Get Everything Done: Using Task Grouping in a Planner | Giftie Etcetera: Get Everything Done: Using Task Grouping in a Planner

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Get Everything Done: Using Task Grouping in a Planner

One of the easiest ways to organize tasks and actually complete them is to group them based on where the tasks will be done. (I first heard of this suggestion in the book "Getting Things Done" by David Allen.)

I put my own spin on how I use that idea. For me, that means the following codes are written before each task:

C = computer

Ph = phone
H = home

E = errands
Pl = planner
A = anywhere



getting things done, planner, task, to do list


But the real trick is to learn to write the tasks so that they are grouped together. 

The Trick:

Start one list (like Ph in example below) in the lower section of the planner square and one (like H) in the upper, and add to those sections as new stuff arises, leaving space in the middle for other tasks.

getting things done, planner, task, to do list

TIP: Expand this concept by writing Computer tasks to the upper right and Errands to the lower right, or some similar groupings. Leaving the empty space in the middle when writing is the key.

It's not a perfect solution, but as this photo illustrates, the trick manages to mostly keep like tasks together.

getting things done, planner, task, to do list

Then, when running errands, I do those tasks. When on my computer, I tackle those to dos.

Such a simple trick, but reteaching yourself to enter tasks this way into your planner will pay off!


Etcetera.

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3 comments:

Tina Marie said...

It all sounds so easy! Now to get into the tasking mode and make this work. Thanks for the idea!

Unknown said...

you make it look so easy... thanks for the tip!

KariP said...

The vertical inserts I'm trying out, have an extra column of boxes on the left. I've labelled them @Home; @C (computer); % (call), ~ (text), a circled e (email); Errands. I use a FC Compact, so the columns are small. My writing is small, but not that small. Anyway, trying these this month. If I do go back to a horizontal layout, I'm definitely keeping these codes.