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Clarification on some of the books principles.

Hi all. I've just finished reading Getting Things Done about a week ago, and am starting on my second pass (hitting the main topics) to try and cement these ideas. However, I'm still left with some uncertainties on a few topics. Reading through some past posts cleared a couple up, but there's still some remaining. I'm hoping with the vast experience some of you seem to have, you wouldn't mind helping this amateur out a little bit. ;)

First up: projects. I took David's advice and created a project reference file system. I'm used to planning out projects when I get them, and detailing the steps needed on the road to completion, albeit at usually a broader scale, so I decided to refine this. When processing a project from "in", I plan it out right there, except instead of a broad set of steps, I create a list of narrowly defined next actions, write the first NA on it's proper list in my organizer, and file the project plan. However, from the sounds of it, you can/should only have the current NA for a project on list, but I find that if I'm not at home where my filing is, and I complete the NA, yet have time to do more, how do I know what my next NA is (since I shouldn't be keeping that in my head)? Do you guys take project plans with you in whatever you use to organize things? Do you write down the next few NA's on a list, just incase? I'm probably over-thinking this, I just don't want to become terribly inefficient.

Aw, son of a... I had more questions, but for the life of me I can't remember them at the moment (my memory is terrible. Hence my attempt at GTD :p ). They'll probably come to me in a day or two, so I'll reply again when they pop up.

Thanks for now!

Kris's picture

Thanks Steve, that does indeed...

Thanks Steve, that does indeed help. If I'm going to be doing this sort of thing though, where parts of a project are independant of other parts, would it be best to scrap the original project and create smaller projects for each independant piece, in order to keep clear outcomes? Or does this just introduce more complexity into the system than it's worth?

 
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