Using Contexts With Closed Lists

Even though I use closed lists at home, I still use contexts. This keeps me from having “thrash” as I get things completed. For instance, if my list contains “descale coffee maker, pull pattern X from files, sweep front porch, inventory freezer, file papers in filing folder”, and I take it in order, I will go to the following places: kitchen, office, garage/front porch, kitchen, office. Since these places take time to get to, I can cut down overall time to execute by grouping them so all kitchen and office tasks are together.

Contexts are valuable to me because it allows me to see where I need to be. I can then work these in with my daily tasks. If I have a task in the kitchen, I might be able to perform it while I am cooking dinner.

Using Contexts on Closed Lists

This doesn’t take too much effort. As you are writing out your closed list (however you do it), put them in the context order. All this means is that you:

Group Where Possible. Wherever you can, put your tasks together according to where they will be performed. On a manual list, write them in different areas of the paper. I use Agendus, so I assign an icon for the context and sort by icon before printing it out.