GOALS

kastangen

11/23/2013 11:42

How do you deal with the bigger goals or visions in work and life? Do you implement it in Doit I'm? How do you do it so that its actually useful?

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• Folke  (积分：2425)11/25/2013 07:59
  1 floor

  I use the Goals feature to represent major 20-40 k things like groups of AoRs and significant ventures that I expect may change my overall situation. I use the Project feature for 10k projects and as AoR folders for single actions (I currently have 8 AoRs defined), all of which represents my ongoing activities, maintaining the overall status quo.
  
  I think the Goals feature will become more useful this winter when Doit introduces manual sorting of the projects within each goal. And I hope they introduce a way to see inactive projects neatly at the bottom in conjunction with that.
  
  I always keep my goals section of the left menu open (gives me perspective), and the projects section closed except when I need it (too long to stare at).
  
  
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• kastangen  (积分：335)11/25/2013 16:10
  2 floor

  Interesting. Thanks for answering!
  
  Could you define for me what you mean by 20-40k, 10k projects and AoR?
  
  
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• Folke  (积分：2425)11/25/2013 18:35
  3 floor

  Sorry. I was referring to the GTD horizons: http://www.247inktoner.com/blog/post/2013/08/05/Understanding-GTDs-6-Horizons-of-Focus.aspx
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• kastangen  (积分：335)11/28/2013 07:30
  4 floor

  So do put all your projects and AoR single lists in goals?
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• Folke  (积分：2425)11/28/2013 10:49
  5 floor

  Yes, that's how I have done it - just a personal preference.
  
  I have only a few goals:
  
  Major new goal 1
  Major new goal 2
  Ongoing business
  Ongoing personal
  
  Most of my tasks are in the two "ongoing goals" - all that I need to do just to maintain the overall status quo (get new typical clients, deliver on that etc etc), and I set up individual projects for the main contracts etc there, or sort single actions under one of a number of AoRs (I use the "project" feature for those, too).
  
  My "major new goals" are only those that will dramatically change my whole definition of what "ongoing" will mean - major general improvements in my overall life situation (business and/or personal). I do not have many of those kinds of major ventures - but I do have a rare few, so by keeping them listed as separate goals I can see them more easily in the list.
  
  I am sure there are many other ways you can make use of the Goals feature. It would be interesting to hear what you come up with.
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• kastangen  (积分：335)11/28/2013 17:22
  6 floor

  Thats interesting. So are you sorting on "ongoing buisness" and "ongoing personal" for review purpose so that you can review personal and buisness by themselves? And/or as a list to chose next actions from?
  What is the exact purpose behind those two for you? When do you use or review it?
  
  So far I have used goals for bigger 2-3 year long goals, but also for projects that consist of more than one project. (I don`t like to use the subtasks since they easily can be overlooked). So for instance my upcoming wedding is a goal. That category consists of a few projects.
  
  I have also used them for bigger AoR`s.
  
  But I have not really been using them. I would like to have my goals and purpose visible and really using them as a guidline in life. I`ll keep you updated on how I end up using them :)
  
  
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• Folke  (积分：2425)11/28/2013 19:01
  7 floor

  It seems we use goals quite similarly, then
  - for major projects, 2-3 years, with subprojects
  - for big/summary AoRs
  and that we are both a bit wary of subtasks (can be overlooked, cannot be tagged etc)
  
  In a way I could say that I do not actually "use" the goals much; I just "have" them. It is "nice" to see them in the left menu; and they do provide a direct link to that particular group of projects; but beyond that there is not much you can to with them.
  
  If/when one day Doit allows you to reorder the projects manually within the goal, and draw a distinct line between now active and future (now inactive) projects within the goal, and perhaps even expand individual projects (show the tasks) within the goal view, then they will be a very useful tool for reviewing, I believe.
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• kastangen  (积分：335)11/28/2013 20:47
  8 floor

  hm... thats interesting. Lets say we tie all the projects to a goal or AoR group (in goals), and all single tasks to some single list.
  
  If the new doit version allow us to both expand the projects within, and be able to see what is active an what is inactive projects, then there is really no point in having the project view at all. They have then kind of merged. It would be really nice! This way you could have a goal as the main heading with subheadings(projects) and you always have the purpose of why you are doing something very close to your eyes.
  Its a challenge to make i visually functional, but potentially great!
  
  If you are allowed to sort after priority as well, then there is no use for "Next". Or in other words: perhaps this could be a way of merging goals into "Next"?
  
  
  
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• Folke  (积分：2425)11/28/2013 23:15
  9 floor

  @kastangen
  
  The only thing they have said will come in the new version is the manual sorting. I really hope they follow up with a proper "inactivation line" etc as soon as possible thereafter, to make it easy to control and see which projects are active (above the line, their tasks also visible on Next and Waiting lists etc), and which ones are still inactive (under the line; future; not visible anywhere else).
  
  The Next list will still be essential. It contains a consolidated view across all goals/projects of what is available for you to do right now (all future plans hidden). The same goes for Waiting, Someday, Scheduled.
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• Dennis_Gerrits  (积分：120)11/29/2013 17:22
  10 floor

  Nice discussion, I´m trying to get a similar use out of goals: a collection of projects / AoR. Still in testing phase ...
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