(To see the previous parts of this series, click here.)
Taking Inventory
Now that you have your projects laid out, with the tasks flowing below them in an order that is natural to the project, you are ready to get rolling. You just look at your top three projects and their next steps and get to work. But wait, what are your top three projects? That is what we need to tackle next.
At some point in the game, you need to stop and take inventory. You need to stop and devote some time to look at your projects and see what should have the priority; what should be at the top of your list. This way, you know that you are truly focusing on the right; the most important things. This “time out” or review can be a few minutes, an hour, a half a day or a day you dedicate to doing this – the duration isn’t as important as making sure it happens on a periodic, not an infrequent, basis. Experts like David Allen
If you already do these periodic reviews, you know what rewards I am talking about. Doing these reviews will make you more productive. This productivity comes from two angles. It comes from an “objective” side where you reorganize your projects based on current, physical, real world demands like bosses, clients, dates, needed income, etc. The productivity also comes from a “subjective” side as after you have done the review, your brain will relax and let you focus because subconsciously you know that you are focusing on the right things. With your brain on cruise control, the productivity will flow. Sometimes, just getting things to flow is what you are in need of.
Sometimes you find yourself “stuck.” You find yourself not making progress on things; not motivated to work on things; not getting anything done. When you are stuck, there is sometimes a reason. Maybe you are not focusing on the right project and your subconscious is trying to tell you such. Maybe you don’t have the right next step defined for the project. At times like this, taking an inventory; doing a review will usually break the log jam. Stopping, stepping out of the moment and looking at things can be incredibly liberating and get you back on track as it let’s you renegotiate your commitments with yourself.
A while back, I took David Allen’s GTD RoadMap seminar. During a break, I spoke with David. I told him that I was a major proponent and user of his system. However, I still found it hard at times to feel comfortable with everything that was on my list(s) and truly feel that I was making progress. His advice edged on being profound. He said that you have to be comfortable with your list. You have to be comfortable with the idea of being able to renegotiate your commitments with yourself at any time. You have to stay flexible (my words) so you can keep moving forward. And moving forward, of course, is what we are trying to do.
