Clarify: Process What It Means
After collecting items, the next step is to clarify what each item means and what you need to do about it. This is where you transform vague ideas into clear, actionable outcomes.
Why Clarify?
An unclear item is useless. "Call Mom" is actionable, but "Mom" isn't. Clarifying turns your captured items into things you can actually do.
The Clarifying Questions
For each item in your Inbox, ask:
- What is it? - Understand what you captured
- Is it actionable? - Can you do something about it?
- What's the desired outcome? - What does "done" look like?
- What's the next action? - What's the very next physical step?
Making Items Actionable in Nirvana
When clarifying in Nirvana:
- Rewrite vague items - Make them clear and specific
- Add context - Use notes to capture why and what
- Identify the type - Is it an Action, Project, or Reference?
- Determine importance - Does it need tags, contacts, or energy level?
Converting Items
During clarification, you might realize an item needs to be:
- An Action - A single step you can take
- A Project - Multiple steps toward an outcome
- A Reference - Information to keep but not act on
- Deleted - Not relevant anymore
Best Practices
- Clarify regularly - Process your Inbox daily if possible
- Be specific - "Email John about project timeline" beats "Email John"
- Add details - Notes, deadlines, and context help later
- Don't skip this step - Clarity now saves confusion later
tip
If clarifying an item takes less than 2 minutes, just do it right away!
Learn More About Clarifying
Explore the articles below to master processing your Inbox: