Ep. 370: How Do I Prioritize in GTD?  🔗 **Source:** [Ep. 370: How Do I Prioritize in GTD?](https://share.snipd.com/episode/28adb5b1-529d-47bb-89d9-e32406018c84) ## Highlights - **Prioritize In The Moment Not Forever** - Prioritization is moment-to-moment and cannot be fixed ahead of time. - David Allen argues trust your intuition because context, time, energy and shifting circumstances change what should be first in any moment. Transcript: Speaker 2 Do I set priorities you know because I hear that so frequently I assume most people think they could and should be doing it better. I have a radical point of view. Learn to listen to and trust your heart or your intuition or your gut or seat of the pants or whatever part of your anatomy is the source of that mysteriously wonderful, still, voice that Somehow knows you better than you do and knows what's better for you better than you do. There have been popular formulas for setting priorities over the years such as applying ABC or high, medium, or low or listing the top 10 things to get done in order. If someone actually applies one of those models, it probably creates some progress. But these, nor any other simple methods I've seen, really hit the mark. You'll have a different priority set at 8 p.m. Tonight than 10.30 this morning. And sometimes the most strategic thing for you to do will be to water your plants like you know when you've been in six meetings felt beat up and five of them and by 430 your brain is scrambled Eggs and you barely had the attention span of a gnat that's the time to water your plants and fill your stapler why well you couldn't do anything else very well and you're going to have To water your plants and fill your state for some time anyway. On a day-to basis, moment to moment, there's no algorithm or formula that will last very long or is really worth trying to nail down in some written or coded system that you'll adhere To consistently. Think about it. All the different things you're doing today are the top priority for you in that moment for whatever reason, or you wouldn't be doing it. Watching or listening to this right now, for instance. That said, I've recognized four criteria that we all will use to decide what to do and these are in order of their precedence. Number one, context. What can I do where I am? Number two, time. When do I have to do something else? Number three, energy. How wasted or fresh am I? Number four, priority. What is the highest payoff for me if I do it? You know, the idea of payoff to yourself is the intuitive one, but let's not be frivolous. When was the last time you and your professional colleagues as a group took a sincere look into the future and, you know, made the hard decisions about what is still mission-finical And what is not. When did you last decide what the real nature of your job really is or should be? When was the last time you personally sat down and thought through where you are in your life on all fronts and where you're going, what you really want to be different than the way it is Right now? The best you shoot for is a regular enough revisit to the broader horizon looks like that and reviews of your work and life, letting it sink in at all the levels, conscious and otherwise, That it might affect. Then get organized and current with realities and commitments so that you have a clear enough deck for which to pay attention to your internal directions and hunches and to follow them Without distractions. Do I need to work on this article that I need to write or call Ed Jennifer now or balance my checking account or plan the next year's marketing strategy or have a beer, hang out with my partner In the yard. Who knows? Some part of you does. Be open to your own spirit and its directions. You might even consider asking it. Then take the risk to move on your best guess, pay attention to the results, and course correct as you keep moving along. I'm in my 70s now and I'm still working on how well I can do that. ([Time 0:02:09](https://share.snipd.com/snip/394665c3-603a-47f4-8f8a-f6a438143c27)) - **Priority Is Always The First Thing** - Prioritization is an emergent phenomenon that happens across decisions, not a one-time act. - Paul Vahur explains priorities are always 'first things' because you can only do one thing at a time and both world and you keep changing. Transcript: Paul Vahur But the etymology, and I think it doesn't come to any surprise to anybody, it comes from writing the word prior, which says it's meaning first. So basically prioritization is figuring out what to do first. But notice that we don't have a word for deciding what to do second. There's no further, at least I haven't accounted, called secondarization, right? Things to do second. That's the thing that we never do second things. We only do an endless row of first things. Pretty much actually even like if you say, well, I'm prioritizing, I'm working on my priority now, then I could say back like, well, how old are you? And you say like, I don't know, I'm 40 years old. It's like, well, it's not your priority. It's your 10,000th or 15th or 50th thousandth thing that you are doing right in your life because, you know, there was something before that. So in that sense, by what we say prioritization, priority means what to do now, what to do in this moment. And in every moment, well, at least that's our claim in GD, in every moment we can only do a first thing or one thing at a time. And the reason for that is, uh you know the world is dynamic you know it changes throughout the day throughout the week month year decades etc it rhymes you know but it never repeats exactly So it's kind of always changing and you know we can't like set like i'm going to do this first second third fourth etc and then you know i'm going to set the plan i'm going to start working On that right with every moment the world is kind of in some sense recreated or the river that you can step into twice. Right. And, you know, that's one reason. Okay. So it's one reason that the world is dynamic, but other reason that we are dynamic as well. You know, once we do something, we are wiser. And especially if things that we do didn't go as we expected, right? Then we, you know, we learned something from that and we were changed by that. We learn, we grow. We also get tired. We have moods. And we get distracted by our thoughts, both new and old. So it's always like the outside of world is dynamic and we are dynamic. So we really can set things we should do first and then the things that we should do second and all the way down to 150, I think, or how many next actions you might have on your list. If only we can set up things that we can do first in any given moment and then at the next moment or whatever we are free to do something else we'll need to do another first thing. ([Time 0:08:37](https://share.snipd.com/snip/1bfb939b-89b1-49d4-8483-34bdd401f0a3)) - **Proverbs About Measuring Before Cutting** - Paul compares cultural proverbs about measuring before cutting and links them to asking clarifying questions. - He cites English variants and an Estonian saying 'measure nine times and cut once' to frame measuring priorities thoroughly. Transcript: Paul Vahur So basically it's kind of come from carpentry or tailoring. So it's like make sure you have measured it right before you start cutting because you can cut something smaller but you can't cut something bigger. So it's wise to be kind of prudent and measure well, you know, kind of ahead. Once I started searching for that, and then I'm going to go why I was searching for that at the end of this slide, I came up with different versions. So there's measure twice and cut once. There was another one, which apparently is from English. It's measured three times before you cut once. So it's kind of, now it amps the stakes, it's saying, hey be even more careful than culture twice and you should do it three times. And I also encountered when I searched, at least when I searched in English, I also counted this one which was translated from Russian, it's measured seven times and cut once. So it's, you know, it seems like different cultures have different sense of, you know, kind of being careful and then being watching ahead. Well, you know, so far I haven't seen anybody else put anything into the chat, but then we have this saying in Estonia, I don't see, I'll translate it because I don't see any most Estonians In the chat at the moment, is, it's called yheksakordn mööda ykskord leitka, it's an Estonian proverb, and that translates to measure nine times, cut once, so it's kind of really, really Careful. ([Time 0:14:15](https://share.snipd.com/snip/3abaf1da-a940-441e-87ce-e78f3e8b0dd3)) - **Measure With Clarify Questions Before Choosing** - Use the GTD clarify steps to measure and narrow options before choosing a priority. - Paul lists clarify questions: what has your attention, what does it mean, is it actionable, and define the next action to make it a candidate priority. Transcript: Paul Vahur So I think this is where the GTD five-step starts with the first step. You'll ask, what has your attention? And this is already actually a prioritization question, right? Because what are we doing? We are separating from the wheat from the chaff, right? So it's what has your attention versus what doesn't have your attention. So it's it's kind of don't don't pay attention to that what you're not paying attention to things that doesn't have your attention so but you shouldn't even do it artificially. And especially in coaching where there's more time, then we have people who write for two hours and write down 300 things. And, you know, there's extreme cases where people have written for six hours or even more. And then hundreds of things that got their attention. So I'm just like, well, that's a lot of things. But this is actually very, very tiny things of things that they're actually seeing in the world. So it's it's there because there's you're surrounded all the time by by kind of million of things uh that that's uh that's around you so so really this is kind of the first thing like what What what what's what could be priority for you right is the things that has your attention so the second measure is is is to kind of look really closely and decide what is it. So this is the first question of the clarify process. And then here we actually think what's its meaning? What does it actually mean? So it's kind of because it might not be apparent, and especially if we go into written stuff, right? You get an email and it's like three paragraphs long, so you need to especially figure out what is it. And it also could be like with other things, right? So maybe kids gives you a broken toy and then you need to figure out do you need to repair this or they need to buy a new one or they need to just... Maybe it's the best thing to is to throw it away, but you need to kind of understand what is it and knowing and understanding of things that that get your attention makes the prioritization Possible so the third measure is then the third question is is it actionable so the so the second question in the clarify process and this is where we actually decide, is it meaningful For you? So we decided what the meaning is in the first steps, or you figured out what the meaning is, then you know now we decide, is it meaningful for you, right? And should you do something about it, right? So it could be meaningful for you, but you shouldn't do something about it as well. So in that sense, like if it goes to no category, it can, it be totally meaningless for you, in which case you'll throw it away. Or it can be meaningful for you, but you want to keep, you don't want to do anything about it. Or maybe not do anything about it right now. So then it will go into your someday maybe list. But if it is actionable, then it's actually now we have a little bit better candidates. From before we started paying attention to what has her attention of you know things that we can prioritize so the fifth measure is is to actually say what's the next action and that already Feels like hey you know maybe maybe we can do it right away and actually this is now you can take a first shortcut to achieve and go right into if it takes only two minutes to do then you can Actually go and do it uh so so maybe there is a you don't need to go through all of the nine measures uh to do something uh but uh but you know but at least uh you can stop here but most of the things You probably can so uh what we are doing when we have what's the next action and when we're writing it down is is making it suitable to be a first thing to do to making it a priority. So actually here, maybe I'll just jump a little bit ahead of myself, but saying priority can only be next actions, in my opinion. ([Time 0:17:32](https://share.snipd.com/snip/55dbcadf-605f-45d1-859a-56f650f62712)) - **Write Desired Outcomes To Generate Next Actions** - Make desired outcomes explicit when one action won't complete the result. - Write the outcome and generate the next physical first action from it so priorities remain actionable and connected to goals. Transcript: Paul Vahur So, and then actually, there's also, this is kind of a weird one, but it's obviously part of the clarify process, is to also decide what's the desired outcome. It's kind of measuring as well. And here I would say, actually, this now goes back to the conversation we just had, which was about like, hey, can your vision or goals be a priority if they're important for you? But we start going like up horizontally. And because we don't do actions for their own sake, usually. It's only for the change that we want to see in the world. And it could be like some small change. If it is, then the desired outcome is already achieved with accomplishing this next action. But in a case it isn't, then it's also important to make sure that we have that important desired outcome written down somewhere. So that we can generate the next potential first action from there. This first thing to do from the desired outcome. So yeah, this is measuring if one action is not enough, or if it is enough, then write down the outcome so you can easily create the next first thing to do. ([Time 0:24:03](https://share.snipd.com/snip/d6e20623-76f6-438b-a6eb-52abe6f8d2a7)) - **Organize Items So They Can Become Priorities** - Put items where you'll find them later so they become viable priorities when the time comes. - Paul recommends time‑bound items go on the calendar and non‑time actions go to context next‑action lists for easy retrieval. Transcript: Paul Vahur So a six measure is where should you organize it to find it easily? So it's, yeah, it's kind of, uh, in a sense that, uh, we are not really kind of, um, um, we are moving closer to action here, but in a sense that if you can't do it right away, you have to do it Later, but where, where should you put it so you can see it and easily so and when and the question here is when and where you should you see it again like if it's you know if it's like a meeting Like this then it goes into a calendar right so so because then it then then you know when right and then probably the calendar entry will also tell you where you know but in other actions Which are not time bound uh they will go to your next actions list and you'll find it from there. And so basically maybe another way of pushing when and where should it be one of the options that can become a priority, right? So if I'm home and opening up my home list, then it's like, hey, this is one of your potential priorities that you can do. ([Time 0:25:39](https://share.snipd.com/snip/f0a63309-f5a8-4e0b-b776-65e462ca5a38)) - **Curate Lists To Shrink Priority Choices** - Regularly review and curate your lists so you have a manageable pool of true priority candidates. - Paul advises pruning project and next‑action lists, using Someday/On‑Hold to reduce overload and align with higher horizons. Transcript: Paul Vahur So this is now that basically we are into the effect stage and you are reviewing and reflecting, whether daily or weekly or as often as you need. All right. But why should you do this because maybe you know you've written down a lot of things maybe there are conflicting actions and outcomes uh you know that that you know you can't do especially If they happen at the same time for example in your calendar or or maybe they you know like you know i want to well you know i i i want to be uh vegan and i want to work in a butcher shop, right? Could have been that you're going to once you review those, I'm bringing very stark and maybe, you know, contrasting things. But something that jumped in my head. But it's like, hey, you know, these these things are going to clash each other. And I need to make a choice. John Forrester You can be a vegan and still work in a butcher shop, but what you do on your lunch break, that's where the conflict comes in. Paul Vahur Yeah, I mean, usually the veganism is understood in a more wider sense that it's not only like what you eat, but also like, you know, how do you interact with animals, etc. Yes, exactly. Yes. Yeah. And maybe there are, you know, that at some point was important for you but now it's not unimportant for you or maybe the things that are lower importance such as things in your someday Maybe list that now are important for you so it's really important to to kind of make sure that you look at all of over your things and uh and also one another question asked do you have too Many actions in your list for any given time horizon, right? So it might be that, you know, in case you don't use a someday maybe list, you might have 50 projects in your list and in your project list and 500 next actions, right? So and then it's, well, you know, you can give it a go and try and see how it goes. But what we have seen is usually that doesn't work. And the smaller the number, the better, right? And then you can go more detailed, use the projects on hold list, and then someday maybe list too extensive, et cetera. So really kind of see that basically curating the list. So when it comes to choose the priorities, it's as easy as possible for you, right? It's not loaded up with the 500 things. And also making sure that you have created the right lists, right? So you're organized, you're also looking at that, but here you're going to look at the higher picture. It's like maybe, you know, well, okay, now I have in a train commuting, you know, context for myself, which maybe I should create a list for, et cetera. And also here you're kind of looking at all your actions and outcomes in your list in sync with your higher levels or the important things in your life, areas of focus, goals, vision, Purpose and principles, right? ([Time 0:26:44](https://share.snipd.com/snip/d3d500ad-37fe-41ea-8efd-6a467844d093)) - **Filter Priorities With Context Time And Energy** - Use the limiting criteria model (context, time, energy) to filter candidates into realistic priorities. - Paul collapses these into practical checks when engaged: what can I do where I am with the time and energy available? Transcript: Paul Vahur So basically this is kind of curating those options that you have down to smaller number. John Forrester So with this eighth measure, you have condensed the limiting criteria model of context, time, and it's condensed all into this one in a way. Paul Vahur Yeah, yeah. And I would say, I mean, actually, I'm going to, why I'm using this nine measure thing is because I noticed this interesting parallel between the Estonian proverb of measure nine times And cut once, and I was like, maybe fiddling a little bit to make it match, right? That's the entertainment part, right? John Forrester I think that one of the most fun things to do and also a very instructional thing to do is to see how far you can stretch a comparison. Maybe it looks at first as though it doesn't really fit, but the more you look for ways to make it work, you find out that it does fit. And you could end up learning a lot about how we prioritize by taking this thing called the three criteria limiting criteria model and spreading it out into a proverb that says measure Nine times. I think it's instructional to do something like that. Paul Vahur Yeah, yeah, exactly. And I think maybe just we stopped into the, or we kind of sidelined into a little bit of a commentary, and I can stay here for a moment. I'm going to say as well is that what the GTD process really is, it's really thinking things through well, right? And then this is actually, you know, if you look at the kind of the five-step model, it's kind of, you know, the doing is like really at the end, right? And you've done a lot of work beforehand, but this is the necessary work, you know, you're really going to talk through well and come to the punchline. So, yeah, yeah. Well, Aleman is saying that if I push more stuff to my Sunday Maybe list, then my prioritizing would be infinitely easier. Yes, exactly. John Forrester So this is. So on mine, the question that I'll ask back to you, what's the challenge with pushing more stuff to your Sunday Maybe list? What goes through your mind when you start pushing more stuff to your someday maybe list that causes you to hesitate on that in any way. Later list, it's on hold and someday maybe both. They're so important. They're my friends. Okay. I can't answer that. Okay. Yeah. Good. Somebody else is saying, if I push it to the someday maybe list, I will miss things. So what to me, this comes back to also is get really comfortable pushing things to someday maybe list or a not now list or something like that. But build your trust in those lists by reviewing often enough that you know that those those lists don't become just never and not going to look at it or anything like that. ([Time 0:29:59](https://share.snipd.com/snip/9c8460bb-1445-486f-9ab0-0a9c615b1688)) - **Trust Someday Lists By Reviewing Them Often** - Trust your Someday/Not Now lists but review them regularly to prevent losing important items. - John Forrester urges building review habits so Someday lists become reliable storage and simplify real‑time prioritizing. Transcript: Paul Vahur So, yeah, yeah. Well, Aleman is saying that if I push more stuff to my Sunday Maybe list, then my prioritizing would be infinitely easier. Yes, exactly. John Forrester So this is. So on mine, the question that I'll ask back to you, what's the challenge with pushing more stuff to your Sunday Maybe list? What goes through your mind when you start pushing more stuff to your someday maybe list that causes you to hesitate on that in any way. Later list, it's on hold and someday maybe both. They're so important. They're my friends. Okay. I can't answer that. Okay. Yeah. Good. Somebody else is saying, if I push it to the someday maybe list, I will miss things. So what to me, this comes back to also is get really comfortable pushing things to someday maybe list or a not now list or something like that. But build your trust in those lists by reviewing often enough that you know that those those lists don't become just never and not going to look at it or anything like that. ([Time 0:31:51](https://share.snipd.com/snip/36fc27fa-bd58-44b6-adf9-f4db2e26ae59))