From GTD to priorities, pt.1 of 3

This is a blog series that I have really enjoyed writing. I hope you will see that reflected in its readability, if not in its length. And I hope it will set you thinking. Most important of all I hope to get feedback from you readers on ideas that I float and issues that I raise. And because I am looking for more feedback, I have decided to write this series in English.

Usually I have links for every reference I make in my blog texts. But what with the omniscience of Google I am sure you will find relevant information on all products I refer to in this blog.

This entry is about my quest for a successor to my current action management software of choice: Nozbe. The blog consists in three parts: one where I describe a wish list of functions and implemented principles. And why I want them. The second part is where I have a look at some cutting edge applications. The third part is about making compromises and choices, and how to implement them.

I had great fun going on a search for a new tool to help me stay on top of my actions. I have looked for applications and apps that had wide acclaim. So this overview is very eclective from the outset. I have considered each contender as to the requirements I have for a new action management tool that will last me a long time.

My current situation

Now: more in control – I have goals
Formerly: less in control – I needed to survive

I have used GTD for a number of years now, but my life has moved on and my outlook on things has changed. I feel I am more in control of my own actions now, so I tend to think more in terms of priorities than about clustering actions for efficiency. My goals are clearer and better defined.

Although mister GTD (David Allen) would probably disagree, in my experience the core features of GTD are by their very nature suitable to deal with an ongoing, incoming stream of things to do. GTD describes a way to efficiently process this stream of actions. It is bottom up: loads of actions combined into manageable groups. This implies that you have only limited control of the decision about what things you need to do. You are primarily in a reactive state.

Yes, I know David Allen wrote about 10.000 feet levels (his metaphor for goals) and such like, but who have been able to easily integrate these in their use of the GTD model? David Allen does not really describe an approach or procedure for that. And what’s more, I don’t know of any applications that truly help you execute GTD at this level of sophistication.

GTD’s main competitor, i.e. Covey’s philosophy on time management, is much more directed towards people who need to decide for themselves what to do. In many cases these persons are managers, foremen, single person contractors, etc.

Covey’s system is about roles, goals and making choices. It is top-down. These roles, goals and choices result in actions you pro-actively set out for yourself (or others!). Whenever I coach other persons (or myself…) in spending their time efficiently, that is what it boils down to all the time: being able to make choices and ordering your actions. How else can you do this than by prioritising your actions and taking into account the urgency involved?

By the way, it appears that although Covey is most often credited for bringing the difference between importance and urgency to our attention, it was Eisenhower who seems to have come with this distinction first. In all probability Covey has elaborated on it.

For those who are not familiar with the difference between ‘importance’ and ‘urgency’: it is really simple. Importance has to do with ordering your actions relative to reaching your goals. Urgency has to do especially with the deadline that is coupled to an action. The less time you have left before you need to start an action, the more urgent it gets.

Mind you, I have given you my definition of urgency. In most texts you find about this subject urgency is plainly, but fuzzily!, defined as indicating that you should do something soon. Calling an action urgent for many people is just another way of saying they think they need to do something first. So in many apps you will see, that the two dimensions of importance and urgency have melted into one single list of 4 levels of priority. The true meaning of urgency is lost somewhere. However, I find that my definition in the previous paragraph is both clearer and easier to use.

Please note: priority is sometimes used in the sense of importance. But it most often means the order in which you should execute your actions.

You can depict the priority of an action in a matrix with importance and urgency as its two axes. Simple examples of iOS apps illustrating the priority matrix are TTD (ThingsToDo) and PriorityMatrix. Whether you will find them useful for handling your action list I leave up to you.

As a long time user of Nozbe, I realised that I was using it especially for collecting actions, for handling deadlines and more or less weekly reviews. Time to move on to a more pro-active approach!

So, do I move over to Covey/Eisenhower or what?

In other words, what important and successful applications depend mainly on Covey’s thinking? There don’t seem to be that many around. And what functions do I need in these applications?

My move to another application than Nozbe will depend on a number of important concepts that I have learnt to value.

Dump your stuff in one Inbox
This is still an extremely valid principle, it is about trusting your action system. And about emptying your head! All texts on GTD get this message across loud and clear. So I want to keep using this concept, with or without Eisenhower’s approval:). Besides, the inbox needs to be a place to quickly dump incoming tasks allowing you to move on with the work you have committed yourself to.

Emails
Statement: emails are other persons’ additions to your action list.

Whether you like it or not, whether you want to be pro-active or not, many incoming emails result in things you need to do. So you might as well get some system that will help you convert these emails into actions in the Inbox of your list quickly and easily.

You can do this in MS Outlook, but yuck! This is a program that is great for its email handling, its (multi-person) calendar and its connectivity towards other apps and platforms. But otherwise it sucks. It is the legacy of an old application that has suffered too many tweaks and add-ons. It persists solely due to its large installed base. The action list in Outlook sorely lacks any connection with any kind of accepted time management system whatsoever. There are some add-ons to remedy this somehow (like Jello Dashboard), but they don’t cut it for me. So, no Outlook for actions. What then?

An often used solution to convert emails into actions is to utilise an approach many action applications have: a special email address that is linked to your personal action list. Any emails sent to that address (by whomever…) will result in actions added to your list. The next step is obvious: to convert any incoming email into an action, I can simply forward it to the email address of my action list. Yeah right! But many applications apply some form of parsing to direct the action to a project, a context, or what have you. They try to be too clever, but the outcome is erratic at best. So you never know what you will end up with. In other words, in all instances additional editing is needed before an incoming e-mail is converted into a truly actionable task.

Action status
2 minute actions, next actions, maybe/someday, waiting for are all important status descriptors to help keep your actions from remaining stagnant somewhere in your list. A prerequisite get them moving is of course the weekly review. Without it, no action list will ever work for you.

Automatic and cloud oriented synchronisation over different platforms
I want to have my action list both on my iPod touch and on my computer. In my view there is only one way to have this happen, through a KISS type of synchronisation between the two. And with the cloud as an intermediary between my iPod and my computer! Because then I can access my action list from any device. Especially at the work place, where you are usually prohibited from installing your own software, an application in the cloud is an ideal solution.

Based on the above here is my list of criteria to be met for my next to-do application, in no particular order:

1. inbox and quick-fire task entry
2. true priority support
3. support for repeating tasks
4. easy email-to-action conversion
5. action status indication and filtering
6. syncing with a proper web app, but offline use should be supported

To be continued…