Re: Falling behind on accumulating actions
Thanks, that's exactly what I needed. On Aug 5, 10:36 am, ike9898 ike9...@gmail.com wrote: You could use 'depends on' this makes all the critiques except for the next one 'future actions'. Once you complete the next critique, mark it complete, and one from the future actions will become your new 'next action'. On Aug 4, 12:13 am, user4815162342 neilmshel...@yahoo.com wrote: I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count how many I have left to do at a single glance. Although this is probably not a common use case for GTD, I'd like to know if anyone out there has come upon a situation like this, and how they have resolved it. I've thought about just putting a number in the name of the tiddler, or in it's notes, and then change that when I need to, but this would require more mouse clicks than just completing a task, so I'd be interested if someone has a better idea than that. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en.
Re: Falling behind on accumulating actions
Create a project for Doing Critiques, add your first do critique action as the next action then queue up all the other critique actions on the one before it. This will mean that you have them all listed as needing done but only the first one will show up in the Next Actions list. Clutter = gone. On Aug 4, 2:59 pm, user4815162342 neilmshel...@yahoo.com wrote: Thanks for all of the advice, people. I know that you are trying to be helpful, but I wasn't asking how to deal with my own life problems. I was asking a question about how to use a particular piece of software which this discussion group is set up for supporting. I just figured that explaining my scenario would be the easiest way to describe the issue I'm talking about. So, to be clear now: in the context of this discussion, I am interested in how these sorts of recurring, accumulating actions might be more easily dealt with in the scope of this software. -- Neil On Aug 4, 7:29 am, John Holden j...@holdencrew.com wrote: I've got an answer, but you're not going to like it! It sounds like you are 'time bankrupt'! You have taken on too much and you can't meet your commitments as they fall due. (Don't feel bad - this is really normal!) No matter how much you tinker with a fancy system, you're not going to find the answer - it's like a bankrupt thinking he can make his debt go away by tidying up and re-categorizing his bank statements! Short advice (because you're short on time!) stop messing with mGSD and go do a story critique! Firewall however much time you think it needs and get it done. Don't stop. Remove distractions. Reward yourself when you've finished. These are all GTD techniques - we all need to avoid falling into the trap of allowing our system to become our work! Someone once said, don't confuse the scoreboard with the game. Another possibility is that you are subconsciously using mGSD as a distraction that allows you to procrastinate over getting your story critiques done? Time for more self discipline - focus and get one done. Just one. Don't worry about the backlog - get one done. Then another. Don't try and do ten this week; perhaps just two. Another technique is to 'declare a DMZ' around the backlog and start with a clean slate. It feels better. Each week do this week's story critique and one (or two) from the DMZ. In only four weeks, your DMC will be empty. If you are still time bankrupt (and most of us are), try this: Un-commit (don’t do) something. Spend the time on something else Improved effectiveness Less output; no impact on life Improve your process to eliminate waiting time between tasks Improved efficiency (Same output in less time) Doing things right Improve your method/ process/use technology to get the same output in less time time saved can be spent on something else Improved efficiency Doing things right Do something to a lower standard of output spend some of the time on something else Improved efficiency Less output; same effect Doing things right “Don’t allow perfection to become the enemy of the good” Delegate - Offload commitments to someone else; buy or receive time from someone else (but you may have to repay the favour!) spend your time on something else Improved efficiency Same output; less personal time Doing the right things When you've done at least three story critiques, have a look atwww.43folders.com Merlin Mann is where I got this brutal type of advice from. He pulls no punches, but he's right. Good luck! Stop reading this and go do a story review. (No offence intended) John On 4 Aug 2010, at 13:13, user4815162342 wrote: I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count how many I have left to do at a single glance. Although this is probably not a common
Re: Falling behind on accumulating actions
Hmm.. Any chance of quitting and coming back after a month with a clean slate? It sounds to me that the issue lies further up stream versus your GTD system. Before I stumbled on to GTD [in reading a book called Dreaming in Code] , I use to use make up these to do lists. It seems like wound up getting myself stressed and frustrated and goals not accomplished. I'm consider myself a GTD work in progress. My computer inbox are basically allways empty, but my office and home desk need to be worked on.I feel your pain. 10 weeks behind? Why is that? Do you have too much going on, unforeseen one-time events, are you a perfectionist, or sub-consciously just don't want to do it. I basically have my life goals on my thumb drive. I've been a bit overwhelmed lately by the some by the size of my next action list so, I've been defering some of my someday projects and on things that I don't want to defer I try to figure out which are more important for me to get done and I add a waiting step on the less important project that I makes me focus on the more important project.. Stupid, but it works for me. I'm not sure that's a solution for you. Just out of curiousity, have you read David Allens book Getting things Done? A lot of good ideas in there JT On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 11:13 PM, user4815162342 neilmshel...@yahoo.comwrote: I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count how many I have left to do at a single glance. Although this is probably not a common use case for GTD, I'd like to know if anyone out there has come upon a situation like this, and how they have resolved it. I've thought about just putting a number in the name of the tiddler, or in it's notes, and then change that when I need to, but this would require more mouse clicks than just completing a task, so I'd be interested if someone has a better idea than that. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comgtd-tiddlywiki%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com . For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en.
Re: Falling behind on accumulating actions
I've got an answer, but you're not going to like it! It sounds like you are 'time bankrupt'! You have taken on too much and you can't meet your commitments as they fall due. (Don't feel bad - this is really normal!) No matter how much you tinker with a fancy system, you're not going to find the answer - it's like a bankrupt thinking he can make his debt go away by tidying up and re-categorizing his bank statements! Short advice (because you're short on time!) stop messing with mGSD and go do a story critique! Firewall however much time you think it needs and get it done. Don't stop. Remove distractions. Reward yourself when you've finished. These are all GTD techniques - we all need to avoid falling into the trap of allowing our system to become our work! Someone once said, don't confuse the scoreboard with the game. Another possibility is that you are subconsciously using mGSD as a distraction that allows you to procrastinate over getting your story critiques done? Time for more self discipline - focus and get one done. Just one. Don't worry about the backlog - get one done. Then another. Don't try and do ten this week; perhaps just two. Another technique is to 'declare a DMZ' around the backlog and start with a clean slate. It feels better. Each week do this week's story critique and one (or two) from the DMZ. In only four weeks, your DMC will be empty. If you are still time bankrupt (and most of us are), try this: Un-commit (don’t do) something. Spend the time on something else Improved effectiveness Less output; no impact on life Improve your process to eliminate waiting time between tasks Improved efficiency (Same output in less time) Doing things right Improve your method/ process/use technology to get the same output in less time time saved can be spent on something else Improved efficiency Doing things right Do something to a lower standard of output spend some of the time on something else Improved efficiency Less output; same effect Doing things right “Don’t allow perfection to become the enemy of the good” Delegate - Offload commitments to someone else; buy or receive time from someone else (but you may have to repay the favour!) spend your time on something else Improved efficiency Same output; less personal time Doing the right things When you've done at least three story critiques, have a look at www.43folders.com Merlin Mann is where I got this brutal type of advice from. He pulls no punches, but he's right. Good luck! Stop reading this and go do a story review. (No offence intended) John On 4 Aug 2010, at 13:13, user4815162342 wrote: I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count how many I have left to do at a single glance. Although this is probably not a common use case for GTD, I'd like to know if anyone out there has come upon a situation like this, and how they have resolved it. I've thought about just putting a number in the name of the tiddler, or in it's notes, and then change that when I need to, but this would require more mouse clicks than just completing a task, so I'd be interested if someone has a better idea than that. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en.
Re: Falling behind on accumulating actions
In any case, I think I've figured out a way to do this. If I make each one dependent on the one previous, so that only the first one shows up in the list. When I have to add a new critique, then I can simply make the most current one dependent on yet another critique. Now, all I need is to be able to tell how many actions are dependent on a given action, and I then have my count as well. On Aug 4, 8:59 am, user4815162342 neilmshel...@yahoo.com wrote: Thanks for all of the advice, people. I know that you are trying to be helpful, but I wasn't asking how to deal with my own life problems. I was asking a question about how to use a particular piece of software which this discussion group is set up for supporting. I just figured that explaining my scenario would be the easiest way to describe the issue I'm talking about. So, to be clear now: in the context of this discussion, I am interested in how these sorts of recurring, accumulating actions might be more easily dealt with in the scope of this software. -- Neil On Aug 4, 7:29 am, John Holden j...@holdencrew.com wrote: I've got an answer, but you're not going to like it! It sounds like you are 'time bankrupt'! You have taken on too much and you can't meet your commitments as they fall due. (Don't feel bad - this is really normal!) No matter how much you tinker with a fancy system, you're not going to find the answer - it's like a bankrupt thinking he can make his debt go away by tidying up and re-categorizing his bank statements! Short advice (because you're short on time!) stop messing with mGSD and go do a story critique! Firewall however much time you think it needs and get it done. Don't stop. Remove distractions. Reward yourself when you've finished. These are all GTD techniques - we all need to avoid falling into the trap of allowing our system to become our work! Someone once said, don't confuse the scoreboard with the game. Another possibility is that you are subconsciously using mGSD as a distraction that allows you to procrastinate over getting your story critiques done? Time for more self discipline - focus and get one done. Just one. Don't worry about the backlog - get one done. Then another. Don't try and do ten this week; perhaps just two. Another technique is to 'declare a DMZ' around the backlog and start with a clean slate. It feels better. Each week do this week's story critique and one (or two) from the DMZ. In only four weeks, your DMC will be empty. If you are still time bankrupt (and most of us are), try this: Un-commit (don’t do) something. Spend the time on something else Improved effectiveness Less output; no impact on life Improve your process to eliminate waiting time between tasks Improved efficiency (Same output in less time) Doing things right Improve your method/ process/use technology to get the same output in less time time saved can be spent on something else Improved efficiency Doing things right Do something to a lower standard of output spend some of the time on something else Improved efficiency Less output; same effect Doing things right “Don’t allow perfection to become the enemy of the good” Delegate - Offload commitments to someone else; buy or receive time from someone else (but you may have to repay the favour!) spend your time on something else Improved efficiency Same output; less personal time Doing the right things When you've done at least three story critiques, have a look atwww.43folders.com Merlin Mann is where I got this brutal type of advice from. He pulls no punches, but he's right. Good luck! Stop reading this and go do a story review. (No offence intended) John On 4 Aug 2010, at 13:13, user4815162342 wrote: I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count
Falling behind on accumulating actions
I've been using mGSD for a couple of weeks, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have what I think is a special use case, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make it easier for me, or to see how other people have solved it. Here's my scenario: I'm a member of a writing group, which requires its members to critique at least one story written by another member once a week. If you miss a week, that's okay, but you have to do two the next week to get caught up. If you miss two weeks, you have to do three to get caught up, etc. Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm now behind by more than ten weeks, and I'm trying to catch up. Now, for GTD, I've set up an action for each critique that I have to complete. I have a tickler set up to remind me every week to add another critique action. This means my 'Next Actions' is getting rather long, full of all of these critiques I have to do, which makes it difficult for me to see other actions (many of which have higher priority, which is one reason why I'm more than ten weeks behind). It's also getting harder for me to count how many I have left to do at a single glance. Although this is probably not a common use case for GTD, I'd like to know if anyone out there has come upon a situation like this, and how they have resolved it. I've thought about just putting a number in the name of the tiddler, or in it's notes, and then change that when I need to, but this would require more mouse clicks than just completing a task, so I'd be interested if someone has a better idea than that. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups GTD TiddlyWiki group. To post to this group, send email to gtd-tiddlyw...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gtd-tiddlywiki+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gtd-tiddlywiki?hl=en.
