Using Bonsai with Getting Things Done: Thinking Filters

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Thinking Filters

Thinking filters are the ones where I sit down and think about items. This means defining an outcome for a project and looking at due dates to determine if something needs to be moved to a front burner.

2.1 Start This Week

This filter allows me to see things that need to start this week. I use start dates to determine when I need to look at something again, or for appropriate lead time for things that have fixed due dates.

• Status: Incomplete
• Start Date: within 7 days

2.2 Due This Month

This one allows me to see items that are coming up with fixed due dates that may need to be moved into project status.

• Status: incomplete
• Due Date: within 30 days

2.3 Current P&S

P&S was shortened so that I could edit the filter on the PDA. It used to be Projects And Somedays.

This one I use to look at my current workload. Active projects I consider as ones I will move forward on in the next week. Somedays are the ones that are “queued”. I can move projects back and forth freely between the two categories using this filter.

2.4 Projects

Active projects are ones that I have committed I will move forward on in the next week.

• Scope: filtered parent hides branch, starting at level 1
• Start Date: all dates
• Due Date: all dates
• Completed Date: all dates
• Categories: @AreaOfFocus, projects
• Keywords: SNA
• Show items that have: none of the keywords

2.5 Project Priority

I use priority as a weighting factor. Priority 1 projects are ones whose impact will be felt more than a year out. Priority 2 projects are ones that are 6 months to a year. Priority 3 are everything else.

• Status: incomplete
• Priority: no priority
• Scope: filtered parent hides branch starting at level 1
• Categories: @AreaOfFocus, project

2.6 Project Setup

I try to capture three things about any project: the purpose, the outcome and brainstorming. Writing the purpose down helps me find anything that is not in line with my goals. Determining the outcome lets me know when this project is done. Brainstorming allows me to mind dump things that might have to be done to bring the project to completion. This filter finds projects that don’t have the above thinking done.

• Link Filter: not linked
• Text: Outcome:
• Also search notes: yes
• Scope: filtered parent hides branch, starting at level 3
• Reverse Filter Action: yes
• Categories: @AreaOfFocus, Project
• Keywords: SNA
• Show items that have: none of the keywords