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) a big 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 world that 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 hold items 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

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 complete download 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 it ems 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 voiceactivated 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

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 h andled (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

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

 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.)

 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

 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

 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.)

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?