GTD

[mrlich]

Ok, I know it's (puke)business-speak(/end puke), but I was wondering - have any of you read Getting Things Done by David Allen?

I'm looking for ways to get myself better organized, and this seems to be the Hot New Big, so I thought that I would ask around for some opinions from those I respect personally.

Not a GTD person? Have some other method? Lemme know!

Comments

[xtingu]

Yes yes yes! I have a copy of the book here, in fact. It is awesome.

I helped drjohn implement the system way back when, and we made some significant headway. I would lerve to work through it with you... I could certainly use the refresher, judging by the krap on my desk. :-)

[mrlich.livejournal.com]

RAWK!

Thanks babe!

Two words

[jeremym.livejournal.com]

MASTER LISTS
and
OUTLOOK

I have three lists in my life.. but I should have four, so let's look at all four:

- Stuff to Do. This list has things like create documents, handle things, errands, etc.

- Customers I'm in touch with for Classes

- Customers I'm in touch with for PolicyPak

- Stuff I've asked people to do and they haven't gotten back to me yet.

That last one doesn't exist. But it should. That way, if I ask Margot or Tom or someone to do something, I can track when I asked for it, and how long it hasn't been done.

Next: Calendar.

Rule to live by: No one gets to see the Wizard no way, no how (unless the wizard is not busy...) UNLESS you get on the calendar. First come, first served. The calendar can have POTENTIAL entries.. (I use quentionmarks preceeding the entry like this ???entry if it's a "potential" thing... like First Friday, or a training class someone hasn't booked yet.) Everything else is just IN the calendar.. which is ALWAYS on me with the sidekick. And SYNCs with my real Outlook every day in case something else comes up.

I also put target dates for things in the calendar THREE TIMES. When a chapter is due on, say, Thursday.. I'll put it in the 6.00 AM slot CHAPTER 2 DUE THURSDAY in Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You can't miss an entry like that three times.

There are other tricks I use.. but those are the big ones.

So, Lists and Outlook. And I get stuff done.

[opadit.livejournal.com]

I keep a single list of stuff I have to get done and a calendar on a sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 paper, turned landscape-wise, of my weekly schedule. The schedule actually includes items like "housework" and "groceries" as well as my class schedule. The list is a wordperfect file that I never close, so it's always there when I start wordperfect for school-related things.

When I'm not in school, I keep a paper list of things to do. The list tends to include actions ("go to post office") as well as grocery items ("butter").

Personality-wise, in the past few years I've found that I can't really tolerate sitting around and doing nothing. Even if I try to relax by reading a book -- and I do read a lot outside of school stuff -- if there's a task that has to be done, I can't get into the book. Therefore, my bathroom is now painted, because it was a task that I knew I had to get done between the end of my summer internship and the beginning of fall quarter.