Concept
Waiting For List
A Waiting For list is a separate list in David Allen's Getting Things Done system where you record every item you have delegated or are expecting from someone else, along with who owes it and the date you asked, so you can follow up on facts instead of memory.
Once you group your next actions by context, a different kind of item turns up. These are things that are not yours to do but still matter to you: the contractor's quote, a colleague's figures, the airline's refund. If they sit on your action lists, they clutter them with tasks you cannot move. If they live only in your head, they resurface at 2 a.m. or never. Allen's fix is a dedicated list where each entry carries three facts: what you are waiting for, from whom, and when you asked. The date matters most. It turns a vague feeling that they never got back to you into a clear fact: nine days have passed, so it is time for a nudge. The list is not a ledger for blaming people. It stops work from vanishing in the gap between two people. You scan it during your weekly review and chase anything overdue.
A real-life example
Dana is managing her team's office move. On Monday she asks IT for a cabling plan, the landlord for new keys, and finance for budget sign-off. She skips the three sticky notes and adds three lines to her Waiting For list, such as "Cabling plan, Omar in IT, asked Mon 3rd." At Friday's weekly review, the keys and budget have arrived but the plan hasn't. One short message to Omar keeps the move on schedule.
How to use it
- 1Add one line the moment you delegate or request anything: the item, the person and the date you asked.
- 2Keep it apart from your context lists, so those lists show only actions you can take right now.
- 3Scan it in every weekly review and send a brief, friendly follow-up on anything that has waited longer than agreed.