Working off the lists when alone?

[alenabakai]

Do you open your next action list (except for Agenda) at meetings? If you don't it means that context lists works only in situations when you are alone. When working at office, you need to find a place where you are on your own to start working off your lists?

 

[Tspall]

Depends on the situation

If I have something to add to a meeting, then I'll have an @agenda-xxx list open so I don't forget to bring something up. If not, then i'll usually just have my capture tool (index cards or notepad) ready so I can capture important information that I need to remember or act on. Once the meeting is over, I'll add this information to my @action lists or reference, as needed.

The @action list is not dependent on whether or not you're by yourself. It's for whenever you need to reference the lists. I've brought it out when talking to someone (RTM app on my iPhone) and made a next action item right there on the spot. If anyone asks, I just say "I'm writing it down so I don't forget." Not only is it accepted, but sometimes people are appreciative that I felt it important enough to write it down.

 

[Suelin23]

If people are running late to a meeting and you have a few minutes spare then I feel ok reviewing my NA lists, but usually I prefer to review the lists before the meeting so when they are there the focus is on them and not my lists. I do agree that meetings are an opportunity to ask for help with things on my NA lists, so it is a good idea to check them before people leave the meeting. Especially if the meeting ends early then people are often willing to stick around and help with other things.

 

[alenabakai]

I think I just put my question wrong in writing. My statement is you can use action lists only when you're alone. As a manager I'm constantly busy because people come in and out of my office. Do I have to close the door and make time for my lists to have them working?

 

[supergtdman]

No, I check my lists on iphone or iPad in public

 

[alenabakai]

you mean you make judgments on what to do by scanning your lists and making calls or drafting ideas on your iPAD during the meeting with another person?

 

[Myriam]

if necessary

you mean you make judgments on what to do by scanning your lists and making calls or drafting ideas on your iPAD during the meeting with another person?

if during a meeting someone is asking you to do something by a certain date, it is logic to check your lists to see if this is possible for you. Or if someone drops in and asks you to have a look at something or discuss something, you might need to look at yout lists to be able to tell them "come in" or "not just right now"

Myriam

 

[S-Tolland]

Do I have to close the door and make time for my lists to have them working?

It sounds like you are in constant demand - you may need to try to train your team to change their habits to allow you time to work on your items. Everyone needs at least some time to get to grips with their work without interruptions.

If your work requires that for the majority of the time you are available, perhaps you could look at trying to carve out one or two hours each day that are designated as "do not disturb" - at other times you can be open for people to interrupt. Do you have a secretary that could be a "gatekeeper" and ensure that only urgent things are put through to you to allow time to work? I know that some of the academics on the forums struggle with this kind of situation, and I think there were a couple of threads recently relating to similar situations. Can anyone point these out?

 

[Oogiem]

I think I just put my question wrong in writing. My statement is you can use action lists only when you're alone.

Why? That makes no sense to me. I have several action lists that specifically require other people to be involved. I have a context of outside with help. When I have assistance I constantly review that list to see what we can be working on next. I also have and inside the house context with help. Things I can't do without some assistance.

I'm confused as to why you think that you can only do actions on your lists or check them when you are alone. Maybe you need to review how you define your contexts.

 

[Suelin23]

As a manager I'm constantly busy because people come in and out of my office. Do I have to close the door and make time for my lists to have them working?

No, not at all. I work in an open plan office, the desire is to have 'collaborative working space' and they want everyone to be interrupting everyone all the time.
If someone comes in and wants to talk but you are busy working on something, ask them to wait a sec while you put your NA down on your list, talk to them, before they go check your lists to see if there was anything you need them for to discuss or work on together, then go back to your list, add any new NA, then check the list and choose what to work on and the cycle starts again.

 

[alenabakai]

Suelin, you hit the point

I will have my list growing because doing time is less then new input time (people constantly jump in to discuss business with me as I'm the boss). And when I have time to look through my list - all my time will be filled with just scrolling a long lists of options. When I'm close to the end somebody jumps in or calls me

O, help!

 

[supergtdman]

Suelin, you hit the point

I will have my list growing because doing time is less then new input time (people constantly jump in to discuss business with me as I'm the boss). And when I have time to look through my list - all my time will be filled with just scrolling a long lists of options. When I'm close to the end somebody jumps in or calls me

O, help!

Why would this be a surprise though?
There is always more options to do than what is possible to get done. It's impossible to get everything done because our resources are limited.
But with GTD you can feel good about what you do and don't do. Instead of letting things fall through the cracks or getting stressed because you tried to keep too much stuff inside of your head.

 

[alenabakai]

Yeah, that's right! Just having many options takes me a lot of time to make a choice what to do Hope you know what I'm talking about. Sometimes it takes longer then to do something. And don't forget constant jump ins and calls

I feel like I need more then a gut feeling or intuitive choice. I need an approach that speeds up the process of choosing at least not speaking about doing