Clarify todo items to turn them to something doable.

Collection inboxes need to be emptied regularly. One item at a time, process collected things into the larger system—never back to the inbox. Processing is asking what the next action is: If not actionable, it’s either trashed, filed immediately into a reference system, or set aside to file for future action. If actionable, define the commitment and next action and set aside for organizing. If necessary, it should be added to the project list when the commitment entails more than one step. If the action would take less than two minutes, it may be better to just do it. Next actions must be literal and physical.rA1


  1. David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, Revised edition (New York City: Penguin Books, 2015). (See notes.)