The main goal is to have a clear mind. Trust that your system will remind you of things you need to know when you need to know them. Being 100% present is the optimal state and can only be done if you can fully focus on what’s in front of you, which you can only do if you’ve handled everything else via the system. This gives you the greatest chance to operate in “Flow” (that state of total engagement with what you’re doing, where time stops passing). Thinking about something you have to do in a situation where you can’t do anything about it does no good and creates unnecessary stress.
Actions - physical tasks, not physical objects.
Processing - doesn’t mean doing the tasks (unless they take less than 2 minutes), but it’s deciding what they are, what should be done about them (defining outcomes).
Projects - things that need done that take more than one action to complete.
External Brain - the system you have to keep track of your events, actions, and reference materials
Inbox - a place where you can gather all unprocessed materials. Works best as a physical box. Stuff in your Inbox should be cleared out daily.
Open Actions List(s) - keep a list of things you could be getting down. It may help to have more than one open Actions list, separated by the context of the action. If you’ve got errands to run around town, you can create a separate “Errands” action list.
Projects List - Keep a running list of all the projects you’re actively working
Someday, Maybe List - A dedicated list of projects you’re not sure you want to do, but aren’t sure you want to disregard either.
2 Minute Rule - While processing your Inbox, if a task takes less than 2 minutes to do, just do it now rather than spend the time to write it down and review it later.
Mind Wipe - Take time to think about everything your life that isn’t the way it needs to or you’d like for it to be. Write those things down. Put them in your Inbox.
Weekly Review - A dedicated time, once a week, to intentionally sift through your Inbox, review all notes from the week, look through all your calendar events, then look through all of the upcoming week’s events, and make a plan for anything that needs planned.
Gather all incoming materials into a unified Inbox. Take some time out every so often (at least once a day) to process your Inbox. Process things by deciding “is this actionable?” If yes, decide what the action is and add it to your Open Action list. If it will take more than one action, add it to a projects list. If it is NOT actionable, then decide if it’s worth keeping at all. If it’s not, throw it out. If it is, add it to a reference file (whatever works for you works). When you’re making your Actions List, consider the context of the action - put it in a list that suits that context.