Monday, May 3, 2010

Projects/Weekly Review/Next Actions GTD!

In GTD vernacular, a project is a desired outcome that takes more than one action. So, let's say you have an errand...like I do right now....purchase 4 AA batteries....thats a task that gets accomplished in one move...an errand. Laura and I just completed a project I defined a couple of months ago.

The Project was Improve organization of attic so clothes can be easily found by April 15. I'm sure you all have projects like this you'd like to accomplish...and I'm not really trying to illustrate how to complete a domestic task.....but I would like to discuss...at least a bit...how the project was achieved.

I think sometime in January, I defined this project. I thought about the project and tried to accurately define this attic cleaning project...and an accurate definition means...check mark...this project is done.

So..I did that.....and then...every week...in the all important weekly review...I reviewed all of my projects and generally scheduled some next action that would advance this project. Many times that simply meant blocking off an hour on the weekend to work "up there". And I did that....the one hour time frame worked well...enough to get something accomplished and not too much that it felt overwhelming.

Then one of my next actions was @w/Laura (my wife) to work with her to sort some of the stuff that I was not qualified to sort...Christmas stuff and fabrics mostly. So that happened and Laura became inspired and together...while the attic is not perfect....it is way better......the task is complete....and its really neat to be routinely getting things done using my trusted system.

Give it a shot. It works.

Clear Project Definition (Know when you can say Done!)
Weekly Review when you plan the next week's next action
Do the work planned (no...planning alone does not do it)
Weekly Review
One Next Action
Weekly Review
One Next Action
Etc
Check...project done...clebrate...reinforce....on to the next one!