Getting started with context lists

Q. What do you recommend for lists if I am just starting with GTD?

A. One of the biggest challenges that I see when people are setting up their lists initial in their GTD system is they are not really sure what contexts to use. Typically what I recommend is starting with really basic contexts; Agendas to hold the parking lot of things to talk about with particular people in our lives, Errands to have a list of stuff to do when you’re out and about, At Home for actions specifically to do when you’re in your home, At Work, Waiting For to hold those things you are waiting for from someone or something else and Someday/Maybe for possible future actions or projects.

Sometimes what we do with that At Work list is we break it down into at Calls, At Computer, At Reading, At Writing–things like that. People can sometimes get a little overwhelmed with all of those lists in the beginning, so I often have them start with just the really basic context lists, basic setups, and then we can tweak it and fine tune it from there.

–Julie Ireland, Certified Coach