Konubinix' opinionated web of thoughts

Ad Hoc Work vs. Doing Defined Work

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Ad Hoc Work vs. Doing Defined Work | Getting Things Done® Forums

Is there a specific aspect of this that you are seeking to improve?

What works for me is engaging with my lists regularly. When I do this, I am able to make a more informed decision when work shows up.

Things that help me to engage with my lists:

  • Use a tool that I find visually attractive and easy to use.
  • Weekly review
  • Reading my lists as often as I need to – sometimes several times a day.
  • Keeping automation to a minimum. (e.g. no repeating next actions.)
  • Keeping my lists clear and up to date.
  • Keeping my lists as short as they can be.

Let me elaborate on the last point. Hypothetically, if I think I can do about 20 things in a week, I will put 30–40 in my list. This gives me room to exceed my expectations but also forces me to be proactive in deciding what goes into Someday/Maybe and forces me to renegotiate commitments rather than letting things fall through the cracks.

Anyway, this is what works for me. If my lists are clear and attractive to me then I will engage with them, and this facilitates making decisions in the moment for me.