{"id":9870,"date":"2020-06-26T19:44:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T23:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=9870"},"modified":"2020-06-28T21:26:16","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T01:26:16","slug":"gtd-to-do-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips for Mastering the GTD To-Do List"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is a GTD to-do list? Can to-do lists really help you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/steps-to-achieve-your-goals\/\">achieve your goals<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In theory, there are many ways to make a to-do list. A GTD to-do list is one way to make and complete a to-do list, and it helps you strategize on how to be most effective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The GTD To-Do List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What does a GTD to-do list look like? There are actually several types of GTD to-do lists you can employ when you&#8217;re working on getting organized and planning next actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Waiting For List<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Check your Pending pile for items labeled \u201cWaiting for.\u201d Add them to your Waiting For list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use your Waiting For list to keep track of two types of items:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Tasks you\u2019ve delegated and want to monitor. These items typically don\u2019t require any next action. They merely serve as reminders so you can check on their progress and outcome.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Steps in a project that someone else needs to complete before you can take your next action (for example, if you called a vendor for a price quote).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Each entry on the list should have the task, who\u2019s responsible, the date you made the request, and the due date. <strong>Regularly review your Waiting For list so you can determine if you need to check on the status of something or nudge a project forward.&nbsp;<\/strong>This type of Getting Things Done to-do list needs to be closely monitored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Someday\/Maybe List<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, your Pending pile should be much smaller. Turn your attention to items labeled \u201cincubation.\u201d These items will likely go to one of three places: your Someday\/Maybe list, your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/tickler-system-getting-things-done\/\">tickler file<\/a>, or your calendar. All three work together in your GTD to-do list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Someday\/Maybe list gives you the freedom to explore your goals, fantasies, and aspirations without having to commit to doing anything now<\/strong>\u2014from learning a new language to tackling a certain home improvement project<strong>.<\/strong> Furthermore, listing these ideas increases the likelihood that you\u2019ll achieve them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can keep a master Someday\/Maybe list or divide them up into subcategories, which can help distinguish between items that you want to do as soon as you have the time and money (such as home improvements) as opposed to bucket list-type items (like learning French).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider these categories:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Activities to do with your kids\/family<\/li><li>Books to read<\/li><li>Food (for example, recipes and restaurants to try)<\/li><li>Gift ideas<\/li><li>Hobbies to explore<\/li><li>Movies to watch<\/li><li>Skills to learn<\/li><li>Things to buy or make for your home<\/li><li>Trips to take<\/li><li>Websites to check out<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Periodically review your Projects list for any projects that aren\u2019t urgent and could move over from your current commitments to your Someday\/Maybe list. <strong>If you realistically won\u2019t be able to make progress on a project for at least a few months, switch it to your Someday\/Maybe list to declutter your Projects list.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Don\u2019t Confuse \u201cSomeday\/Maybe\u201d With \u201cHold and Review\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t use your Someday\/Maybe file as a Hold-and-Review file, with things you may be interested in that you\u2019ve set aside to process later. <\/strong>Doing this clogs your Someday\/Maybe list with things that really need to be captured in your in-tray and clarified; some of your Hold-and-Review items will belong in your Someday\/Maybe file, but others will probably end up in the trash, in your general-reference file, on your calendar, in a tickler file, and even on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-next-actions-list\/\">Next Actions list<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tickler File<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The second destination for \u201cincubation\u201d items is the tickler file. If you want a reminder to revisit an item later, put it here. For example, if you have a flyer for a concert you want to attend, put the flyer in your tickler file for the date the tickets go on sale.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A tickler file consists of 43 file folders: Twelve labeled with the months of the year and the rest labeled \u201c1\u201d through \u201c31\u201d for each day of the month. <strong>File agendas, flyers, and other documents into the file for the day you want to be reminded.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the first day of each month, open that month\u2019s file and put all the contents into your in-tray, then move that file to the back. Each day, do the same with that day\u2019s folder contents and move the empty file behind the folder for the upcoming month so that tomorrow\u2019s folder is always in front.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tickler file on your GTD to-do list is a good place for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Travel documents you need on the day of a trip<\/li><li>An agenda for the day of a meeting<\/li><li>A report you want to read and review on a later date<\/li><li>A flyer for an event you might be interested in attending<\/li><li>A form that needs to be filled out for an appointment that day<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ll be away from your tickler file for a weekend or a trip, pull all the contents for the days you\u2019ll be gone <em>before <\/em>you leave.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Calendar<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s a to-do list without a calendar? The GTD to-do list calendar is a little different. Other \u201cincubation\u201d items may belong on your calendar. As we talked about, put only time- and date-specific items on your calendar; don\u2019t dilute it with aspirational items that belong on your Next Actions list.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in addition to items like meetings and appointments, <strong>you can also use your calendar for date-specific reminders<\/strong> (this works just like the tickler file, but the tickler file is better for reminders that have necessary documents).<strong> <\/strong>Use your calendar for:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Reminders for launching projects<\/strong>: If it\u2019s too early to start a project now, pick a day to start planning and flag it in your calendar. When that day comes, add that item to your Projects list. You can do this for product launches, annual conferences, or occasions like birthdays and anniversaries when you want to plan a date or buy a gift.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Events you\u2019re considering attending<\/strong>: If you find out about an event but you don\u2019t want to commit until you have a better sense of your schedule, pick a date on your calendar that gives you enough lead time and put a reminder to decide then.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Decisions you\u2019re not ready to make now<\/strong>: If you\u2019re not ready to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/be-decisive\/\">make a decision<\/a>, put a reminder on your calendar to reassess on another date. This category probably includes some major life decisions like career changes and hiring or firing.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Delaying decisions may seem counter to the GTD philosophy (don\u2019t leave things floating around undecided), but it\u2019s acceptable as long as you have a system to store that item and revisit it later. Delaying a decision is fine if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You need more information from yourself (for example, you want to sleep on it). If instead you need more information from an external source, determine a next action and then put the item on your Waiting For list.&nbsp;<\/li><li>You want to wait until it gets closer so you can decide how to act (for example, waiting to see the weather forecast before buying tickets to a baseball game).&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Next Actions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The only items left in your Pending pile should be those labeled \u201cNext Actions.\u201d Most people end up with 50 or more items on their Next Actions lists. When you have a few minutes to knock out a couple of tasks, scanning through a list this long is unproductive and makes you lose valuable time. Instead,<strong> divide your next actions into separate lists based on location or context.&nbsp;<\/strong>This is the last stage of making your Getting Things Done to-do list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Categorizing your next actions makes the most of your time when you\u2019re in a certain location (for example, at the office) or have a certain tool on hand (such as a computer). It also helps when you\u2019re in a certain work mode: When you\u2019re humming along at your computer, it\u2019s more efficient to tackle computer tasks than to shift gears and make calls.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider these categories:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Agendas: <\/strong>This category is for the things you need to bring up when you speak to certain people. Create separate lists for your boss, assistant, spouse, children, financial adviser, accountant, and attorney. This is also useful to help you remember everything you want to bring up at regular weekly\/monthly\/quarterly meetings.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Calls to Make:<\/strong> Check this list anytime you have a few minutes and have a phone on hand. To maximize your efficiency, include necessary phone numbers when you add items to the list.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Computer Tasks: <\/strong>Also consider creating a separate list for items that require an internet connection.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Errands:<\/strong> Make the most of every trip by checking your Errands list to see if you can accomplish another task along the way.<strong> <\/strong>Consider creating sublists, so that if you have a \u201chardware store\u201d item, you can create a sublist of everything you need to buy while you\u2019re there.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Home: <\/strong>This is likely to include household chores, reminders, and repairs.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Office:<\/strong> This is useful if you need to talk to someone at the office or use a piece of equipment that\u2019s only available there. If you have more than one office location, consider creating separate lists for each.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Read\/Review: <\/strong>This file can include reports, articles, and other reading materials and is useful when you\u2019re waiting for an appointment or a meeting to start or have another odd window of time. This file can get big, so follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-two-minute-rule-2\/\">the Two-Minute Rule<\/a> for any short reading material.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GTD To-Do List Bonus Tips: <strong>Reminders <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can help keep track of your Getting Things Done to-do list with notes and reminders. There are two types of reminders you\u2019ll capture in your in-tray and sort into the appropriate folders:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Notes you write on a piece of paper<\/li><li>Documents and other original materials<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>It usually makes more sense to write a note with a reminder to call the plumber than to print and file the email from your spouse telling you to call the plumber.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However,<strong> sometimes it\u2019s more efficient to use the original item as your reminder.<\/strong> For example, instead of writing a reminder to read a magazine, simply put the magazine in your Read\/Review file.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, if your work calls for you to process a lot of one type of document (such as service requests), just file the actual service requests in the appropriate folders. Don\u2019t put them all in a Service Request file, but rather sort them based on the action required for each: One might belong in the Calls to Make file while another should go in the Waiting For folder.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you spend a lot of time on email, consider using the emails themselves as reminders and sorting them into folders within the email system. Create an Action folder and a Waiting For folder for your emails, and work through your inbox just like you would your in-tray, eventually emptying it entirely. Be sure to review these folders as regularly as you review your other Next Actions and Waiting For lists.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A GTD to-do list should be effective and smart. Unlike regular to-do lists, which go on and on and have no strategy, a GTD to-do list will help you work smarter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a GTD to-do list? Can to-do lists really help you achieve your goals? In theory, there are many ways to make a to-do list. A GTD to-do list is one way to make and complete a to-do list, and it helps you strategize on how to be most effective.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,30],"tags":[90],"class_list":["post-9870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-self-improvement","category-work","tag-getting-things-done","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>6 Tips for Mastering the GTD To-Do List - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do to-do lists really work? A GTD to-do list does. Read about how GTD to-do lists can help you plan ahead, all while getting things done today.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Tips for Mastering the GTD To-Do List\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do to-do lists really work? A GTD to-do list does. Read about how GTD to-do lists can help you plan ahead, all while getting things done today.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-06-26T23:44:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-06-29T01:26:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/gtd-to-do-list-getting-things-done.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1067\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Carrie Cabral\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Carrie Cabral\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Carrie Cabral\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2ababb7c63a94ff5d2190f71dc417d56\"},\"headline\":\"6 Tips for Mastering the GTD To-Do List\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-06-26T23:44:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-29T01:26:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\"},\"wordCount\":1916,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/gtd-to-do-list-getting-things-done.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Getting Things Done\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Self-Improvement\",\"Work\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/\",\"name\":\"6 Tips for Mastering the GTD To-Do List - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/gtd-to-do-list\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/gtd-to-do-list-getting-things-done.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-06-26T23:44:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-29T01:26:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"Do to-do lists really work? 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