If there is anything that I have learned from trying to become “more productive” and “doing” GTD over the last few years is that you are only as productive as the weakest part in your system. Your system can be anything really; it doesn’t have to be a mass of expensive online and digital tools, it can be a crappy notebook and pen as long as you are using and reviewing as much as you need to keep things out of your head and moving forward.
After almost 4 years of doing this GTD and productivity thing, I have to say that the most important part of my system are lists; they are the core of anything that I have used as a tool and without them my system wouldn’t exist. If you aren’t a list keeper or a wannabe list keeper, take a look at the following lists that are considered to be essential.
Context specific Action Lists
The action list, or what some of you non-GTD peeps might call “to-do lists”, are list of one-off tasks that you have to complete. The list is composed of single tasks that you can complete in a sitting like making a phone call, drafting a letter, reading a chapter in a book etc.
Action lists that are context specific mean that you can create a list that is related to a tool or location like a list of stuff that needs finished while at home, on the computer, away from home, or even a specific tool like Visual Studio or Photoshop.
Projects Lists
Following action lists, we can’t forget about project lists. There are two different types of project lists:
- A full list of projects
- A list for one project that outlines the steps of the project
A full list of projects entails a flat list of all the current projects that you are currently acting on. We are talking about canonical GTD project lists here. You can also get sort of creative with this list by making sperate projects lists that match your “Areas of Focus” in your life, like School projects, Work projects, Home, Personal, etc.
A list for one project that outlines the steps of the project can be used as a “Master Plan” for that project. This of course isn’t a frozen plan of any kind, it can be updated as you see fit. If you are using a task manager that doesn’t handle outlining very well (think Outlook) you could create an outline of the project in a Word document and then put a link to it in the note field of the project task in Outlook. This allows you to refer to the project when you need to, especially after you finish a few actions off of your action lists.
Running Lists
Running lists are lists of things that you add to on a consistent basis like books to read or restaurants to try out. Running lists are super powerful in that they keep the entries out of your “core” task management system and can be referred to when you need them.
The way that I handle running lists is that I have all of them stored on Dropbox in simple text files. I can open them from anywhere I have internet access and the best part is that I don’t have to rely on some “proprietary” format like Springpad or Evernote to handle them. They are just plain ol’ text files and because of that, highly portable.
Some of the running lists I suggest are books to read, bands to check out, restaurants to try (with the city included in the title), things you want to buy, movies to watch, red flags of things that kill your productivity, and even a daily journal.
Template Lists
Once I figured out the idea of creating templates for projects that happen again and again, it gave me back a large amount of time that I would have used creating a project and setting up all the actions and dependencies in my task manager. I now create a project template inside of OmniFocus and set its status to “on hold”. When I need to use it I copy it and then change the copies status to active and go from there.
The thing is that you don’t have to be a OmniFocus user to use project templates. You can just as easily create a document or text file with the outline of what the project entails and then refer to it when you need it.
Some of the template lists I suggest would be getting ready for a personal business trip, family vacations, morning and evening routines, end of week routines, bills to pay every month, etc.
Conclusion
The power of the list is truly amazing. You wouldn’t think something so easy to make and dumb could have such a huge impact on your life, that is unless you have a set of important lists that you use on a daily basis. Lists help you stay focused and learn from your past successes and mistakes. They help you remember mundane things that you would forget otherwise and provide a way for you to stay organized. They are a good way of seeing where you came from and where you are trying to be in your profession and/or personal life.
I know there are some list users that read Lifehack, so with that, what are your essential lists for productivity? Post them in the comments below.
After trying all the expensive stuff for two years I’m now back to basics, pen and paper.
I have a calendar for 2011 where I aside from appointments I keep logs and inbox-like notes and a moleskine I got for christmas which is full of lists.
The most basic list I think is the projects list, where I simply dump all active & stalled projects grouped by customer. My best trick here is that next to each project I write the next action in pencil (or the waiting for item). When the project is done I strikethrough it with red pen and mark the payment and the date (I also write down the date it entered the list).
I actually get the most work out of this list only. The rest of the moleskine is complementary lists for the bigger projects and journal entries.
I don’t keep context-specific lists, it is one part of GTD I never liked. I prefer switching contexts than switching projects. With the exception of calls which go on the calendar as a seperate list next to the daily to-do (I still call it that way).
The other drastic change to GTD I’ve found very helpful is doing a smaller version of the weekly review daily. At the end of the day I review my calendar, projects list and the various notes that come up during the day and adjust course for the next day by writing a small todo and calls list on the calendar for the next day. This takes five minutes. Another two minutes takes to track whatever it is I’m tracking at the moment (time, income, expenses) through the calendar.
This system is as small as it gets for me and I don’t have to rely on too much tech. Remember no system is perfect, it only works if you work it and finally it you still have to do the work :)
Jee, long comment.
One list I’ve started keeping is a list of roles. This is a list of all the different “people” I am on a regular or semi-regular basis. S, for instance, I’m a professor at work and a museum registrar at my other work and a boardmember at a local arts organization and an uncle, brother, and son to my family and a member of several professional organizations and a boyfriend and… Keeping a list of all these roles helps me to avoid neglecting any oone I have obligations towards, as well as helping to direct my goal-setting over the short- and mid-term. So, for instance, I might look at my role as a member of a professional organization and ask myself whether I should work on an article for the newsletter or the academic journal, or if I might want to run for an office next term, or whatever. Essentially this is a step up in focus from the projects list — the projects list acts as a trigger for tasks, and the roles list acts as a trigger for projects.
I keep a list to show the location of important items my family will need if I die (friends’ addresses and emails, mortgage papers, banking information, budget information, lockbox/safe deposit box information, life insurance, etc) it also includes contacts for each piece of information.
I also have the running list of movies I would like to own, music I would like to own, exhibits I would like to see, books I would like to read, information I would like to look up — like lifehack.com (and notations for when I saw, listened, etc and my rating system).
I have the standard to-do/action lists and project lists. Really, I have 2 of each of these. The running list/master list and the “today or this week” list. The “today or this week” list is actually a lined 4 x 6 sticky note that I put in my paper calendar.
All my lists are kept in a nice 6 x 8 1/2 inch hard bound spiral notebook that I can move to my purse in the winter, or into my bike bag or backpack in the spring, summer, and fall months, when I either bike to work or take the bus. Aside from when I am running, kayaking, playing sports, etc, I have it with me all the time, so it works well for me.
Interesting
I absolutely adore making lists. I even add make a list to my list sometimes. I photograph them. They’re wonderful.
Whoa… I never felt this connected to a writer more than I’ve read this article. I am practioning productivity, and I naturally started using lists. I am getting into habit of it.
Problems of lists are that sometimes they discourage people. They overfill their daily lists and don’t achieve everything they planned. I make my lists in Google Tasks within Gmail. I do this, because I sync it with my Google Calendar and Google tasks, so that my list is always with me on my phone. But often I simply forget about them. I made this year a challange and I am implementing one habit at a time.
Habit for April is to make a habit out of building a daily list for day after, and having semi crystalized picture of what’s gonna happen tommorow. So far I am doing good, and if I don’t do something I planned for that day, I simply put in the next one. After a while you can develop a sense how much it takes for you to do certain things… So you don’t over do it…. Lists truly are amazing, I am rediscovering that on daily basis…
[...] 2004, Dean combined his skills and resources into a new course called Think a Little Different. The infomercial first aired in [...]
I have a constant need to quickly add to different lists while I am working online. I also like to record what I am doing in a sense, e.g. quickly add sites and/or selected text from sites. And of course I need to write ideas from my phone (don’t we all need to remind ourselves of stuff while we’re out?). There is a simple site called http://www.elog.com which is pretty boring but it is sooo useful. It’s more like the missing staple of the internet that I have been needing for years.
[...] The Power of the List: Essential Lists for Productivity – Do you make to do lists? Well, take it to the next level…. [...]
Great concept that very few people appreciate. Thanks for the great write-up.
I tried different softwares that would help me be more productive. But ultimately, it is the plain paper list that is simple, works fast and easily manageable.
More and more ladies are crazy about Christian Louboutin shoes. They are sexy and chic! In many fashion events these shoes have been noticed. Louboutin outlet online is a professional louboutin outlet store! We provide New Christian Louboutin, Christian Louboutin High Heels, Christian Louboutin Sandals with high quality shoes and free shipping! The sexy Christian Louboutin Peep Toe Pumps can easily grasp men’s eyes when you pass by. A pair of Christian Louboutin Peep Toe Pumps will undoubtedly embodies undisputed wealth, knowledge, especially the women’s charm! Want to buy christian louboutin? Come to christian Louboutin outlet online store!
Louboutins shoes are regarded as as since the symbol of sexy and classy.Christian Louboutin names after a famous shoes designer who launched his line of high-end women’s shoes. Now come to Louboutin UK store! We will change you into a gorgeous girl! Here provides Discount Christian Louboutin Sandals,Cheap Christian Louboutin,Louboutin Mens Collection and so on.The unique and well-Designed shoes favored by the world, signed with the Christian Louboutin red soles of the mark, giving high heels and covetable accessories, system pumps and elegant luxury Christian Louboutin clutch has to be available almost all fashion only. We now provide Christian Louboutin shoes with free shipping and save 60% off! Hurry up! Christian Louboutin UK store is your first choice!