[mjukis]

Hi!

As implied from the thread title I'm new to OF, still on the trial period. I Finished GTD a couple of days ago and still trying to focus on the process. I've set up some perspectives, and I'm pretty pleased with it so far.

I'll be getting an iPhone sometime soon, and I reckon I'll be using the OF version on there as well. Right now though I'm using a regular filofax A5 format calender to write down the most important day-specific stuff.

I tried to set up some decent synchronization settings for iCal with OF, but I couldn't figure out some good settings. Got any tips for this? Should I lose my calender it would be nice to have a backup on the iPhone calender. The problem I faced was that you can only sync contexts as a whole, and if I made a specific "iCal" category then actions wouldn't be in the proper context. Maybe this isn't such a big problem as I think it would be. I haven't thought it thru properly.

planning, the two icons labeled p and c are just the default planning and context modes. Made more accessible by setting them in the toolbar
contexts,
next actions, knuckle down mode I guess. not much more to it.
weekly review, here you can see my someday/maybe folder items, which are hidden in the regular planning view.

So the general question is: does this look good? I don't want to spend to much time fiddling with the system. It's only there to support my actions after all. The waiting for folder probably could use some work, as right now its not really clearly defined, it has some actions in it that could probably be on my calender and it has actions in it that are labeled as projects.

Ps. How long did it take for you to finish the GTD book? I must have bought it 2 years ago, but thanks for my laziness and procrastination it took me until last week to actually finish it and get on with actually implementing it. Quite pathetic isn't it?

[beharkey]

I read the book in a week and took copious notes.

Then I re-read it.

I'm about to read it for the third time 1 year later.

I heard David Allen say that it generally takes a person 1 year to fully grasp and implement the system in a way that it is natural and effortless, and I can affirm that in my own life. So don't give up!

[peterlemer]

> the two icons labeled p and c are just the default planning and context
> modes. Made more accessible by setting them in the toolbar

they are already in the toolbar!, the 2 icons top left :-)

Your layout and structure looks much like mine except that I have all my perspectives as icons in my toolbar. This means that when I want to go to 'All' or 'Errands' or 'Flagged' I just click on them in the toolbar rather than rely on another window - as I often have several apps open at once. ( I had fun customising the icons, too :-))

peter

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by mjukis

I tried to set up some decent synchronization settings for iCal with OF, but I couldn't figure out some good settings. Got any tips for this? Should I lose my calender it would be nice to have a backup on the iPhone calender. The problem I faced was that you can only sync contexts as a whole, and if I made a specific "iCal" category then actions wouldn't be in the proper context. Maybe this isn't such a big problem as I think it would be. I haven't thought it thru properly.

OmniFocus doesn't sync things into the calendar as appointments, but rather as tasks. You won't have quite the calendar backup you're envisioning, I suspect.

planning, the two icons labeled p and c are just the default planning and context modes. Made more accessible by setting them in the toolbar

As has already been mentioned, those two icons grouped together at the left hand of the default toolbar setup switch between planning and context modes.

Looking at your examples, I noticed that you had one for "reread GTD in December" or something to that effect. I would encourage you to get in the habit of using start dates to hide such things until you are ready to consider working on them. Why would you want to be constantly reminded of a book you aren't planning to read until December until December rolls around? This is analogous to the 43 folders David Allen suggests you set up as a tickler file. View your available actions instead of remaining, and the stuff you cannot (or are not ready to) work on disappears.

So the general question is: does this look good? I don't want to spend to much time fiddling with the system. It's only there to support my actions after all. The waiting for folder probably could use some work, as right now its not really clearly defined, it has some actions in it that could probably be on my calender and it has actions in it that are labeled as projects.

I'm not a big fan of putting things on the calendar unless they need to be (other people are involved, or the schedule is otherwise not under your control). Again, I prefer to use the start date/tickler concept espoused by DA.

I'd agree that your Waiting For folder isn't the way that I would choose to implement it, but that isn't important if it works for you! Mine is set up with somewhat generic contexts, such as mail, email, people's names, and I just file the specific action/event upon which I am waiting in that context. For example, I've got "receive insurance refund check" in the Waiting For : Mail context, as an action in a project to adjust the car insurance coverage.

My "waiting for" actions block me from getting actions subsequent to them in my context views of available actions (I have the "waiting for" contexts marked as on hold, as you do). For example, the subsequent action to "receive insurance refund check" involves taking it to the bank, but I won't be (and don't need to be) reminded of that until I mark off receipt of the check. I do make a practice of looking at the "waiting for" contexts on a regular basis (showing remaining actions, not available) just to remind myself what things I'm waiting on before progress can be made, or things that I might expect to happen shortly. I might not want to make a trip to the bank on Monday to deposit that check if I'm expecting another check in Tuesday's mail and can reasonably consolidate trips.

I also have a "Looking for" context that holds things I'm looking for around the house before some project can continue (also an on hold context). It is handy for me to be able to review the list before cleaning so I can reactivate any relevant projects if I encounter a missing item.

Neither of these schemes are perfect, but I'm always hopeful that seeing my examples might inspire someone to develop and share something even better. I've certainly learned a great deal about GTD and OF by reading and posting on these forums.

There is another school of thought that chooses to have the "Waiting for" contexts as regular active contexts instead of on hold. Both schools have merit, I think, and there have been some forum threads where various posters have laid out their well-reasoned preferences. My suggestion would be to pick one, either one, and use it for a while. Then, if you want, give the other one a try. Having a solid grounding with one (and overall familiarity with your GTD system) will make it easier to ultimately make the right choice, in my opinion.

Ps. How long did it take for you to finish the GTD book? I must have bought it 2 years ago, but thanks for my laziness and procrastination it took me until last week to actually finish it and get on with actually implementing it. Quite pathetic isn't it?

I've only read it cover-to-cover once, and certainly didn't grasp everything initially (nor do I now, after years of practice and rereading several sections on various occasions). You don't have to understand, accept, and adopt all of it to make an improvement, fortunately! The collection and review concepts are quite powerful. Knowing that you'll see something important again while you still have a chance to do something about it is half the battle :-)

[mjukis]

Originally Posted by peterlemer

> the two icons labeled p and c are just the default planning and context
> modes. Made more accessible by setting them in the toolbar

they are already in the toolbar!, the 2 icons top left :-)

Your layout and structure looks much like mine except that I have all my perspectives as icons in my toolbar. This means that when I want to go to 'All' or 'Errands' or 'Flagged' I just click on them in the toolbar rather than rely on another window - as I often have several apps open at once. ( I had fun customising the icons, too :-))

peter

Yeah, I knew thsoe were tehse, it's just that with the perspectives my view bar settings get reset to baseline with those extra buttons :)

OF lives in my #5 (middle screen) on a 3 by 3 grid so I dont feel the need to have contexts in the toolbar. I added a flagged button there that combines with next actions so that I can pick certain tasks and then just focus on them.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Looking at your examples, I noticed that you had one for "reread GTD in December" or something to that effect. I would encourage you to get in the habit of using start dates to hide such things until you are ready to consider working on them. Why would you want to be constantly reminded of a book you aren't planning to read until December until December rolls around? This is analogous to the 43 folders David Allen suggests you set up as a tickler file. View your available actions instead of remaining, and the stuff you cannot (or are not ready to) work on disappears.

Yeah, you're spot on. I've been applying the hammer to OF in the last 2 days and arranged for a "Waiting For" single action list that has start and due dates for actions that I've delegated to the future/ need to act on later. I also noticed that contexts were synced to my todo list in iCal. I've added a someday/maybe project to look into that.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Massive text

My new set up. It's better, but I think I see the benefit of doing it the way you're doing it. I think that's the way the GTD book recommends it?

I'm tired as hell, been up for 30ish hours and need to go to bed. I'll re-read this tomorrow, but I think pictures might be in order. If you don't mind sharing?

Very much obliged guys. I want to get it to stick this time. Time to eat something and then crash and burn.

[pjb]

If your Review shoebox means GTD Review, then you might need to abandon that and use a perspective with tasks grouped by review date to help complete the Review task (and then give yourself a repeating task to do the review with a start date and an interval, but no due date). Similarly, there's no need to move completed projects to a completed folder, just hide them when you work and make a special perspective when you want to reminisce (or peruse for templates).

My most common perspectives are, in order
Next
Active (for planning, seeing Active and Available items in Project view)
Review by Due (coffee mug icon, so I remember to take my time and be deliberate)

Then there are a couple special ones for large important projects that need to be focused on just that one project while I'm chipping away at the monolith.

Assorted other helpful perspectives include:
Chores (for printing and putting up on the fridge)
Waiting For (really could be done at Review, but sometimes I just want to remind myself quickly)
Pending Projects (so I don't forget I already added that "new" project)
Errands (used before the iPod touch when I used iCal/Palm)

Perspectives with names like Today, Due Soon, Short List, Due, Due Today, and Flagged+Available have just not proven useful to me over time. They're still in the Perspectives window, among other experiments, but just not on the toolbar.

This did not all happen in one weekend, more like 6-9 months as OF moulding itself around my life. Contexts are still changing, and with the advent of the pocket version, are changing almost every day as they try to adapt. Grocery shopping is out of OF, but hardware, usually part of a project, is still in, but that could change next week.

[mjukis]

Originally Posted by pjb

If your Review shoebox means GTD Review, then you might need to abandon that and use a perspective with tasks grouped by review date to help complete the Review task (and then give yourself a repeating task to do the review with a start date and an interval, but no due date). Similarly, there's no need to move completed projects to a completed folder, just hide them when you work and make a special perspective when you want to reminisce (or peruse for templates).

Ah, the review single folder list just contains two repeating actions, one daily inbox zero action and one weekly review. I've got a review perspective up in the toolbar :) Of course you're right with the completed projects, why did I set that up? Thanks for all the advice!