Evernote and GTD - The Power of Saved Context Searches

If you are a follower of the GTD methodology, then you already know about grouping your next actions by context. For those who are not familiar with GTD, one of the basic concepts is that you establish your next actions based on where you can perform those next actions. Some examples of contexts are , at your computer, on the phone, at the office, at home, at the store, etc., etc. Determine the key "wheres" that you perform tasks and create your personal context list.

Once you have your contexts defined, then you can incorporate Evernote to manage them. I have a folder setup in Evernote called @Next Action. All of my next actions get filed in the @Next Action folder. Each item receives a tag based on the context of that action. I use 5 different context tags which are @computer, @phone, @home, @office, and @hot. I then have the following saved searches set up:

• notebook:"@Next Action" tag:@computer
• notebook:"@Next Action" tag:@phone
• notebook:"@Next Action" tag:@home
• notebook:"@Next Action" tag:@office
• notebook:"@Next Action" tag:@hot

Now all I have to do when I am at my computer is click on my saved @computer context search and viola, all of my next actions that can be completed at my computer pop up. If I am at home, then I click on my saved @home context search and up comes the next actions that I can do when I am at home.

I have also set up a folder called @completed. When I complete a next action, I move it to the @completed folder. At the end of the month, I can just open up my @completed folder, and quickly review all of the tasks that I completed during the month. It is a very efficient way for me to pull together information for a monthly report. Its all right there in chronological order.

If you aren't already using using Evernote, you can download it for free at Evernote.com  and get started capturing everything today. To learn about the GTD methodology, Save on Getting Things Done : The Art of Stress-Free Productivity at Booksamillion.com.