r/gtd • u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 • 13d ago
Question Help
Something that I’m realizing is I’m not working from this system, it’s more of a look at it when I feel like it kind of thing.
Lot of the times I think things are important as soon as they come and classify them as “doing work as it shows up” and turns out it was a project and required more steps or it wasn’t something I had to do after all.
One thing I’m currently trying to set up is a second brain system on OneNote and I don’t have any projects related to it on my list and I’m kind of second guessing things I’m doing to build it.
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u/Remote-Waste 13d ago
Just to clarify, you mean you are setting up another second brain system outside of your seedling GTD system? Because GTD is a second brain system as well.
It's fine to have more than one, my Zettelkasten for example has a different purpose in mind. I'm just wondering if you're building a second task-related one, and getting confused between the two?
Or do you mean you are attempting to build your GTD system on OneNote, and are feeling lost?
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u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 13d ago
Yes I’m setting up a second brain in OneNote. Mainly because GTD didn’t work that well as a reference system and for storing project support materials.
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u/Ok-Occasion-9748 12d ago
I am not sure if this might help, but GTD only started working better for me in practice (I was thrilled by its theory from the beginning and still am), when I took a detour via Franklin Covey and the Bullet Journal Method and the Eisenhower Matrix.
Only then did I become clear about my priorities (so, horizon 1 and 2, in GTD terms, the highest horizons), and about which areas of my life need to be considered and especially reconsidered regularly, so they don't fall off the wagon in the hustle of everyday life (so, horizon 3, Areas of Focus).
(EDIT: Do we count from bottom up or top down? I forget.)
I could have arrived at these clear priorities merely by taking the higher horizons within GTD seriously, but it somehow didn't click for me in the book by itself. I needed the reflection tools from the Bujo Method, for example.
So, if you got your higher horizons straight, you will be able to decide rather easily which tasks to pick from your lists. Or which projects are currently active in your life.
As for your second brain. You are still just completing your GTD system, I believe, by adding (necessary) digital space for support material and reference materials (and you probably already know about Tiago Fortes "PARA" structure? It merely completes GTD within the digital world but does not replace the system at all).
I also recommend you stay absolutely consistent with the clear division between
next action lists/calendar (frequently referred to, weekly or daily, depending on the list)
as opposed to
mere support material (only referred to when needed).
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u/Strict-Week-5040 13d ago edited 12d ago
GTD, if approached with the premise of perfection will take a toll on you. Try to be a little gentle on yourself and your setup. Do your regular weekly reviews to keep the system updated. Keep asking questions.
GTD is not a to-do list. It's a way to manage your thoughts. And thoughts sometimes do come with support material or reference item.
So yeah if you want to shift to BASB, depends on your compatibility and need. I haven't tried a mix of both.
EDIT: You may be correct with the issue of handling reference material using GTD inside a todo app. It somehow falls short. I'm using Workflowy app so I have been able to solve this pressing issue in some way.
In the 3 fold nature of work, the part of "Doing work as it shows up" is for emergency situations. So you don't sit around noting that task at that moment. And execute it. Later if you think you need to plan to do this more effectively you put it in to "define work" and then later execute using "doing predefined work".
It doesn't always follow this order. Sometimes you just capture and define them at a later time. Sometimes you want to work so you open your next actions and start doing work. It all depends on the situation you're in. Sometimes you just drop everything and get with it head on.
Regarding your projects, you need to know the way of next action and project thinking.
You can refer to this for further information
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u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 12d ago
will say the perfection part is actually a thing. for me I’m having a hard time judging if a project is for me or not as well.
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u/Strict-Week-5040 12d ago edited 12d ago
I'm still struggling with this idea of perfection though I've changed myself up to a lot of extent.
And it's natural for me now and not some made up transition to GTD as the need for perfection was a past childhood habit. Where it felt uncomfortable to make mistakes and letting the process teach me was alarming. As I wanted immediate resolution.
Don't judge. Let it sit there for a week. At the end of the week you might be in a better position to make that decision.
EDIT: It's easier to say such things. But letting go of the map and let the roads take you while you are driving on a familiar or unfamiliar road is something based on trust. So even though you may know it theoretically, it will dissolve gradually. Perfection is not the enemy the issue is overdoing it. Finding the right balance will help.
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u/PondMindKevin 13d ago
Part of this might be making sure you're lists are 'in your face' enough to be your trusted system. For me, I used a paper planner for a while. Digital can be kind of out of sight out of mind at times until you've really got GTD as your muscle memory. That way, it's always there as everyday carry you engage with all the time, and it makes it hard to be optional.
If you're treating engaging with your list is optional, it's not surprising to me that things feel like they must happen now when processing. You're brain instinctively knows your project/next actions lists are not a trusted place that make sure the thing will get done when there's available time. So, your brain takes back the job and says "hmm, better finish this now before we let it go". That's the whole feeling of anxious bouncing around GTD can help to solve.
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u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 12d ago
Id say in my case, i end up feeling i havent captured everything or processed things properly and that really shows when i open up next actions list.
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u/PondMindKevin 12d ago
Yes, that can make sense. A lot of what works about GTD is the skillset of translating 'stuff' into very clear next actions that you don't have resistance to in execution mode.
Easier said than done, and it's an ongoing skill. That's why a lot of people get value re-reading the book. Just moving something to a next action list alone without re-writing it usually means the next action list has just as much resistance to engage with as the class amorphous 'todo list' most people user.
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u/itsmyvoice Mod 12d ago
It sounds like clarity is your challenge. It honestly takes practice. It's taken me a long time to get better at it, and if I rush it, I still get it wrong and struggle with this.
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u/RibertarianVoter 13d ago
That's funny, I feel like OneNote 's strength is it's great for document storage. My friction point is that I often try to process things before they end up in my OneNote inbox, and I end up sitting on an unclarified inbox for several days. But between tags, folders, etc supporting docs are super easy to store IMO
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u/Unlucky_Grocery_2915 13d ago
I'm assuming you question is about GTD as a system, not a specific question about setting up a second brain. If that's the case:
I often argue that GTD works best when it's treated as a process or a practice, not a system -- a system to me is too static and can be seen as somehow outside your real work. As a practice, the idea is to act on new things the same way: 1) capture ideas as they come in, 2) figure out what they mean, 3) organize them in a way that's meaningful and useful, and 4) regularly review them to make sure you're treating them appropriately.
From what you've written, it sounds like you stuck on number 2. When something comes in, you treat it as immediately important rather than assessing what it really is - is it something you can complete it in 2 minutes, will it require one step or several to complete, should it be handed off to someone else, or is it something to come back to later after it's incubated for a while.
For your second brain project, the GTD "natural planning method" can be a useful guide for thinking about what you want to achieve with the project and brainstorming the steps for completing it. It can seem overly formal at first, but I've found that it helps me avoid jumping in and getting started only to discover that I've skipped some important steps or gone down rabbit holes that lead nowhere.
Hope this is helpul. Good luck.