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March 29, 2007
Building your GTD house
Last count, there were something like 60+ software programs based on GTD. Add another several hundred, if not thousand, web sites chewing over GTD and all the options for implementation. With so many choices, it can become overwhelming to build the "perfect" GTD system. And, you'll never hear David Allen say one product/tool/list manager is the only way to do GTD. Wouldn't that be nice actually? It would simplify things for all of us! Choosing your system comes down to your personal preference and some people find themselves faced with the paradox of choice.
At a bare minimum, a GTD system would have 4 primary action lists/views: Projects, Actions, Waiting For and your Calendar. If you set out to find a good list manager to bucket these primary lists, that's a good place to start. Here are 4 tips for building your GTD house:
1. Start with what you know. Yes, there are a ton of options out there for making your life faster and easier, but if you've got to spend time learning the tool before you can easily work the system, start with a tool you already know. Lots of people start with paper lists for this reason. That alleviates the immediate pressure of mastering a new software program. If you go digital, make sure the program you choose doesn't overcomplicate things. I go for speed, not complexity. It's one of the reasons I've been a fan of Palm Desktop all these years. It stays simple enough while giving me room to manage a sophisticated set of lists.
2. Populate your system as thoroughly as you can and review it regularly. The best way I know of for my brain to trust my lists (more than holding it in my brain) is for my lists to become like my second brain. Nothing is not worthy of the lists (repot orchids or update the workbook--it's all on the lists.) If it is an agreement I've made, it's in my system and my brain trusts it's OK to let go of it knowing I'll see it in any daily or weekly reviews. Remember, the brain doesn't necessarily know the difference between buy shampoo and finish performance review. To your brain, they are just incompletions that the brain will lob over the fence to get your attention whenever it thinks your free (not necessarily when you can do anything about it.)
3. Make your system portable. If you don't have a way to sync your lists to a handheld (Palm, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile device) then print them on a regular basis. Downloading stuff from your brain only works if you can access the lists you need, when you need them. If you're at the hardware store on a Saturday and your lists are back at your office then you've trained your brain that off-loading your actions is not a good idea. Same thing with sitting in your boss's office and your Agenda items are buried in a list or folder back at your desk. Having your lists with you will also give you more chances to take advantage of weird windows of time for adding to your lists as well. Nice to capture buy shampoo the first time it comes around, rather than the 10th.
4. Give yourself time to make it a habit. Good or bad, a habit takes about 28 to 32 days to get created. I suggest picking a list manager and trying that consistently for about 30 days. If you find it's not a good fit, then switch. At least you would have given yourself a chance to get the basic moves down with it and see if it matches your style.
I was watching this bee outside my office window this morning, as he considered his choices with my Stargazer Lily.
Ah...if only life were that simple!
Posted by Kelly at March 29, 2007 11:05 AM
Comments
The great thing about time and business is that the iterative cycle is always grinding away. Those 60+ systems are being hammered constantly for what they have and lack. People taking that away will talk more about what worked and didn't and new products will form. I think we're getting closer and closer to a ubiquitous environment.
Good thoughts as usually Kelly!
-a
Posted by: Andy C at March 29, 2007 01:03 PM
Great post, Kelly.
And, for all of those reasons, is why I opted for colored 3x5 note cards and a bulldog clip. The colors denote contexts. I write the action item. It clips and goes in my pocket. Looks fine in a board meeting...goes in my jeans pocket on Saturday for a trip to the hardware store.
Each must find a system...yet, for my GTD implementation, this amazingly simple, low tech version works. For all the reasons you cite!
Posted by: Joe Ely at March 29, 2007 01:07 PM
You say: "Populate your system as thoroughly as you can and review it regularly"
One of the problems I'm struggling with is the fact that this brings out all the things I should do (particularly at home) up into the level of feeling guilty because I haven't done it.
I'm starting to feel the need for a clearer horizon between real, agreed, NAs and "Someday/Maybe" items.
I'm debating splitting the system (I use MyLifeOrganized, www.mylifeorganized.net) to keep S/M items outside of the main system so I only look at them during the review process, and when I feel I have the bandwidth to take on something new.
I've been "doing GTD" for 18 months now, so I feel entitled to a system redesign at this point!
Something else that I've found is that it takes more like 3-6 months to truly establish a habit. 2005-06 was GTD. Then a break. Now it's shedding a few lbs. Once the changes there are a real habit, I can tackle the next one. Next year, sometime.
Posted by: IWBO at March 29, 2007 01:42 PM
"Nothing is not worthy of the lists..."
This egalitarian approach to capturing items to my lists was my biggest stumbling block (and, once I kicked it, my biggest source of relief) in the early stages of my GTD experience. The need to apply a value or a worthiness factor to an item at capture-time loomed large -- I actually had it connected to my personal value system, i.e. a task relating to a project (at home or work) I didn't agree or find valuable to my work with would end up filed away in parts of my system that I had already decided to ignore.
"Nothing is not worthy of the lists"...what a great mantra!
Posted by: Ryan at March 29, 2007 02:22 PM
I actually keep my Someday lists in my "Memo/Notes" section, not Tasks, for that reason. I don't want to see my Someday items as frequently (and hence think I should be doing something about them) more than once a week or so. It doesn't mean I don't add things to those lists, but I found moving them to another part of the system other than where I keep my day-to-day action lists relieved the pressure to review them more often than they really need.
I also have some sub-lists within the Someday category for things like Home Improvements. Sure they could be done now, but do I want to feel the pressure to do home repairs whenever I have free time at home? Nah.
The freedom is when your system reflects back to you what your agreements are, so that you can feel good about what you're doing and not doing.
Thanks to all of you for sharing. I really appreciate it and I'm sure your comments are useful for others too.
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly at March 29, 2007 02:26 PM
Hi,
Very practicle and solid advice.
#Always keep a notebook with you!- addition
Sham
Posted by: Sham at March 31, 2007 05:38 AM
For a real GTD newbie if I could please ask you to elaborate on "pick a list manager" as you point out in #4. Thanks!
Posted by: Jikksta at April 4, 2007 11:38 AM
Sorry for my jargon! A "list manager" is whatever you want to use to see the lists for your Projects, Actions, Waiting For, Calendar etc. This could be as simple as back of an envelope (literally)or paper planner or as sophisticated as a software program such as Outlook, spreadsheets or a web-based tool. It's up to you. If you have the GTD book, you'll find lots of good detail on variations of the lists and what kinds of things go where. If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to answer those too.
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly at April 4, 2007 03:33 PM
This is a good bit of advice for those of us just getting started, or like me, whose circumstances have changed a little - so the system must change also.
Thanks.
Posted by: Stephen at April 9, 2007 03:28 AM
