It's a Workflow, not a to do list. Or perhaps, maybe a cult.
(if you haven’t read this, please read it first.)
Ok, you get the idea that you might need some structure.
What should that structure be?
You need to:
Collect every stray piece of idea/scrap/thing
Process those things.
Some should be done right away. (If it takes less than 2 min, just do it.)
Some should be deferred till later (next step - most of your things)
Some, someone else should do.
Some, should should be put into cold storage.
Organize.
Most of those things you deferred (that will take actual time and effort) end up here.
You need to figure out which of these things are Projects (most things you’re procrastinating about are this; they’ll have multiple steps.)
It’s critical you figure out the Next Action for each project (vs. just “Do it”) It should be something physically possible. If you can’t actually “DO” the thing, if it takes multiple steps, it’s a Project
Every single Next Action needs a context. Many Actions can only be done at a specific location - online, at work, at home. You should only see a specific Action based on the Context you’re currently in.
Some, you’re going to have to wait for someone else to get back to you (that you’ve delegated). You track this and review it regularly.
Many of them, don’t belong in your day to day structure (Like “Learn a Martial Art”). They need to be reviewed, maybe monthly, but shouldn’t sit in your daily field of vision.
Now, get to work. DO STUFF!
Start doing some of those “Next Actions” based on where you are (the context.) Some may be urgent, you know which ones they are; some aren’t. Some you don’t have the energy right now for…the idea is you learn to trust your ability to pick the best “Next Action” to do.
None of this works, if you don’t actually DO STUFF.
Review
On a regular basis is this discipline of review:
Regularly, (some parts daily, some weekly, some monthly) you review everything. Think of it as seeing the forest for the trees.
- Every day, take a quick look at your projects - this is a ground level view.
- Once a week, make sure nothing is being ignored - that people got back to you, that important projects are moving forward - this is looking from 1000 feet up.
- Once a month, look further ahead - should you plan vacation? Should you think about moving. - This is the 10,000 feet view.
- Several times a year - review and ask yourself, what big new things do I want or changes I want to make in my life - this is looking at the entire picture of where you’re going in life.
And as all of this is going on, new stuff is going into the system, that you have to integrate.
You have to constantly: Collect scraps, process them (to figure out where they belong), Organize them (to figure out what the Next Action should be); DO THEM; and Review Regularly.
Above all else, you end up with a system you can Trust
