Chapter 7 Response

In this Chapter, Allen elaborates on organizing and the details involved in setting up the right buckets.  I found several points interesting in his description of this process, which Allen states will evolve as we individually determine whether everything is in the best place.  Allen's advice to refrain from using support material as reminders was on point since it's something I've done in accounting work in the past.  I've experienced just how inefficient this approach can be.  Allen explains that next actions and "waiting for" items on these projects have usually not been determined.  He states: "they are psychologically still embedded in the stacks and the folders-giving them the aura of just more 'stuff' that repels its (un)organizer instead of attracting him or her to the action" (159).  In the office, we kept budget folders and placed those in or inboxes using these support materials as project reminders.  The fact that they had not been mentally processed and divided into next actions made them easy to put off.

I also found Allen's advice to resist the impulse to add things one wants to do on the calendar, rather than things that must be done.  Such actions are likely to be done over days following the calendar entry.  A calendar should instead reflect hard edges.  This will allow quick assessments of a day's commitments, while on the run.