You have to think about your stuff more than you realize but not as much as you're afraid you might. —David Allen

The second step of GTD, clarify, consists of transforming each of the items (stuff) you have captured in your inboxes. To do so, you have to think about what it means to you and decide what you need to do (if anything) to move it forward. And, if a single action is not enough to finish it, define what your desired result is (project). You will then organize both reminders in your system, in your project list and in your context-based next action lists.

Except for those that go on your calendar, that you expect from others or that, due to their brevity, you perform at the moment of defining them.

It's quite straightforward, indeed. But it's also true that it generates a lot of doubts and misunderstandings. Should I include all the actions required to complete a project in my next action lists? or Am I only allowed to write a single next action per project in my next actions lists? are 2 of the most frequently asked questions.

Let's try to shed some additional light to this key concept of the methdology.

4 criteria to help you know if you are in front of a next action

Next actions lists are nothing more than focus tools. When it comes to rolling up your sleeves, it's just as bad if you don't have all your options available as if you can't do anything with some of the ones that appear there.

So when in doubt, slow down and ask yourself:

1️⃣ Is it physical & visible? Notice that it's easy to imagine yourself doing things like wrrite, draft, email, call, list, send whatsapp, buy... while you'll find harder to see yourself physically doing others: think, decide, communicate...

2️⃣ Will I finish it if I sit down to complete it? If that's not the case, it might be a good idea to break it down into a number of actions.

3️⃣ If I handed it off to someone else, would they understand what they should do about it? Maybe you should define it more clearly.

4️⃣ And: is there anything else I have to do before this? If that's the case, that's not a next action, and shouldn't be on your next actions lists.

Thinking in a concentrated manner to define desired outcomes and requisite next actions is something few people feel they have to do (until they have to). But in truth, it is the most effective means available for making wishes a reality. —David Allen