Locus GTD

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Capture ​

The first step in GTD: collecting everything that has your attention.

Definition ​

Capture is the process of recording anything that has your attention—tasks, ideas, commitments, thoughts—into a trusted system. It's the first of the five GTD steps.

The Five GTD Steps ​

  1. Capture ← You are here
  2. Clarify
  3. Organize
  4. Reflect
  5. Engage

Why Capture Matters ​

Clear Your Mind ​

Problem: Trying to remember everything

  • Mental clutter
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Forgotten commitments
  • Reduced focus

Solution: Capture everything externally

  • Free mental RAM
  • Reduced stress
  • Nothing forgotten
  • Full focus on current task

Trust Your System ​

When you capture everything:

  • Trust it's recorded
  • Stop worrying
  • Mind can relax
  • Focus improves

Complete Collection ​

Capture everything:

  • Big projects
  • Small tasks
  • Random ideas
  • Commitments
  • Thoughts
  • Worries

Nothing is too small or too big.

What to Capture ​

Tasks & Actions ​

  • Things to do
  • Commitments made
  • Requests received
  • Follow-ups needed

Ideas ​

  • Project ideas
  • Improvements
  • Creative thoughts
  • "Someday/Maybe" items

Information ​

  • Things to remember
  • Reference material
  • Important details
  • Notes

Concerns ​

  • Worries
  • Problems to solve
  • Things bothering you
  • Unresolved issues

Capture Tools in Locus ​

Quick Entry ​

Primary capture tool

  • Quick Entry button
  • Keyboard shortcut (⌘+N)
  • Always accessible
  • Fastest method

Use for: In-app capture

Inbox ​

Capture destination

  • All captures go to Inbox
  • Process later
  • Organize during review

Use for: Viewing captured items

Siri & Shortcuts ​

Voice capture

  • "Hey Siri, add task in Locus"
  • Hands-free capture
  • Quick voice notes

Use for: Driving, walking, busy hands

Widgets ​

Home screen capture

  • Quick Add widget
  • Lock screen widget
  • No need to open app

Use for: Ultra-fast capture

Share Extension ​

Capture from other apps

  • Share to Locus
  • Capture links, text, images
  • From Safari, Mail, etc.

Use for: External content

The Capture Habit ​

Capture Immediately ​

When something gets your attention:

  1. Stop
  2. Capture it
  3. Return to what you were doing

Don't:

  • Try to remember
  • "I'll write it down later"
  • Keep it in your head

Ubiquitous Capture ​

Capture everywhere:

  • At desk → Quick Entry
  • On phone → Widget
  • Driving → Siri
  • In bed → Voice memo (capture later)
  • In meeting → Quick notes

Always have a capture tool available.

Capture, Don't Organize ​

During capture:

  • ✅ Write it down
  • ✅ Get it out of your head
  • ❌ Don't organize
  • ❌ Don't prioritize
  • ❌ Don't categorize

Organize later during processing.

Effective Capture ​

Write Enough ​

Capture enough to understand later:

✅ Good:

  • "Call John about Q4 budget proposal"
  • "Research project management tools for team"
  • "Buy birthday gift for Mom - likes gardening"

❌ Too vague:

  • "Call John"
  • "Research"
  • "Buy gift"

Use Natural Language ​

Write naturally:

  • "Email Sarah the report"
  • "Fix leaky faucet in bathroom"
  • "Plan summer vacation"

Don't worry about formatting.

One Item Per Capture ​

Separate items:

  • ❌ "Call John and email Sarah and buy groceries"
  • ✅ "Call John"
  • ✅ "Email Sarah"
  • ✅ "Buy groceries"

Makes processing easier.

Include Context ​

Add helpful details:

  • "Review contract (in email from yesterday)"
  • "Call dentist (number in contacts)"
  • "Fix bug (reported in Slack #dev)"

The Capture Workflow ​

Daily Capture Pattern ​

Throughout the day:
├─ Idea occurs → Capture
├─ Request received → Capture
├─ Commitment made → Capture
├─ Thought arises → Capture
└─ Worry appears → Capture

Once or twice daily:
└─ Process Inbox
   ├─ Clarify each item
   ├─ Organize properly
   └─ Clear to zero

Weekly Capture ​

During Weekly Review:

  1. Collect loose items

    • Check email
    • Check messages
    • Check notes
    • Check calendar

  2. Capture to Inbox

    • Anything missed
    • New commitments
    • Upcoming items

  3. Process completely

    • Clarify everything
    • Organize all items
    • Update projects

Capture Sources ​

Internal Sources ​

Your mind:

  • Random thoughts
  • Worries
  • Ideas
  • Reminders

Capture method: Quick Entry, voice memo

External Sources ​

Communication:

  • Emails
  • Messages
  • Calls
  • Meetings

Capture method: Quick Entry, forward to Locus

Documents:

  • Reports
  • Articles
  • Notes
  • Files

Capture method: Share to Locus, Quick Entry with link

Calendar:

  • Appointments
  • Deadlines
  • Events

Capture method: Calendar integration, Quick Entry

Common Capture Mistakes ​

"I'll Remember" ​

Problem: Trusting memory

Solution: Capture everything immediately

Organizing While Capturing ​

Problem: Spending time categorizing

Solution: Capture only, organize later

Filtering During Capture ​

Problem: Deciding if it's "important enough"

Solution: Capture everything, filter during processing

Vague Captures ​

Problem: "That thing" - unclear later

Solution: Write enough to understand tomorrow

Multiple Capture Systems ​

Problem: Items scattered across many tools

Solution: One primary inbox (Locus), process regularly

Building the Capture Habit ​

Week 1: Awareness ​

  • Notice what gets your attention
  • Try to capture some items
  • Don't worry about perfection

Week 2: Tools ​

  • Set up Quick Entry shortcut
  • Add widgets
  • Configure Siri
  • Make capture easy

Week 3: Consistency ​

  • Capture everything for one week
  • Don't filter
  • Don't organize
  • Just capture

Week 4: Refinement ​

  • Review what you captured
  • Adjust capture methods
  • Find what works
  • Make it effortless

Signs of Good Capture ​

✅ You're doing it right when:

  • Mind feels clearer
  • Less anxiety about forgetting
  • Trust your system
  • Capture is automatic
  • Nothing slips through

❌ Needs improvement when:

  • Still trying to remember things
  • Forgetting commitments
  • Mental clutter remains
  • Capture feels like work

Capture Metrics ​

Track your capture habit:

  • Items captured per day: 10-30 is normal
  • Capture speed: < 5 seconds ideal
  • Inbox processing: Daily or twice daily
  • Forgotten items: Should be zero

Advanced Capture ​

Context-Specific Capture ​

At work:

  • Quick Entry with work tags
  • Email to Locus
  • Meeting notes capture

At home:

  • Voice capture
  • Widget capture
  • Shared family inbox

Batch Capture ​

When ideas flow:

  1. Open Quick Entry
  2. Capture first item
  3. Immediately capture next
  4. Rapid-fire capture
  5. Process later

Automatic Capture ​

Set up automation:

  • Email filters → Auto-capture
  • Calendar events → Auto-create tasks
  • Recurring captures → Automation