Omnifocus’ nested contexts

Tags: gtd

In the GTD system, you plan in projects. A project is just a grouping of actions with one goal ("Fix bug in pdf generation"). So planning in projects, but you do actions in a context. "Google for obscure pdf error message" in the @computer context. "Brainstorm with colleague' in the @work context.

One problem many programmers have: 80% is @computer :-)

That's actually OK for me. Those contexts are especially useful for the other 20% of the cases. If I go to the city center, a quick look at the @city context gives me a shopping list. @zest shows things I really only can do while I'm at the office (Zest software).

A nice possibility of omnifocus is to nest your contexts. Some ideas on how to use that:

  • Remember the big @computer? Most will still go in there, but I've added a   sub-category offline for when I have tasks that I'll probably handle when   I'm offline (which means in the train). And ubuntu for when I'm near my   wife's home computer.
  • @city has a few stores I often visit as sub-contexts. Not that I use them   always (the shopping list for food is a note on the fridge in the kitchen),   but it comes in handy when printing the list for offline in-city use :-)
  • When I have my screwdrivers and hammer out anyway, a quick look at the with   tools sub-context of @home unearths some small tasks that I can get off my   plate quickly now that I have those tools in my hand.

See also my first entry on how I use omnifocus

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