Where does data go when is it processed but not done yet?

[evholten]

GTD says to pick up " stuff" only once and process it into actionable lists. But what do you do with the stuff while it is not being done yet? It doesn't go back to the inbox, but it isn't being dealt with neither, as it takes more than 2 minutes. Theoretically it is is an attachment to a task - but where does it stay, particularly if it's a physical file. Now it sits there waiting for the action to be done … but where exactly does it sit? Do i call this the Outbox?

Where do I leave the hard copy files (or digital files for that matter) once I clarified what the next action is? I have put the next action on my tasklists, but where to leave the files in the meantime?

In my case i am talking about hundreds of files and tasks to dozens of projects, so i cannot just put them aside on a pile. I have a closet full or trays, do i use this as a temperary holding place, seperate from the reference filing cabinet or archive?

Tnx, Erwin

 

[Folke]

What I do with this type of support material is this:

For large projects and areas or things that I need to keep, such as contracts, I have dedicated binders and shelf space etc. For small, "miscellaneous" things that I do not need to keep after the task is done I use a regular desk tray (a "support material" tray, if you will.) For electronic material, I file it on the computer if I need to keep it long term. I also leave emails in my email "forever" (and sometimes, quite rarely, embed links to these emails in my action notes).

 

[evholten]

Interesting
So you make a distinction between big things and smaller things; Things that you expect to keep for reference later and stuff that will disappear once the task is done? And phyically this results in seperate areas within your (home) office space? Very good!
But you do nót use the filing cabinet or archive for these bigger things? This means by definition you have to pick things up twice; once whilst processing/organizing things and onces at doing the task (and filing/deleting it afterwards).

Thank you!

 

[Folke]

I used the words "binders and shelf space" a bit metaphorically. In reality it is all kind of things - shelves and cabinets of all types, binders, boxes, folders, what have you. The less I think I will need it again, the further away I put it, and the more frequently I expect to use it use it, the closer I keep it to where I need it. Does that make sense? And the "areas" are not carved in stone either. But I usually write on each binder or box what is in it, and tend to put related stuff together, just so that I can find stuff with a reasonable amount of effort if i should need to.

I spend more time on organizing the stuff that I use often.

Yes you are right, I may need to pick things up twice. For example, if I get summoned to see a doctor and they attach a long description of what I need to do in preparation, the only thing I write down is the appointment as such in my calendar (possibly with a few pieces of info from the attachment, such as phone number etc), and possibly I also write a tickler action for a day or two prior to the appointment to start whatever preparation procedure I must begin, but the rest of the detailed instructions in the attachment I will not have copied, so if I really need to read them again I will need to retrieve that document and read it again.

 

[Vickie]

I do much the same. "Big things" for me tend to be projects so I have a projects support folder to keep that material in and then file it after the project if necessary (this could be done virtually as well as I often scan documents into One Note for my projects at work). For smaller items, I have a generic "actions support" folder that I use for those one off tasks.

Hope this helps!

 

[notmuch]

I do much the same. For hard copy items, I often use a very short code in the task description as a pointer. For instance "=a" tells me there is something in my generic "Action Support" folder, "=z" points to my A-Z system For digital items, I may use a url to dropbox or google drive.

 

[Oogiem]

Where do I leave the hard copy files (or digital files for that matter) once I clarified what the next action is? I have put the next action on my tasklists, but where to leave the files in the meantime?

They become project support materials. I file them in 2 different places depending on whether they are digital or paper. For paper ones I create a paper folder for the project and put them in there. If the project is a current active one it gets filed, A-Z, in my file cabinet drawer for current projects. If it's an on-hold or someday/maybe project then it gets filed in my general reference filing cabinet system in A-Z order. I usually have a full file cabinet drawer that contains the physical files for the current active projects.

For digital files I usually create 1-2 folders for the digital documents on my system. The main folder is a standard Finder folder in my folder Active_Projects and contains all the large documents and items I will beed to work on that project. The second folder, if needed, is in the Active_Projects folder of my DEVONThink Database that is my general filing system and contains small notes, e-mails and other small digital notes or pictures I may need to use in the project. In my list manager, Onmifocus, I put a note in the notes section of the project that there are additional materials in and give the names and locations of the folders (Active_Projects or DT_Active_Projects)

 

[Gardener]

Re: "This means by definition you have to pick things up twice"

I feel that you may be taking that more literally than is intended. I see it as meaning, don't do the same thing more than once. The thing to "pick up" only once is the action, not the physical item.

That is, don't repeat the process of:

"What's this? Oh. Right. Hmm. I should do something about that. But not now. I'm going to put it back on the stack." (ACTION: Decision)

folowed a month later by

"What's this? Oh, that thing again. Eh. I'm going to put it back on the stack." (ACTION: Decision)

followed a month later by

"Oh, my God, this again?! I don't know, all right? Back in the stack with you." (ACTION: Decision)

Instead, the process should look more like:

"What's this? Oh. Right. I should read this, but it's not realistic to expect to do it this month. I'm going to file it under its title, and add a line to my 'To Read' list that will allow me to find it when I get to that line in the list." (ACTION: Decision)

followed an hour later, at the file cabinet, by:

"OK, that's filed." (ACTION: Filing.)

followed a month later, when reading the To Read list, by:

"Oh, yeah, I remember that. Filed under Blah...got it. I'm going to take it with me and read it at lunch." (ACTION: Task selection and un-filing)

followed twenty minutes later by,

"All righty, got my sandwich, now let's read this thing." (ACTION: Reading)

So you handle the physical object multiple times, but the action is different every time.

As for where to put it, I'm working on this decision right now, in yet another tweak of my system. I'm trying to move more and more and more things out of my active projects and lists, as I learn more about my (low) tolerance for long action lists.

I try to have a very clear line between my active project and action lists, and anything and everything that I can get OUT of my active project and action lists. So while someone else might have a "Reading" project with sixteen actions in it, I'll have a "To Read" list with sixteen items in it, and a single action, "Review To Read list and pick something" in my action lists. There's no real difference between the two, except a psychological difference, for me, in having shorter 'action' lists. Similarly, where someone else might brainstorm a bunch of possible actions for a project and leave them in their actions, I will store that as project support material, somewhere else.

But where? Physical files? Notebooks? OmniOutliner outlines? Text files? Digital files organized by a database? Where? Where? Where?

I'm leaning toward "Digital files organized by a database" but that may just be because that gives me the pleasure of either shopping for or writing the organizing software.

Oh--the one "where" that I am satisfied with is "where" to store incoming emails that serve as support material for actions. Those, I store in a big email folder of all emails for the year, and the action has enough information to find the relative email. ("See email from JSmith 5/5/2010") The success of this method is why I think I want the digital-files-stored-by-database scheme, because I could do a similar thing. ("See garden diagram labelled '150510 Veg Revamp'") There would still be a modest amount of paper, but I think that would be rare enough that I could come up with a scheme that works item by item.

 

[evholten]

Haha. OMG. I am going to need some time to "process" this all, folks. Thank you very much!

 

[SherGTD]

When I have documents or data runs to support projects I'm working on, I throw them into a manilla file, create a temporary label with a post-it, and put it in a sorting bin on top of my desk (I never put project support files in my cabinet with my A-Z reference files). Additionally, when I create the support file, I note a (PS) on my project list to denote that I have project support for this project. Similarly, you can set up a Project Support folder on your computer or in Evernote to hold your electronic project support files. Noting that you have a Project Support folder on your project list is key - be kind to your future self .