calendar. I use it as a tickler to pay my property taxes annually. I get a bill and put the due date in my calendar with a notation for Action support (AS). Then put the bill in action support folder. When the date comes around, I see the note, check my AS file and pay the bill. A tickler file is for something that happens in the future that you want it to pop up when you need it. I don't need to see that tax bill again til its due. I used to use 43 folders, but I don't have that much paper coming at me anymore. Right now I don't have anything in my AS file. I'm not sure why you would be searching your calendar for something. The calendar is for items you want to show up when you need them. If you are looking for them you have the wrong date on them.

 

[fooddude]

Don't let perfect be in the way?

Yes people look for the perfect system and make theirs so complicated they don't get anything done.

 

[fooddude]

i just scanned over this

see
Yes, there are basic symbols in the Bullet Journal community from the originator of the Bullet Journal Method, Ryder Carroll. The symbols and signifiers are not meant to define formatting but are ways to capture, interact with, and manage the items that have our attention. Ryder Carroll was diagnosed in childhood with ADHD. He had trouble understanding and learning. He was trying to find a method to survive under these limiting conditions by developing the bullet journal for his own use, which he did over a period of years. Along the way, he became a product designer. He has been using the Bullet Journal to live an intentional and mindful life. He says he has outgrown his ADHD, but I think he may have outsmarted it through his practices. The Bullet Journal community has evolved in diverse ways and especially includes artistic or decorative practices that were not part of the original method. The original Bullet Journal involves a certain format, symbols, signifiers, and methods. I hope I can represent it more or less accurately here.
START

# Bullet Journal

## Format:
- An Index at the start of the journal with page numbers and contents
- A Key at the start of the journal defining the symbols/signifiers used
- A Future Log (or calendar) at the start of the journal for each month.
- A current Daily Rapid Log that captures items as they arise to mind.
- A current Monthly Log on a two-page spread of calendar items and tasks.
- The rest of the bujo may continue this timeline through days and months.
- The rest of the bujo may add anything (projects, goals, artwork, ad infinitum).

## Symbols
- O Event or Appointment
- - Note
- • Task or To-Do
- / Partially Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- X Completed Task (dot overwritten, not shown)
- • Cancelled Task (dot overwritten, as shown)
- < Scheduled Item (the arrow points to the Future Log to the left, earlier in the Bujo)
- > Migrated Item (the arrow points to the Daily, Weekly, or Monthly log to the right, later in the Bujo)

## Signifiers (optional; if used, place to the left of a Symbol)
- * Important
- (•) Look into
- ! Idea

## Rapid Logging
- Uses brief entries
- Captures events, tasks, and thoughts that arise now and matter.
- Uses symbols and signifiers to manage captured items effectively.
- Promotes mindfulness with symbols that can relocate and cancel.
- Promotes an active orientation with symbols that can involve action.
- Uses a day, week, month forward orientation that leads to progress.

you are writing - about bullet journal method
that's something I have not tried , but @gtds - I mean I @FocusGuy mentioned in the past to me

should I un follow this post now?

I would think this would make ADHD worse. Personally, I went the other direction and took things away from my system til I got it as simple as possible. I'm also not a fan of cluttering up my system with completed or cancelled tasks. And GTD doesn't have partially completed tasks. It has projects and next actions listed in context. You know a project is partially completed because it is on your project list.

 

[gtdstudente]

@fooddude

Great GTD insights . . . thank you very much

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

@fooddude

Hey, Thanks for your comments. I think I get what you are saying here. I had to read it carefully.

1. Call Mary anytime. This action goes on your Next Actions list in the @Phone context.
This action is not date- or time-sensitive, so it does not go on your Calendar.

2. Call Mary June 1. This action goes on your Apple Calendar under all day events.
This action is date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar.
This action is not time-sensitive, so it is not entered at a certain time but under all-day events.

3. Pay mortgage June 1 (my example/guess). Triggers go on your Apple Calendar under all day events.
This action is date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar.
This action is not time-sensitive, so it is not entered at a certain time but under all-day events.

4. Call Mary Jun 1 at 10 am. This action goes on your Apple Calendar under 10 am appointments.
This action is time- and date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar at a certain time.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________-
I think this all makes good sense, and I agree with it, except that I believe we also "do" at times from the calendar, as shown above. I use a paper calendar, so I cannot put actions or triggers in a specific place for all day events, but I see what you mean.

I'd appreciate it if you could clarify what you believe is meant by triggers, ticklers, and reminders, and whether these items are the same things or not. I am getting confused by these words that seem similar and whose functions are not yet clear to me.

I have a "tickler" list now with one item on it. The "tickler" on my list is this: I am taking a course. Months from now I will need to decide whether or not to continue the course and pay the additional fees. If I decide not to continue, I will need to notify the online office before the deadline. Otherwise, I will be charged for the additional course. I must take action before the deadline, which I do not want to forget.

I decided to put this on a tickler list, instead of on my calendar, since I understand from @mcogilvie that using a tickler list for ticklers instead of using a calendar for ticklers may work better for some people. I thought it would be a good idea to have a separate tickler list in order to be specifically aware of my ticklers, since it could be hard to keep track of them on my calendar.

I think you've just made it more complicated. You've added another tool to look after.

It sounds like your objection to this is that I now have another tool to look after (a tickler list), which complicates my system. Yes, I suppose this is true. I hadn't thought of it like this. I don't really know how much complication this would involve.

I just emailed the course office to request the deadline date before which I will need to cancel my enrollment to avert paying for the next course. I delegated this action to the course office, and that is now on my waiting for list. I made a tentative plan:

1. By no later than 15 days before the deadline, I will start considering.
2. By no later than 10 days before the deadline, I will make a final decision.
3. If I decide not to continue, I will email the course office with my decision.
4. I will send that email 9 days or more before the deadline date.
5. I will send another copy of that email at the same time for security.
6. If I decide to continue, nothing at all needs to be done.

I will not have enough infomation to decide about this item for the next few months. Now that you know the nature of this item, what do you think is the best way for me to proceed, so I can remind myself of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done in a timely way within my GTD system?

Thanks!
Best to you,
Emily

 

[Mrs-Polifax]

However, because it is impossible for any writer to actually know what another reader already knows for further learning any subject matter, then it would seemingly be incumbent on the reader to ask the writer to either possibly provide a particular example(s),

Thank you for making this effort to communicate. I am sure you have a point that when two people are in a conversation, the communication depends on both of them. Asking for clarification and examples is a way to try to bridge the diffculties. I know you have a good heart from your way of interacting. I sense that you want to support people who need it. That is a kindness I appreciate and admire. It seems as if you may have gone through things that make you very sensitive and responsive to what others may be enduring. We surely need more of that in the world. It is so unfortunate that while I sense your spirit from your actions over time, the words are very difficult for me to grasp. That makes it difficult for me know how to ask for clarification or examples. Thank you for your suggestion. I will consider over the fullness of time what I may be able contribute in this way.

Warmly,

Emily

 

[fooddude]

I have a "tickler" list now with one item on it. The "tickler" on my list is this: I am taking a course. Months from now I will need to decide whether or not to continue the course and pay the additional fees. If I decide not to continue, I will need to notify the online office before the deadline. Otherwise, I will be charged for the additional course. I must take action before the deadline, which I do not want to forget.

I decided to put this on a tickler list, instead of on my calendar, since I understand from @mcogilvie that using a tickler list for ticklers instead of using a calendar for ticklers may work better for some people. I thought it would be a good idea to have a separate tickler list in order to be specifically aware of my ticklers, since it could be hard to keep track of them on my calendar.

So for me my tickler list is in my calendar. How are you certain that stop course will show up when you need it if it isn't on your calendar? If it doesn't show up when you need it you have to either rely on your memory or add looking at an additional list to your day or week. Both are sub optimal. The only other way is 43 folders(good for paper systems). But as I said I have replaced 43 folders with all day events in apple calendar. So "stop course" would go on the month and day you want to stop the course. And it will show up when you need. And it is off your mind until you need it. Why would it be hard to keep track on your calendar? You should have day and time specific items on it. Only. It isn't to be cluttered with your next actions which should be in context. I see some who use all day events for some sort of to do list. That is confusing and will just cause problems.

1. Call Mary anytime. This action goes on your Next Actions list in the @Phone context.
This action is not date- or time-sensitive, so it does not go on your Calendar.

2. Call Mary June 1. This action goes on your Apple Calendar under all day events.
This action is date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar.
This action is not time-sensitive, so it is not entered at a certain time but under all-day events.

3. Pay mortgage June 1 (my example/guess). Triggers go on your Apple Calendar under all day events.
This action is date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar.
This action is not time-sensitive, so it is not entered at a certain time but under all-day events.

4. Call Mary Jun 1 at 10 am. This action goes on your Apple Calendar under 10 am appointments.
This action is time- and date-sensitive, so it is entered on your calendar at a certain time.

Yes exactly. I have all my bill reminders even though all of ours are auto drafted. As "reminders" One side note. The tickler is there so you actually do the NA. Otherwise it is not time specific and should just be under a context.

I'd appreciate it if you could clarify what you believe is meant by triggers, ticklers, and reminders, and whether these items are the same things or not. I am getting confused by these words that seem similar and whose functions are not yet clear to me.

I've always heard tickler for actions (reminders) at sometime in the future. Something that has to show up exactly when you need it. A trigger list is a list of questions to ask during weekly review or a mind sweep. See attachments.

 

[cfoley]

Exactly, @cfoley!

Thanks for clarifying this so succinctly. I love it that you are supporting me in getting started with my GTD system. Thanks!

Now I am not sure whether there is a difference between reminders and ticklers. I wonder if these are two words for the same thing. I tried to find out about this in the updated GTD book. The best I could do is Page 44, Paragraph 2. Here is the quote:

"Date Specific Information The calendar is also the place to keep track of things you want to know about on specific days -- not necessarily actions you'll have to take but rather information that may be useful on a certain date. This might include directions for appointments, activities that other people (family or staff) will be involved in then, or events of interest. It's helpful to put short-term tickler information here, too, such as a reminder to call someone after he or she returns from vacation. This is also where you would want to park important reminders about when something might be due, or when something needs to be started (in case it hasn't been yet), given a determined lead time."

(Text in the quote was bolded by me.)

It seems to me that David Allen is using Reminders and Ticklers interchangably here. Can you clarify how Reminder and Ticklers are different or whether they are two different words for the same thing? Maybe others also can also shed some light on this.

Thanks!

Emily

To my mind -- and I might be wrong -- the word 'reminder' does not have a GTD-specific meaning. I would consider almost everything in GTD to be a reminder of some sort. Context lists are reminders to do the next actions they contain. Waiting Fors are reminders of the things you have delegated. The calendar is full of reminders of things to do or to know about on specific days, etc. Other people might have different ideas of what a reminder is. To them it might be an app on their phone, or they might understand it to to be something that interrupts them with a notification or alarm.

The tickler file does have a GTD-specific meaning. It is a system that surfaces things put into it on a date of your choosing. The GTD book describes using 43 folders. You described the Alastair Method. I have heard other people using calendar software as a tickler system.

I think that rereading the paragraph you quoted, the first "reminder" is synonymous with tickler and the second was just talking about reminders for due dates.

 

[Sarahsuccess]

I just emailed the course office to request the deadline date before which I will need to cancel my enrollment to avert paying for the next course. I delegated this action to the course office, and that is now on my waiting for list. I made a tentative plan:

1. By no later than 15 days before the deadline, I will start considering.
2. By no later than 10 days before the deadline, I will make a final decision.
3. If I decide not to continue, I will email the course office with my decision.
4. I will send that email 9 days or more before the deadline date.
5. I will send another copy of that email at the same time for security.
6. If I decide to continue, nothing at all needs to be done.

I will not have enough infomation to decide about this item for the next few months. Now that you know the nature of this item, what do you think is the best way for me to proceed, so I can remind myself of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done in a timely way within my GTD system?

You already put “waiting for course office to reply with deadline date” on your waiting for list.

That’s great and that’s all that needs to be done for now.

I would put the tentative plan that you wrote in project plans for the course.

Once the office replies with the deadline , I would put that on my calendar.

Part of the GTD system is to develop habits to regularly check your waiting for list and to regularly look at your calendar for the current week and one week ahead.

Then as it gets closer I’d decide what to do.

Putting any of those self imposed deadlines on the calendar would clutter it, and obscure real deadlines. You need to be able to trust your calendar for important necessary information.

I think the question to ask is: What is enough to get this off my mind? (Not: what is the perfect way to put this in my system)