Podcast Summary: Getting Things Done – Ep. 333: Super Lists for You (October 22, 2025)

Main Theme:
Jon Forester hosts an in-depth webinar on refining and optimizing your GTD (Getting Things Done) lists—projects, next actions, waiting for—to help practitioners make their lists more actionable, attractive, and stress-free. The episode focuses on identifying typical list issues, clarifying outcomes and actions, and enhancing your lists to support productivity practice at any level.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power (and Pitfall) of Lists (00:00–04:00)

• Having lists already puts you ahead of “99.9999% of people," who still use email inboxes or memory for task management. (A, 00:25)
• The real challenge: Ensuring your lists attract rather than repel you. You should look at your lists and feel called to act.
• David Allen’s classic warning:
  “Many lists are amorphous blobs of undoability.” —David Allen (A, 01:40)

2. What Makes a 'Super List'? (04:00–06:00)

• Lists should:
  • Be clear and actionable—no ambiguity about outcomes or required actions.
  • Be subdivided (especially Next Actions) by context, so you only see what’s actionable in the current circumstance.
  • Adapt to your style: subdivide by personal vs. professional, by person, etc.

3. Building a Better Projects List (06:00–16:00)

• Project Definition:
  “A project is a result to be accomplished within a year requiring more than one action.” (A, 06:28)
  • Longer than a year? It’s a goal or objective; less, it’s an action.
• Common Issues:
  • Unclear outcomes (“Retirement plans,” “Manage sales team”).
  • Mistaking areas of focus or long-term goals for projects.
  • Action items that actually belong elsewhere (subprojects, one-off actions).
• Memorable Quote:
  “What you want is for your projects list to have items where, when you read that project name, you know what the outcome is.” (A, 10:38)
• Crowdsourced Examples:
  • “Liquidate my inventory” (multi-year, could be split into smaller annual projects).
  • “Declutter my house” (chunk into rooms or categories).
  • Overuse of vague verbs like “execute” or “optimize”—replace with something more specific.
• Tip:
  Use indenting or subprojects only if they help you visualize and take action—otherwise, keep it simple.

4. Next Actions That Actually Work (16:00–25:00)

• Improving Actionability:

  • Avoid vague statements: “Figure out plans,” “Bob,” “Work on design project.”
  • Clarifying Example:
    “'Figure out plans for London sales trip' could be 'Email Jake about plans for the sales trip.'” (A, 14:45)

• Common Pitfalls:

  • Names with no action (“Bob” or “Mom”)—clarify what needs to happen.
  • Projects disguised as actions and vice versa.

• Sequence and Dependence:
  “A next action can’t be dependent on anything else happening first.” (A, 21:41)

• Waiting Fors vs. Next Actions (20:30–25:30)

  • If you’re waiting for someone (e.g., “Send budget to Stan when Anna sends it back”), it belongs on the Waiting For list, not Next Actions.
  • Suggestion: “When Anna sends it back, send budget to Stan” (Waiting For)—or store the next step in project support materials until trigger happens.

• Community Wisdom:

  • Don’t fool yourself with a “catchall” next actions list—it’s often unclarified projects.
  • “My bet after watching this for years: Projects move along faster when they’re clarified and paired with a clear next action.” (A, 19:50)

5. Optimizing the Waiting For List (25:36–32:00)

• Common Issues:
  • Single names (“Marcus,” “Kiki”) or generic items—add context and action.
• Best Practice:
  “The first obvious thing here is we want to put a date on those. Not the due date, but the date you added it to your waiting for list.” (A, 26:58)
  • Knowing how long you’ve been waiting tempers impatience.
  • Also add expected due dates if relevant—but don’t treat them as calendar appointments unless truly time-specific.
• Memorable Quote:
  “Ideally you get to trust your other lists as much as you trust your calendar. Then your calendar has less clutter and you accomplish just as much, if not more.” (A, 31:10)

6. Context: Cycles of Practice & GTD Growth (32:08–End)

• Insight from David (D, 32:08):
  • Everyone goes through GTD cycles—initial inspiration and learning, then stabilization and plateau, then renewed inspiration.
  • Re-engage with resources as you grow:
    “Many people have read Getting Things Done more than three or four times. Every time they read it, they get something new out of it.” (D, 33:22)
  • Encourage using GTD Connect as a resource library you revisit at new stages.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Problem with Vague Lists:
  “Many lists are amorphous blobs of undoability.” —David Allen (A quoting, 01:40)
• On Projects That Aren't:
  “Manage sales team isn’t an outcome you’re likely to achieve; it’s more of an area of focus that spawns its own set of projects or next actions.” (A, 09:20)
• On Clarity:
  “When you read that project name, you know what the outcome is… You did the thinking when you created the project or caught it in a weekly review.” (A, 10:38)
• On Action Verbs:
  “If you’re seeing something like execute, finalize, optimize on your lists—do you know what that means? If it’s not granular enough, it could be improved.” (A, 12:30)
• On Waiting For Dates:
  “Adding a date that you started waiting for it is really helpful… It tempers my impatience.” (A, 27:25)
• On Calendar Overload:
  “People tend to turn their calendar into a list of reminders that aren't really calendar items… Start trusting all your other lists.” (A, 31:15)
• On GTD Learning Cycles:
  “I think you’ll find yourself going through cycles… Every time you come back, you find something new.” (D, 33:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–04:00: Opening and purpose; why improving your lists matters
• 04:00–06:00: Defining "Super Lists"
• 06:00–16:00: Common project list issues and examples; clarifying outcomes
• 16:00–25:00: Next actions: common pitfalls, clarifying verbs, separating Next Actions from Waiting Fors
• 25:36–32:00: Best practices for Waiting For lists; adding context and dates; integrating with calendar
• 32:08–End: David's reflections on GTD practice cycles and making the most of GTD Connect

Closing Takeaways

• Clarify every item: Projects should describe clear, achievable outcomes; actions should be specific and actionable now.
• Distinguish & subdivide: Separate projects, next actions, and waiting for items, and subdivide by context when helpful.
• Refine verbs: Avoid vague or overused verbs—specify exactly what needs to be done.
• Track waiting for: Add dates and details to waiting for items for context and easy follow-up.
• Revisit your system: Improvement is ongoing—expect to revisit and refine your lists repeatedly.
• Trust your lists: With careful setup, your lists (not just your calendar) become trustworthy guides for action and stress-free productivity.

This episode provides concrete, practical insights for anyone looking to level up their GTD lists, whether you're a beginner or a battle-tested practitioner.