Sound familiar?
Reminders are meant to help us get things done on time. But when they pop up all the time and only ever point to unfinished tasks, they can lose their value. Swiping them away becomes a habit. The task stays where it is.
That is how a reminder can become part of procrastinating: we see the task, put off the decision and hope to be better prepared for it next time we are nudged.
A notification doesn't make a task clear
Imagine your phone shows: “Tax return due.”
Now you know something needs to be done. But where do you start? Do you need to gather documents, request a login or book an appointment? And do you even have the time for it right now?
A reminder doesn't answer these questions. It can create pressure while the next step stays just as unclear.
This is where David Allen's Getting Things Done method, GTD for short, helps. It describes five steps: capture, clarify, organise, reflect and engage. Along the way, the tasks you have collected turn into concrete next actions, each kept in a suitable place.
“Do my tax return” then becomes, for example: “Download the missing payslips.” Now it is clear what you can do next.
Work through your inbox regularly
An inbox is, first of all, a collection point: for new tasks, ideas, requests and anything you still have to decide about. For it to become a reliable basis for your work, it needs your attention regularly.
“Working through it” doesn't mean finishing every collected task straight away. In GTD terms, an empty inbox means you have made a decision about every item: What is it? Do I need to do anything? What is the next action? Will it be done right away, delegated or organised for later?
In everyday life, you can set aside fixed time slots for this, for example in the morning and in the late afternoon. That is one possible rhythm, not a rigid GTD rule.
What matters is that you then also look at your task lists and pick suitable next actions. On top of that, the weekly review helps keep projects and open commitments up to date.
That way you know when you will next deal with new items. In between, you can give your attention to the task you are working on.
Use notifications deliberately
A reminder is most helpful when its timing has a concrete purpose: before an appointment, in good time before a firm deadline, or at the moment a particular action becomes possible.
So when you set one up, ask yourself:
- Do I really need my attention drawn to this at that moment?
- Will I know then what exactly to do?
- Does the reminder leave me enough time to act?
If a task comes up in your regular review anyway, you may not need an extra nudge. And if something really has to be done at a particular time, the reminder should be timed so that you can still respond.
That's why you can set up TidyPepple accordingly
In TidyPepple, you can use notifications deliberately and shape the way you work around regularly processing your inbox. You decide where a reminder supports you.
Behind this is an idea that fits the GTD method well: a well-kept system creates trust. When tasks are captured, next actions are clarified and lists are reviewed regularly, not every open task has to keep asking for your attention.
So at your next inbox session, check your reminders too: which ones really help you act – and which ones have you long been just swiping away?
Getting Things Done® is a registered trademark of the David Allen Company. TidyPepple is not affiliated with the David Allen Company.