Get Everything Done

Hi,

Following on slightly from my last post...http://www.markforster.net/forum/post/403562 ...I've identified another issue I have with the GED system.

When I come back from a meeting, I frequently/always have multiple actions, which typically will define what needs to be done on that particular project over the next 2/3 months; and not all the actions need dealing with immediately but I still need to keep track of them and action them at an appropriate time. Clearly I can't action all of those at the same time, and certainly not in one day. With typically 2 or 3 such meetings a week, what should I be doing to keep on top of things. I delegate as much as I can, but am still ending up with a constant 'backlog'.

The simplistic answer is I have too many commitments and need to cut down, but I don't think that's the real issue. There is a more fundamental issue here of long term project tracking, and how this is dealt with, or not, within the GED methodology. If it's not, does Mark have any resources which might help me, and how does this mesh with the GED method?

All thoughts and suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks
Adrian

Hi Adrian,

I understand your concerns, and as you have seen my multiple posts here, I have also struggled with many aspects of the DIT system. I love the simplicity and basic ideas. I fully understand that if one cannot clear their closed list within a 3-4 day average, then they have too many commitments. And this is correct, but for so many of us, this cannot and will not change! I cannot change the level of commitments I have in my work, and as a very busy professor with multiple grants, students, teaching, service commitments at my university (there are now some large ones -- I am the new Vice President of our Faculty Senate). SO I guess it is just not bothering me that much anymore. I have my next actions listed for today in Outlook 2007 and structured as tasks starting today. I do the best in not adding too many new tasks -- I have gotten much better at deciding if new things coming my way truly have to be done today -- or can they simply be put on tomorrow's list.

My advice is to use some type of project tracking software and only add tasks that are truly active and need to be done within the next couple of weeks to your acitve task diary. Mark has commented before that complex project plans may have hundreds of tasks there, but they all do not need to be entered into your active task diary for the next day -- that certainly does not make any sense.

A number of us should continue this discussion on this forum as this is important. Many of us are folks who have come over from the GTD system. I have noticed over the past few weeks that this forum has been too quiet. These are important issues, and Mark -- please enter into these conversations again -- these are real-life issues with some very busy people and we are all seeking advice.

-David

David - congratulations on your new role! I guess neither of us are *really* too busy to be posting messages on web boards?!

Have you read MF's other book "Get Everything Done and Still have Time to Play"? I'm wondering if that has the holy grail we;re both looking for??!

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

Thanks! No, I have not read Mike's other book, but perhaps that is one I should do so. But he himself has commented that these books are not necessarily linked in a series, and that there may be some conflicting ideas between the two -- maybe that is not correct, but I think somewhere on this forum that has been discussed that there seems to be a disconnect between the current DIT and the GED book.

-David

Mark,

My original question was to do with how one deals with multiple actions generated from a meeting, which don't need to all be done the next day, and will probably cover a period of 2 - 3 months. I'd value any thoughts or suggestions you could offer in that scenario?

Thanks
Adrian

Hi Adrian, good question...There does generally appear to be some tension between the effective and easy to implement DIT system and tracking project 'actions' or tasks as in the more complicated GTD system. I too would appreciate any tips!

In reference to your query would it be practical to make a note in your task diary to review the project in a few months time in order to prompt you to do the tasks then? Otherwhise could you get going on the tasks 'tommorrow' so they get done before they become urgent as Mark frequently suggests.

Leon.

Hi Leon,

Thanks for your reply - much appreciated.

Putting reminders in the task diary is a good idea, and I do do that to some extent. I'm not convinced that its the best way to track everything I have to do though.

I have 10 - 15 specific projects on the go at work at any given time, varying in timescale from 6 months to about 5 years (I'm a consultant engineer and spend most of my time managing design teams and providing specialist advice to architects and other building designers, as well as some business and staff development. At home, I have a young family and am a leader in my church so my personal life isn't quiet either!) The number of committments is a common scenario for those in my profession so reducing my workload isn't really an option or I will be unemployable! It's not really necessary either - I can manage the amount of work, and enjoy the variety, it's just keeping track of it all that's a problem.

5 or 6 of those projects will typically be most active at the same time whilst the others are a little more relaxed. The active ones will require some input pretty much every day, some more than one action per day.

I think a task diary is a good way to track short term actions, by which I mean those measured in days or weeks. The issue is that I need a way to track mulitple longer term actions, over say the 2 - 3 months I mentioned in my original post, and those actions, deliverables and key decision points several years ahead, AND I need to do that for multiple projects. As far as I can see from the book, DIT doesn't deal with that scenario or anything approaching it, even in the chapter on 'Projects'. I'm starting to think that maybe I've got the wrong book, and that the DIT methods aren't appropriate for me or those with similar professions?

I'm still open to ideas!!!

Thanks
Adrian

Perhaps it would be a better use of your time to think about how sarcastic public responses to your customers and potential future customers genuine queries affects your business. Goodbye.

Hi Adrian,

If you are still reading things here...and as angry as you sounded, you may not be, one other approach to look at that is not necessarily at all in conflict with DIT, is the new 2nd edition of the book by Michael Linenberger entitled "Total Workday Control: Using Microsoft Outlook". Yes, it is only for people using Outlook, but his principles of dealing with multiple next actions and those just over the horizon are innovative and interesting. Mark, have you per chance read this new book? I would love to hear your comments about his approaches.

Best regards,
-David

Hi Mark,

Have you had a chance to read Michael Linenberger's book on using Outlook 2007? I really like some of his ideas and approaches and, for the most part, are not outside the structure of DIT. I really would like to hear your assessment of his system.

Thanks!
-David

What I proposed in my free ebook Simple Time Management was a four section spiral notebook. Sectioned for Results (Projects), Actions, which could be used like a task diary, Owed, which is a list of things people owe you and lastly notes. As you take notes in a meeting you use a RA or O in the margins to remind you of new Results, Action Items and Owed you items. You can then review the notes and transfer the action items to the Action Items section of the notebook or just use the notes as a reminder and do them. It is simple and everything is in one place. The only draw back is that unless you go and date future pages you can't schedule ahead.

I personally prefer to have a list of the things people owe me in one place instead of spread out on future task diary pages. For me it makes it easier to scan the list and send off an email reminder or make a phone call to get something.

Additionally, you could just use this method to take notes and keep the notes and cross off the items once they go into the task diary. Even if you use pure DIT, I think Mark acknowledges that project planning may require additional resources beyond the tak diary, but I will let him speak to that.

So far I have not received any feedback to see if anyone else is having any success with this method which is a hybrid of DIT and GTD and a couple of my own ideas.

It is available for free here.

http://simpletimemanagement.blogspot.com/