You just returned from an offsite meeting. Fifteen minutes before a long conference call, you open your inbox. You skim for the urgent emails, the ones that seem most interesting or easiest to tackle. But is this actually a productive use of your time? Are you clarifying anything?
GTD Coach Meg Edwards calls this emergency scanning. While it is sometimes necessary, it is not the same as clarifying and organizing your “in.”
Skimming vs. Clarifying
Many people live in constant scanning mode, checking their inbox repeatedly throughout the day. Over time, this creates problems:
- You process items out of order and leave things unclarified.
- Your trusted funnel breaks down and items pile up in inboxes and other repositories.
- You mistake busyness for progress.
To maintain clarity, you need to process each item in order, one at a time, ask the clarifying questions, and then move it into the appropriate organizational bucket.
How to Clarify and Organize
When you approach an item in your “in”:
Clarify
- What is it?
- Is it actionable?
Organize
- Actionable → Add to your Next Actions or Today List
- Waiting on someone else → Track on Waiting-For
- A desired outcome with multiple steps → Ensure it is on your Project List with a next action
- Reference → Store in a trusted reference system
- Not actionable → Delete or move to Someday/Maybe
Work from one end of your inbox to the other. Do not skip anything based on urgency or interest. That is how you keep your system functional and your mind clear.
Reflection
Are you skimming your inbox or truly clarifying it?
Do you have a trusted place for everything that comes into your “in”?
Watch Meg’s full video on clarifying and organizing your “in,” and start applying these steps in your own system.
Cheers,
The GTD Focus Team
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