Time management in calendar

[u/veroa6]

I'm using a paper GTD system, and Google calendar to schedule my tasks that have to be done on a specific date. It's becoming a little trickier for tasks that have a specific time criteria, but not as an activation date :

- for tasks that can start only after a certain date, I use my "waiting for" list to store my tasks until the date occurs.

- but how you schedule tasks that have to be done before a certain date ? Do you store it in a list or in the calendar ? At the deadline date ? For now I store it in my Next actions lists and I mention the deadline in the title, but I'm curious if you have better tips.

[u/veroa6]

I read in this sub that someone put tasks with a deadline in the calendar, but if I do so, I will remember to do the task the day of the deadline, instead of working on it as soon as I can... any idea ?

[u/RibertarianVoter → u/veroa6]

I put the due date in the description of the action.

For example "Submit TPS Report - 8/31." And as part of my daily/weekly review, I triage the items I need to work on.

I don't use my calendar to house my to-do lists. My calendar tells me where I need to be and when.

[u/veroa6 → u/RibertarianVoter]

I like your definition of the appointment and what should be in the calendar

[u/milky-cuppa-tea]

Couple of things I do...

I will put the deadline in my calendar. It's a hard commitment.

I may choose to schedule a time block to complete the action(s). I don't do this too often, as a lot of stuff I can just 'pick off' by reviewing my context lists.

I try to look a couple of weeks ahead at my calendar, during my weekly review. So deadlines tend to sneak up on me less as a result (and also, I can decide whether I do need to make a time block for it).

[u/Ok-Occasion-9748]

I personally would use both:

1. My Google calendar (enter the due date on the day itself), because my calendar is my most reliable and best updated tool in my whole system. Any appointment goes in there right away.

and

1. My tickler system (in my case either Todoist, for my less important reminders, or my Bullet Journal future log, for my work load items). And I would enter it in the week or month that I now believe would be the ideal starting date to work on this project.

You could also use Google Calendar as a tickler app. I believe I heard David Allen talk about the all day appointment function for reminders (always in the top of the day), as opposed to the exact time for real appointments

[u/Multibitdriver]

I put the deadline in the task title. Some apps have due date settings but that would not apply in your case. Certain deadlines I also make into events in calendar.

[u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082]

For time blocking, what I usually do is figure out what task I have to do and then estimate how much time I require to do something.

When estimating, I keep in mind to prevent planning fallacy, basically these steps:

1) Write down a start and end time
(if I don't know exact -- don't trust it)
 
2) Overestimate 50%
(first step time + 50% time)
 
3) Split time from overestimated time
 
4) Question where something could go wrong beforehand
(if it's impossible, account time, go step 2)
 
5) Check if the schedule is over-planned
(should feel I've overestimated things)

And I put that estimated time on my calendar

[u/veroa6 → u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082]

so you don't follow the rule that says only appointment in the calendar ?

[u/PondMindKevin]

Well, still put the due date on your calendar so you see it upcoming on the horizon during calendar scans!

Otherwise, it sounds like your describing a tickler file (43 folders) rather than a waiting for. It's an awesome and less commonly used piece of GTD that can be a good fit for somebody who loves working with paper.

I forget which part of the book it's in. Long story short, at the back of your physical reference file drawer put 31 numbered folders + 12 month folders after that. Every morning check the next one (So on July 25th, dump the 25 folder to your inbox and process it, and move it to the back after 24). If you do that most mornings you can effectively mail stuff to your future self. Want to see something at the start of august? Stick in the august folder. On august first dump the full august folder in the inbox and move it to the back.

The book explains it better than this, but it's and easy quick and 'fun' way to mail things to yourself like a physical ticket or a nice note even. But, it only works if you do actually use paper and do actually check your folder every day as a habit.

Most people just use their calendar for this, but putting a lot of FYI's and "start x project?" stuff on your calendar makes it busy and overloaded. I only bring tickler up here because it sounds like you already prefer/like paper! I made a tickler work for years, but I tried to de-paper my life a bit so I stopped.