Streamlining Your Next Actions

As I’m working my way through “Getting Things Done” by David Allen I am finding one of his concepts especially useful.  In an attempt to minimize the time in between actions when you may say to yourself, “Ok, I got that done – now what do I do?” he teaches a system for organizing next actions.  The way it works is to create categories of the contexts in which you do your actions.  For instance, you may have a group of actions you will do as you sit at your computer.  This category may be called, “Computer”.  Another group might be done when you are in your car.  Perhaps you could call this “Errands” or “In Car”.  You can create these categories within your paper daytimer or with an electronic format.  I’m using my Palm system where you can create categories within your To Do list.  Assign actions into appropriate categories. 

I need to transfer some money at the bank.  This goes in my “Errands” category because I will need to be out to get to the bank.  I also have “Drop clothes at Goodwill” in the “Errands” category.  Writing this blog is in my “At Computer” category along with “Clean up email Inbox”.

The idea is the next time you have a moment free and you happen to be at your desk, instead of spending time wondering, “What’s the best thing I could do now?”, you simply go to your “At Desk” category and start to execute on the items you have put there.

I have spent many hours so far creating the structures to organize my life around the concepts in this book.  Getting the system set up is a big job – I won’t kid you.  However, my desk is looking great, my calendar makes a lot of sense, and I’m sleeping well!  I’m very excited about how this is going to change my productivity.