Comments on: GTD with Outlook http://www.digitaldimsum.co.uk/2007/04/23/gtd-with-outlook/ Bite sized info snacks for the digital generation Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:25:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: jonny http://www.digitaldimsum.co.uk/2007/04/23/gtd-with-outlook/#comment-7 jonny Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:38:04 +0000 http://www.digitaldimsum.co.uk/2007/04/23/gtd-with-outlook/#comment-7 Good tips ... I've always found the adding and viewing of categories in outlook a bit cumbersome. So I've been tending to use subdirectories for the "projects" view. This does have the major limitation of items only being able to appear in one project. I like the idea of "contexts" but if I'm using outlook (for me at least) it's 99% likely that I'm at my desk with a computer and a phone ... so I have less use for it. If you've got mobile access then I'm sure the contexts come into play more Good tips … I’ve always found the adding and viewing of categories in outlook a bit cumbersome. So I’ve been tending to use subdirectories for the “projects” view. This does have the major limitation of items only being able to appear in one project.

I like the idea of “contexts” but if I’m using outlook (for me at least) it’s 99% likely that I’m at my desk with a computer and a phone … so I have less use for it. If you’ve got mobile access then I’m sure the contexts come into play more

]]> By: David Masterson http://www.digitaldimsum.co.uk/2007/04/23/gtd-with-outlook/#comment-6 David Masterson Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:28:19 +0000 http://www.digitaldimsum.co.uk/2007/04/23/gtd-with-outlook/#comment-6 A few more tricks to consider in Outlook: * Every item in Outlook 2003 can have multiple Contacts and multiple Categories attached to it. * GTD talks about working in context (ie. where must you do this action?). In Outlook, you can set up contexts in your Master Categories list. * Under View/Options for an email message, you can attach either a Category or a Contact to the message. Doing the same thing everywhere else should be relatively obvious. * By sorting your tasks by category (context), you can easily answer the question "what can I work on now that I am here?" * You can create another Contacts folder (call it Projects) and use it to keep a list of all the projects you are working on (you'll only use the Name and Notes). * If you drag email to the Tasks folder, Outlook will make a task from it. You can then adjust the subject, priority, and due dates for it. Also, add Contacts (Projects) and Categories (Contexts) to the new task. * If you look at the Activities tab for a Project, you'll see all messages, tasks, meetings, etc. for that Project. Great for seeing how a project is doing. * In Outlook, Notes are a good place to make checklists of the things you are working on. The Note can also have a Category and/or Contact associated with it. * In Outlook, Journal is a good place to log all of the things that you have done. The Journal entry can have a Category and a Contact associated with it. Considering that this is a Microsoft product, it's surprising how flexible to accommodate all the ideas above. David A few more tricks to consider in Outlook:

* Every item in Outlook 2003 can have multiple Contacts and multiple Categories attached to it.

* GTD talks about working in context (ie. where must you do this action?). In Outlook, you can set up contexts in your Master Categories list.

* Under View/Options for an email message, you can attach either a Category or a Contact to the message. Doing the same thing everywhere else should be relatively obvious.

* By sorting your tasks by category (context), you can easily answer the question “what can I work on now that I am here?”

* You can create another Contacts folder (call it Projects) and use it to keep a list of all the projects you are working on (you’ll only use the Name and Notes).

* If you drag email to the Tasks folder, Outlook will make a task from it. You can then adjust the subject, priority, and due dates for it. Also, add Contacts (Projects) and Categories (Contexts) to the new task.

* If you look at the Activities tab for a Project, you’ll see all messages, tasks, meetings, etc. for that Project. Great for seeing how a project is doing.

* In Outlook, Notes are a good place to make checklists of the things you are working on. The Note can also have a Category and/or Contact associated with it.

* In Outlook, Journal is a good place to log all of the things that you have done. The Journal entry can have a Category and a Contact associated with it.

Considering that this is a Microsoft product, it’s surprising how flexible to accommodate all the ideas above.

David

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