Great point Kelly!

I use tasks and an email folder. I have a folder called "IIPending". I will file emails in IIPending require more than 2 minute actions or an action that can't be performed from the blackberry (i.e. printing). I purge the IIPending folder daily. (Naming the folder IIPending will put it next to the Inbox to reduce keystrokes when using shortcuts.)

I use tasks, but prefer standard formats instead of using the filter feature. For example, I start every call with "Call" , my Waiting For's with the name of the person delegated to or waiting on me, and all thank you notes start with "TY". This allows me to find the tasks relatively quickly without having to use the filters (though they work just fine).

System works fairly well for me as long as I keep up with the IIPending folder daily. I process the inbox and IIPending into next actions (tasks). It's easier to do this on the desktop, but can be done on the blackberry as well.

Kelly:
I am a new BlackBerry user and new to GTD (so definitely not an expert at either) but have found a couple of things that might be helpful for you. Feel free to contact me if you want more details but essentially, there is a big difference between BIS (standard blackberry service) and BES (Enterprise version). You can have over the air synchronization with BES generally and you can have all of your folders available but the admin of your exchange server needs to "click" the various folders to make them available over the air to your BB. also, so messages get removed from your view on your BB, you need to select "yes" for "hide filed messages" so they only appear in the folder and not in your inbox any further.
also, toodledo.com is having a BB application developed which looks very promising. Currently you can access your info via web browser but an actual app for BB would be great.

Someone running OmniFocus on their desktop (which requires a Mac) can just forward any e-mail message to themselves with a subject line that puts it straight into their task manager, for instance

--Respond to Kelly re system ::GTD Project @Desktop $5m #Friday

adds the task Respond to Kelly to the project GTD Project, assigns it the Desktop context, estimates 5 minutes duration, and sets a due date of Friday.

Maybe Outlook could do something similar with a mail rule?

I find the filing of e-mails into folders too slow on my Blackberry.
If a message is read, it has been processed.
If I need to follow up the e-mail, I forward it to my RTM inbox e-mail, this automatically creates a task based on the message.

When I'm back at my desk I then file all of my read e-mails into the appropriate folders.

That seems to work for me.

Ross

Blackberry synchronization depends as much on the handheld's configuration as the server's configuration.

I'm not the expert and there are probably slight differences in each model but hopefully someone from RIM could identify a comprehensive list of device options that affect synchronization.

As for the server side, that all depends on the IT dept's willingness to accommodate a given user. Your best bet is probably to convert the Server Admin into a GTD apostle so that he reconfigures the server for himself and you happily go along with it.

Of course I assume you're talking about BES users. For BIS users you're at both ends of the spectrum - if they're sync'ing locally then they have full control over both ends of the synchronization. If they're sync'ing to an internet service then forget about it.

I simply use my BB to read emails while out of office. They show up as read on my desktop. I do little processing on my BB unless I need to reply to someone immediately. If a Project or NA arises from that response, I create the Task or Calendar action on the device and forget about it. I do not file emails into folders as I do that in Outlook.

I agree with Anonymous above. Once email has been read it has been processed on my BlackBerry. I will inject it into ToDoMatrix if it has information I need for a task or into IdeaMatrix if I want to save it for further reference.

I'm currently using ToDoMatrix for GTD & have reconfigured the User fields to:

Where does it take place or in front of whom?:
Who is it about?:
How long will it take?:
How much energy will it take?:

I use the Next Action & Waiting For fields in the status pull down. I use Critical as a bookmark to remember what I was working on if I get interrupted.

The bottom views in the app I have as Next Action List, Waiting For List, Critical List. The only problem I have is for Someday/Maybe which I have given its own project folder or drawer as ToDoMatrix calls it.

I tried creating my own relational database for the BlackBerry, but none are powerful enough to do what I want. Here's a quick look at the way I wanted to structure it:

----------------------------------------------------
GTD COLLECT
----------------------------------------------------
WHAT IS THE ITEM?

----------------------------------------------------
__ Check when completed
----------------------------------------------------
Notes:
----------------------------------------------------
CHECK 1 OF 4 ACTIONS
----------------------------------------------------
__ 1. Delete it?
----------------------------------------------------
__ 2. Do it? (Under 2 minutes)
----------------------------------------------------
__ 3. Delegate it?
Delegate to:
Delegate followup date:
----------------------------------------------------
__ 4. Defer it? Put it on a list.
----------------------------------------------------
CHOOSE 1 OF 4 LISTS
----------------------------------------------------
1. PROJECTS
__ Put it in a project
Project name:
Where does it take place or in front of whom?:
Who is it about?:
How long will it take?:
How much energy will it take?:
__ Is it the next action on the project?
----------------------------------------------------
2. CALENDAR
__ Put it on the Calendar
Date:
Time:
----------------------------------------------------
3. SOMEDAY/MAYBE
__ Put it on the Someday/Maybe list
----------------------------------------------------
4. WAITING FOR
__ Put it on the Waiting For list
----------------------------------------------------

I think this form could actually work for me if I could filter the data so I could see my main lists at a glance.

Tom

Hi all,

I have the 9530 (Storm), otherwise known as the "black sheep" of the Blackberry family.

I am not on a BES. I'm currently in a pickle, as I'm unable to find an effective GTD-specific program that is mated well with the 9530. Either they are based on "rollerball" platforms or they are unable to sync with Outlook or the native task list.

As such, I've decided to use the following process for the time being:

- I use the native task program and calendar only.
- I parse out the tasks by using the "categories" feature of the task program.
- Each task is assigned a "project" and a "context" category; due dates are assigned as needed.
- The calendar is solely used for appointments and tasks requiring due dates. The good thing about the native task and calendar program is that the calendar shows the days' tasks that are due.
- Each morning, the first thing I do is check my calendar for the "hardscape".
- Contexts and projects are relatively easily reviewed via the "filter" feature on the task program.

This is a relatively simple and effective way to organize my GTD process.

Thanks,
Mike

When an actionable e-mail comes in I select and copy the contents of the e-mail, create a new task titled with the next action of the e-mail in the appropriate context, than delete the e-mail.

I use the File feature to process email on the Blackberry.

The caveats in my situation are that my company decided, for several good reasons, we are not allowed to install anything on the device. I keep my primary GTD lists in a paper-based system using a Time/Design planner and I process probably 95% of email from my computer (Outlook) and only 5%, maybe less, on the Blackberry. I process messages manually rather than using rules.

When I do process on the Blackberry the File function works well and in some cases better than on the computer. The Blackberry effectively anticipates where I want to file things. Sometimes it?s a little creepy.

My email system has a simple top-level folder structure under IN.

Action
Read ? FYI
Reference

Within this structure I use folders extensively. For example, under Action I have these folders.

@ Action
@ Action - Clients
@ Waiting For
Action Support
Action Support ? Clients
Someday/Maybe

A lot of my email falls into the Read ? FYI category and gets old really fast so I keep a separate top-level folder for that stuff. This segmentation helps with process, review as well as DELETE! Here?s an example of some of these sub-folders.

Boston.com
CBS Market Watch
Morningstar
BCA Research
UBS
WSJ.com

Reference is the same way where I have a lot of sub-folders in a simple A-Z format.

When I?m on the go I can easily move emails off of my IN box and into folders that I trust will support my GTD system. And it?s the same way I process messages at the computer so I don?t have to rethink anything.

It works for me.

- Mark

I am also using todomatrix and am connected to a BES. There is an extensive white paper on Rexwireless's web site regarding implementing GTD on a blackberry using todomatrix. For me it works great. I do not use the native tasks but use todomatrix instead. It is much more flexible.

It's true that if you've read the message on the BB, it shows up as read in Outlook. But since I'm pretty good about keeping my Outlook inbox at zero, it doesn't matter much. I use the BB to get mail when I'm away from my desk, so if it's something I need to respond to asap, I do it from the BB. If it's deleteable, I delete it. If it's something I need to file or can only act on when I get back to my desk, it's there waiting for me. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you're good at keeping your inbox at zero, then the BB's lack of innate Outlook-style filing system doesn't create any significant redundancy. I also use the filtered Tasks as recommended in the GTD white paper on the subject. Since that's how I deal with Tasks in regular Outlook, it's easiest if BB shows the tasks the same way.

I use the copy-to-new-task method as well, as I've sworn never to file e-mail again. Lookeen has changed my work life dramatically. So, in a perfect world I'd habe BB software that (a) lets make a task out of an e-mail (just like dragging an e-mail to the task button in Outlook) and (b) sorts tasks by Category.

Wow--I've been following all of your comments and am so appreciative you all took time to write about your experience and solutions. Great stuff. THANK YOU!

Kelly, as others have noted, there's a big difference between BES and BIS. Happy to discuss further. About 60% of our eProductivity users use a BlackBerry as their mobile list manager and inbox. I've recently switched our team to Bolds as well.

I'm new to the Bberry and new to GTD. I found some software for berry by REXWireless. They have what is called a ToDo Matrix which they say is based on GTD. They have a really nice free trial. You get plenty of time to try the system, like 30 days. I am able to delete emails from my berry. I like the berry over the paper planner because I always have my berry, at the gym, mall, where ever. HTH

After 10 years I've just switched from Palm/Treo to Blackberry (Curve) because my company switched. I had developed a good system using plain vanilla Palm apps--now I'm trying to do the same with the Blackberry. So far I haven't been entirely successful. Although the BB excels at email and my daily schedule (through wonderful wireless sync to Outlook), I have about 300 memos that I use for my GTD projects, next actions, and reference info.

The native MemoPad app on the BB imported all of these memos, but I find it difficult to rapidly find & review them using that application. Especially lacking is an easy way to cycle through my various categories (similar to GTD contexts for these lists). A filter view is available, but it takes several clicks for each one.

I can do my Weekly Review using Outlook on my laptop, but it would be handy to do mini reviews on the BB itself.

For a time I tried copying these memos to the Tasks app, hoping they might be more reviewable there. It's not better.

I used to be an IT Specialist. Now I serve a greater user :) I am on a BlackBerry Storm. I've been using Google sync (http://m.google.com/sync from your BlackBerry) It syncs my contacts and my Calendar. For tasks I am using Nozbe.com on my desktop, and (http://m.nozbe.com) on my Blackberry for review and seeing next actions. My biggest hurdle is getting tasks into my system. I've settled on Nozbe's twitter interface. Since I'm twittering already its simple enough to send a direct message to Nozbe and have that added to my "in" box for processing either on my BlackBerry or later on the desktop. The missing link is for Google sync to sync tasks. Once this happens then I believe we'll have a much better GTD solution on Blackberry.

Kelly,

I really strongly disagree with Wayne Pepper's view of the BlackBerry & GTD in his recent podcast. To have to be trapped to always syncing to the desktop is a huge millstone around the neck. He is saying that you have to be at your computer to accomplish your GTD practices. The BlackBerry (& any handheld really) should be a tremendously freeing device - allowing you to have all your lists with you at all times. The time getting to know a handheld well enough to use it thoroughly for GTD is well spent in my opinion. Syncing back to the desktop is something I never do. I want one master device with all my info on it so I have no confusion. This makes it a truly trusted system for me.

Sorry to vent, but Wayne's podcast really got my ire up, & I felt it was a disservice to those who want to get the most out of handheld with GTD.

Tom