GTD Incomplete Trigger List

7/30/2019 GTD Incomplete Trigger List

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David Allen's Getting Things Done - Incomplete Item Collection

Process & Tool

Kathy Paauw, a professional organizer and certified business & personal coach on her website http://www.orgcoach.net

This tool will help you to develop a big list of items written down - and therefore (as David Allen's theory goes) abig list of items no longer floating around in your head, taking up memory and distracting you for the necessary

priorities.

Note: Make sure that you devote at least a couple of hours in a place where you can control or minimize your

distractions - and recognize that the very act of thinking deeply and comprehensively about items you have not

attended to can be anxiety-inducing. So give yourself breaks, and go easy on yourself if you feel guilty. Guilt was a

necessary guiding force when you were young, so as not to violate the unassailable, implicit and explicit rules of

authority figures around you. But now that you're all grown up, you may wish to allow yourself to question your

feelings of guilt and perhaps allow yourself to behave in self-serving ways, counter to the messages of authority -

towards the goal of reclaiming your lost agency and parts of yourself, i.e. to reconnect with who you are.

David Allen's summary of the process behind Getting Things Done:

"THE CORE PROCESS I teach for mastering the art of relaxed and controlled knowledge work is a five-stage

method for managing work flow. No matter what the setting, there are five discrete stages that we go through as

we deal with our work. We (1) collect things that command our attention; (2) process what they mean and what

to do about them; and (3) organize the results, which we (4) review as options for what we choose to (5) do. This

constitutes the management of the "horizontal" aspect of our livesincorporating everything that has our

attention at any time."

Collection process details:

"Gathering 100 Percent of the "Incompletes"

In order to eliminate "holes in the bucket," you need to collect and gather together placeholders for or

representations of all the things you consider incomplete in your worldthat is, anything personal or

professional, big or little, of urgent or minor importance, that you think ought to be different than it currently is

and that you have any level of internal commitment to changing.

Many of the things you have to do are being collected for you as you read this. Mail is coming into your mailbox,

memos are being routed to your in-basket, e-mail is being funneled into your computer, and messages are

accumulating on your voice-mail. But at the same time, you've been "collecting" things in your environment and

in your psyche that don't belong where they are, the way they are, for all eternity. Even though it may not be as

obviously "in your face" as your e-mail, this "stuff" still requires some kind of resolutiona loop to be closed,

something to be done. Strategy ideas loitering on a legal pad in a stack on your credenza, "dead" gadgets in your

desk drawers that need to be fixed or thrown away, and out-of-date magazines on your coffee table all fall into

this category of "stuff."

As soon as you attach a "should," "need to," or "ought to" to an item, it becomes an incomplete. Decisions you

still need to make about whether or not you are going to do something, for example, are already incompletes.

This includes all of your "I'm going to"s, where you've decided to do something but haven't started moving on it

yet. And it certainly includes all pending and in-progress items, as well as those things on which you've done

everything you're ever going to do except acknowledge that you're finished with them.

In order to manage this inventory of open loops appropriately, you need to capture it into "containers" that holditems in abeyance until you have a few moments to decide what they are and what, if anything, you're going to

do about them. Then you must empty these containers regularly to ensure that they remain viable collection


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tools.

Basically, everything is already being collected, in the larger sense. If it's not being directly managed in a trusted

external system of yours, then it's resident somewhere in your psyche. The fact that you haven't put an item in

your in-basket doesn't mean you haven't got it. But we're talking here about making sure that everything you

need is collected somewhere other than in your head."

Here are Kathy Paauw's instructions for downloading the incompletes in your life. You may wish to adapt it to

include 'trigger questions' that are more appropriate to your own life:

Begin the Download

Using the list of trigger questions below to get you started, write down things youre storing in your memory that

need your attention. This is not intended to become a to-do list, but rather a completedownload of what

your brain is holding on to at the conscious and subconscious level. Download all your incompletions here. (An

Incompletion is anything you pay attention or give thought to that needs to be different than it is right now.)

At this point, dont try to prioritize or decide whether or not you will do these things. After youve completed the

download you can decide what to do with the items on your list. For now, dont think about thatjust list!

Go through this list of questions TWICE once for your WORK activities and once for your PERSONAL activities.

Write EVERYTHING down that comes to mind the more the better! 100% download is important.

After youve gone through the entire list of Trigger Questions, review your list of action items needing your

attention and ask yourself if any action items are part of a bigger project. For example, if you listed purchase file

folders, is this part of a bigger project involving an office reorganization? If so, there may be other action items

necessary to complete the whole project. Write it ALL down.

After the Download

Now that you have gone through a complete download, get in the habit of doing the following:

Get all new ideas out of your head and written down somewhere so you dont have to remember them all. Have a minimum number of places where you keep the ideas you write down (one at home, one in the office,

one in your car). You can use pads of paper, electronic notes on your Palm or computer, or even a voice-

activated recording device for when youre driving as long as you regularly transcribe recorded messages to

paper or electronic notes.

Do a weekly review of action items you write down, and incorporate them into the 4Ds Do (this week -- calendar) Defer (another week -- Perhaps List) Delegate (review during weekly planning -- Delegation Log) Delete/Dump


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Incompletions: Trigger List of Questions

1. List projects started & not completed:

Whats on your desk?

Whats in your drawers?

Whats on your floor/under your desk?

Whats behind your door?

Whats in your briefcase or bags?

Whats in storage boxes?

Whats in the stacks of paper on your credenza or filing cabinet?

What about the scraps of paper, business cards, receipts?

Whats on your to do lists?

Whats on your Post-it notes around your office or on the refrigerator?

Whats on your to do lists on note pads, from meeting notes, in your calendar or journal?

Whats in your e-mail box that needs your attention?

Whats on your calendar from previous weeks that did not get handled (family calendar and appointment book)?

2. List projects not yet started:

Whats on your desk?

Whats in your drawers?

Whats on your floor/under your desk?

Whats behind your door?

Whats in your briefcase or bags?

Whats in storage boxes?

Whats in the stacks of paper on your credenza or filing cabinet?

What about the scraps of paper, business cards, receipts?

Whats on your to do lists?

Whats on your Post-it notes around your office or on the refrigerator?

Whats on your to do lists on note pads, from meeting notes, in your calendar or journal?

Whats in your e-mail box that needs your attention?

Whats coming up on your calendar that needs to be handled (family calendar and appointment book)?

3. What projects are completed that need to be acknowledged as complete?

4. What commitments or promises have you made and not kept? Do you need to follow through or renegotiate?

What do you need to clarify or resolve?

5. Are there people waiting for you to get back to them?

6. Are there people you are waiting to hear back from?

7. What do you need to research or look into?

8. Are there professionals or support staff waiting to hear back from you about anything?

Lawyer

Accountant

Consultants

Administrative assistant Other


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9. What communications are incomplete?

Phone calls

Letters

Cards (greeting, thank you, special event)

Memos

E-mails Faxes

10. Any important events coming up?

Dinners

Parties

Receptions

Graduations

Weddings

Birthdays

Anniversaries

Reunions (family, class, other)

Holidays

Cultural events

Sporting events

11. Any writing you need to do?

Drafts

Reports

Evaluations, reviews

Proposals

Articles Promotional/marketing material

Instructions

Summaries

Charting (medical dictation, etc.)

Minutes of meetings or events

Rewrite or edit

Status reports

Tracking or logging of key communications or conversations

Billing

12. Anything needing to be done around meetings?

Anything need to be set or confirmed?

Do you need to make reservations for transportation, meeting space, a place to stay?

Do you need to request a meeting from someone?

Do you need to prepare anything for meetings?

Debrief of meetings already had?

Actions or commitments agreed to?

Any tracking or recording needed?

13. Any read and review needed?

Documents

Articles

Books/publications


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Updates, memos

Peer review

14. Anything needing attention with financial aspects?

Accounts

Cash/cash flow Budgets

Balance sheets

Assets

Profit & loss

Forecasting

Credit/credit lines

Loans/mortgages

Taxes

Insurance

Payables

Billing

Receivables

Petty cash

Banks/bankers

Investments

Expense reimbursement or tracking expenses for tax deductions

Allowance for kids

College fund

15. Anything you need to do in the area of planning & organizing?

Long-term goals Short-term goals

Setting up an effective system for processing and managing paper flow

Contact management

Targets/objectives

Business plans/business planning

Marketing plans

Financial planning

Event planning

Presentations, meetings

Conferences

Organizing space:

Main living areas

Main working areas

On-site storage (garage, attic, storage rooms)

Off-site storage (rented storage space)

Organizing collections (videos, slides, photos, CDs, cassettes, records, etc.)

Organizing paper (reference files and action/tickler files)

16. What about travel & vacation planning?

Gathering ideas & information

Making reservations

Arranging for things to be handled while youre away (coverage at work, house-sitter for pets, holding the mail

and newspaper, etc.)


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Documents such as Passport or Visa up-to-date?

17. Anything needing attention about your organization or company?

Organizational chart

Lines of authority

Job descriptions Restructuring the organization

Anything about facilities

New systems

Change initiatives

Leadership

Succession planning

Administrative things

Legal issues

Forms

Procedures or instruction manual

Insurance issues

Personnel issues

Staffing hiring & firing

Reviews

Policies & procedures

Training & education (self & others)

Staff development

Compensation -- salary & benefits

Communication about or with staff

Morale

Feedback Evaluations

Rewards/awards

Acknowledgments

Corrective action

18. Anything needing your attention with sales & marketing?

Customers/clients/patients

Prospective customers/clients/patients

Lead generation

Sales process

Sales training

Relationship-building

Sales or status reporting

Tracking

Customer service

Promotional campaigns

Promotional materials

Public relations

Image of organization

19. Are you waiting for anything?

Information you have requested

Things you have delegated to others projects, tasks


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Replies to communications, proposals

Answers to questions

Reimbursements or rebates youve submitted

Orders youve placed but not received tickets, products, supplies, equipment

20. Anything you want to do around professional development? Seminars/workshops

Things to learn

Skills you want to develop or improve on

Books or journals you want to read

Subscriptions subscribe or unsubscribe

Research on things you want to look into

Certifications

Formal education/degrees

Courses

Career planning

Revise resume/CV

Professional wardrobe

Professional gear you need

Organizational systems for your office

21. Any attention needed for volunteer/civic work, projects, or stewardship?

Service clubs

Church/synagogue

Professional organizations/associations you belong to

Community organizations/non-profits School programs

Contributions

Planned/Deferred Giving (wills, trusts, etc.)

Care for the environment (recycling, etc.)

22. Any attention you want to pay to professional and personal relationships?

Spouse/significant other

Children

Parents

Other family

Friends

Pets

Co-workers/peers

Other professionals in your industry

Professionals in other industries you want to connect with

Counsellors

Consultants

Coaches

23. Anything in your physical environment in need of repair, remodel/update, replacement?

Computer software upgrade, update downloads

Computer hardware


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Printers

Electronic equipment

Office equipment

Appliances

Entertainment (TV, VCR, stereo, etc.)

Tools Construction/remodeling/repairs

Heating/air conditioning

Air quality/ventilation

Plumbing

Electricity/wiring

Landscaping

Driveways, sidewalks

Roofing

Walls, flooring, ceilings

Dcor/fixtures

Furniture

Lighting

Signage

Phones

Databases

Faxes

Filing systems

Archives/storage

Supplies

Business cards

Letterhead/envelopes/stationery

24. Do any legal aspects of your life need attention?

Will/Living Will

Trusts

Documents

Contracts/deeds

Agreements

Power of Attorney

Licenses (business, professional, sporting)

25. Have you loaned anything to anyone who has not returned it?

Books/publications

Tools

Equipment

Teaching materials (slides, overheads, etc.)

26. Do you need to return anything to anyone you have borrowed something from?

Books/publications

Tools

Equipment

Teaching materials (slides, overheads, etc.)


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27. How about self-care activities?

Exercise

Health (doctor, dentist, optometrist, health practitioners, etc.)

Recreation & sports

Entertainment

Hobbies (sewing, knitting, woodwork, building, etc.) Diet

Creative expressions (art, music, photography, etc.)

Counseling

Coaching

Spiritual renewal

Rest & relaxation/stress reduction

Books to read

Music/videos to listen to/view

Personal development (classes, workshops, seminars, education)

28. Any concerns about transportation (purchase, repair, renew lease, etc.)?

Car/truck

Bike/motorcycle

Commuting

Repair

Purchase or lease options

Insurance coverage

29. Does your wardrobe effectively support your activities in the comfort and style you desire? Does it fit? Is it in

style? Does anything need repair?

Work Leisure/loungewear

Formal wear

Hobbies

Sports

Accessories

Luggage (purse, briefcase, suitcases, carry-on travel cases, etc.)

30. Any errands you want to run? Purchases you want to make? Shopping or Web surfing you want to do?

Hardware store

Pharmacy

Grocery store

Bank

Cleaner

Stationery/office supply

Mall

Gifts

Software & hardware

Health food store

31. As you walk around your home and work space, do you notice anything that you have attention on which

needs to be different than it is right now?

GTD Incomplete Trigger List

Documents

Transcript of GTD Incomplete Trigger List