Comments on: The GTD Approach to Linking Next Actions and Projects

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 23:43:50 +0000

This post really clarifies the connection between next actions and projects in the GTD approach! I appreciate the practical tips on how to effectively link them for better clarity and productivity. It’s amazing how just a few tweaks to my workflow can make such a difference. Thanks for sharing!

By: Matt C

Matt C — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 01:21:19 +0000

In reply to Philip Deer. I would be interested in knowing what software Philip uses to manage his projects, next actions and contexts that way.

By: Philip Deer

Philip Deer — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:21:00 +0000

I keep all my Next Actions items and support materials within each respective Project to which they belong. Then, I tag each next action item by the context (@WaitingFor, @Agendas, @Errands, etc). This allows me to search by tag which ends up making the tags act as lists. This way I can bounce back and forth between the ‘Projects’ horizon and ‘Calendar/Actions’ ground level easily and keep the big picture in context. There are many software that allow you to use tags. If you go this route be sure to use tags/lists that you actually refer to and avoid creating to many tags/lists.
As I write this I am thinking you could probably alternatively tag each next action on your separate lists with the name of the project it falls under. It seems like you would always be sunsetting and creating new tags/projects though.

By: Erol

Erol — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 23:14:16 +0000

In reply to Helen Quest. Helen. Do you somehow link next actions to projects? I would love if this is not really needed because it limits the number of apps to choose from for my gtd. In the other hand I'm not sure if I can remember which next action belongs to which project. Especially if you have 100 plus projects.

By: Jonas

Jonas — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 23:19:30 +0000

I am somewhere between Wil and Helen. At any given time I have some 15 project’s going on which always have a couple of tasks that could be classified as next action. And most tasks can be done at the computer.

The problem with not organizing the tasks by projects but instead just focusing on the next action is that it also creates a constant mental context switching between all projects and each project moving at snail pace.

I try to see context as a way to do task batching (for example send emails to all clients) but I also see a project as a context. Today I will work with project A. Tomorrow on project B. Etc.

By: Helen Quest

Helen Quest — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 23:11:20 +0000

In reply to Wil.

Obviously, since I don’t know you it’s next to impossible to give you advice. But, I’ll do my best. First, I find it hard to believe that you never make phone calls, never have to drive to pick up kids, pets, groceries or other things, never have meetings, never have to sit down with a piece of paper and CREATE or DESIGN, never have to read letters, etc . . . but so be it. Second, the computer also has Context. There’s the spreadsheet you work with, the memos you read and write, slide presentations you make or read, emails and other programs. So for you, “Context” might have to be more specific than just “Computer.” Third, you say . . . . “giant lists of Next Actions” . . . there’s something wrong with that. I have many Projects . . . and my projects have various Steps . . . but never have more than one Next Action per project or step. If you have dozens of Projects (?????) then prioritize. Select the most important and focus on Next Actions for those. Look at it like this. The Next Actions are what will fill your day. So if you’re working five days next week and on average, you accomplish 5 Next Actions per day . . . you’d want to have no more than 25 Next Actions laid out . . . AT MOST. 10-15 might be more like it. Finally, in my experience, this doesn’t happen overnight. But if you work with it for about a week, you will be addicted. I’ve found nothing more efficient. It’s like a machine designed to chew up “actions” and get things done. (No pun intended.)

By: GTD Times Staff

GTD Times Staff — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:27:26 +0000

In reply to Wil. Hi Wil, if you look in our forum you'll find lots of discussion about other context lists that subdivide At Computer. We encourage people to get creative about contexts so that they don't end up with one list, such as At Computer that seems dauntingly long. https://forum.gettingthingsdone.com/ Also, in March of this year David Allen did a webinar for GTD Connect about contexts in GTD. There was discussion of what has and has not changed with technology, mobility, and hybrid work environments. You can email connect@davidco.com if you'd like to set up a free trial.

By: Wil

Wil — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:37:11 +0000

This has never made sense to me in GTD. I can do everything “At Computer”, my entire job and business is on the computer. So I go to my Projects list, and its all in there. I can do ANYTHING, all the time. How does context apply anymore when its all on the computer? I spend most of my time sorting through giant lists of next actions so I have everything captured and processed, but never enough time to do it all. Seems all very silly and the more into GTD I get the less of my most important projects get completed. I want to bring this into my work team but if i can’t get my head wrapped around it after 2 years trying i don’t see the point.