Situational art: a game-changing approach to task management

Imagine you've just run out to pick up your dry cleaning before a business trip tomorrow. You remember needing to do something else, but you can't remember exactly what. Sitting in the car park, you flip or scroll page after page through all your to-do lists trying to find it. A few minutes go by and you can't find it. Frustrated, you give up and just say you'll deal with it later.

Sound familiar? If not, I'd be surprised. I see this happen to people all the time. And the busier you are, the worse it gets.

This week, I want to share a simple way to increase productivity that will solve these kinds of problems, save you all kinds of time, and help you get more done.

The idea is simple... Organise tasks according to the context they require.

Just as a little organisation can improve the feng shui of your home, this organising tip can greatly improve the efficiency of your life. Trust me, this tip is a real gem and comes straight from productivity guru David Allen's book ‘Getting it All Done’.

So what does grouping by context mean? It's simple: group tasks according to where you need to get them done, what you need to do, or who needs to be involved. It's like creating small communities of tasks in your to-do list.

For example, in my personal actions list, if I need to make a call on my mobile phone, I'll put those actions in a context labelled ‘call’. If I need to talk to someone or ask someone's permission, I'll put those actions in a context labelled ‘Agenda - [person's name]’. If I'm waiting for something or someone to do something, I'll put the action in a context labelled ‘waiting’. There are more examples, but hopefully these 3 will illustrate their value.

The beauty of this system is that it saves you from the dreaded task list paralysis. Instead of sifting through hundreds of to-dos every time you want to do something, you can focus on what makes sense in the current context. It's like having a personal assistant who knows exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it.

Picture this: You're on the phone with the garage about that annoying check engine light that just came on. Since you're already in ‘talk mode,’ why not make a few more calls? Call your mum (she misses you!). Reschedule that dentist appointment you've been avoiding. Boom! Three tasks accomplished and you don't have to ‘shift gears’.

Or look at this scenario: you're in the kitchen preparing tomorrow's coffee (because let's face it, you'll thank you in the future). While you're there, why not prepare tomorrow's lunch? And while you're already there, why not load the last batch of dishes and put them in the dishwasher? It's like a three-in-one productivity special!

Let's consider the opening example. You've been out running errands. Now instead of searching through all your tasks to find out what else you need to do, you just open the ‘errands’ context and you're done! You've saved time, avoided frustration, completed another task, and avoided having to make another trip later!

One of my personal favourite features to use is the ‘Waiting’ context. Not only can you easily keep track of everything that needs to be done, but you can also keep track of what needs to be done by others in order for you to get your work done! You can then follow up with others on a regular basis, giving you a reputation for not letting things slide and holding others accountable. This is a valuable quality in many industries!

But wait, there's more! This approach doesn't just make it easier to do things; it actually makes you more likely to do them. That's why it's so much easier to convince yourself to do another set when you're already at the gym, or when you're already out running errands, you're more likely to walk into that cute little shop you've been meaning to check out.

So, are you ready to overhaul your task management? Try the contextual approach. Organise your to-do list by phone calls, errands, email tasks or even people you need to talk to. You'll be surprised at how much you can get done when you go with the natural flow instead of against it.

Remember, productivity isn't about doing more things, it's about doing the right things at the right time. With context-based task management, you can do this with ease and style!