9 Basic Ways to Turn Tasks into Doable Actions
There is no question about the fact that I have a plate full of things to do. As a practicing GTDer for years now, I have a neatly set up system that I follow to make certain that all of my tasks are actually doable next actions.
I have my to-do lists set up in an organized fashion á la GTD (Getting Things Done), where everything is neatly organized into lists by contexts or location. Most of my tasks belong to projects. My projects relate to my roles, responsibilities, goals, and visions in life. It is a rather tidy package that I must say I work at diligently.
But, as all productivity fans know, actually making the task lists doable is a practiced art form in and of itself. I have often looked at my task lists without clarity. They can seem fuzzy and unclear. What do I do next? What in total do I really have on my plate? What do others expect from me and what am I waiting for from others?
There are some basic ways to make certain task lists actually consist of next actions that are doable.
1. Know the difference between a project and an action. An action is one identifiable and doable task. A project, by contrast, consists of more than one task. For example, "organize the office" is not an action, rather it is a project consisting of several actions. It is not telling you precisely what to do. Don't include projects on your action list; in fact, keep a separate simple list of projects you are actively working on.
2. Make certain your action is the very next action. Don't put on your task list something that you cannot do until you have finished another action. Make certain your next action list only includes actual NEXT actions that are doable.
3. Make your next actions specific. You need to be able to see on a dime what an action on your list is telling you to do. Change your next action from "organize the office" to something exact, such as "sort a stack of file folders alphabetically." The action needs to be concrete and specific. If you want to delve further into organizing your office, then do so. However, you need to have a clear and concise starting point.
4. Limit your action lists. There are only so many things one can do in the next few weeks. Limit your lists to actions that you plan on doing in the next week or two. It is best to keep future or subsequent actions in a project file or on a future list. The goal is to keep action lists as simple and clear as possible.
5. Separate your action lists into contexts. Different actions require different locations or tools, which GTD calls contexts. For example, I currently have 6 contexts under which I list my actions. Some people have fewer and some have more contexts. The point of context lists is to know what actions you can do in whatever location and with whatever tools you have handy.
agenda - anything to discuss with others
errands - anything to do while on the road
office - anything non-computer but office-related
pc - anything that requires a computer
home - anything personal at home
waiting for - anything that you are waiting for
6. Keep your action lists updated. It is necessary to have updated next action lists. Mark actions you have completed, add new actions, delete actions you will not do. The point is to keep your lists updated.
7. Be very familiar with your action lists. Review your action lists regularly. You need to have a feel for what you are focusing on in the next few weeks. There are items on your lists that are important to your personal and family life, to the boss and to your career, to the now and to the future.
8. Have your action list at hand. This point goes hand-in-hand with points 6 and 7. A task list is doable if you have it in front of you. It doesn't matter if you have a task manager that is on the internet, on your computer desktop, in your phone, or in a paper planner. The point is to have it with you. You can make print-outs, synchronize later, or take your planner with you.
9. Customize your action lists to your needs. Action lists are, believe it or not, intimate personal parts of you. They reflect what you want to accomplish in your life, be it for your family, your career, or your enjoyment. Create doable next actions with verbiage that works for you. Put your doable next actions into the contexts that fit your life. Use the action tools that you work best with, whether electronic or simple paper.
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