February 22, 2007

Challenge - Make it a low priority day

Here's my GTD challenge of the day for you: block out some time to do the relatively low-priority items on your to do lists. That means look at your next action lists and literally pick out the items that tend to be ignored because they're not urgent. Low priority items can lurk on your action lists for a long time, creating psychological resistance to your lists.

The best time to identify any stale items on your list is during the weekly review. If you're looking at your action lists (by the way you're way ahead of the game if you are doing this semi-regularly) and you've found yourself thinking "Something has changed since I put that there", then it's time to review your system and update your lists.

Items tend to get stuck on my lists because they are either ambiguous, stale, or already completed (my favorite, of course). To speak to the ones that need more thank just ticking off the list...

Ambiguous Reminders

-It's not a next action at all. This means it's probably a subproject that needs to be broken down to a more granular next action. What is the next physical visible action I could take to get this off my mind? Another thing I've noticed lately is that I tend to want to create a next action to track everything, but sometimes forget the next action is not mine! It's a "Waiting For" item. Those items need to be securely tracked as well, but they shouldn't clog up my lists of what I can actually make progress on in this moment. Ambiguous reminders mean rethinking the whole scenario every time you see it, not an effective use of energy.

Stale as day-old bread

-New information has changed my purpose, vision, goal, area of responsibility, project, or next action about that reminder item. In my current work with the ever-evolving and quickly expanding GTD Connect program, this happens a lot. It's not unusual for an email, forum post, or phone call to rapidly change what I want to do about any given situation or project. The skill to build over time is the flexibility and intuitive trust in the system to allow those rapid fire changes to go smoothly. The more you review and update your lists, the less you will find lingering stale items. A well maintained action list should give you the freedom to glance at your list and decide what to do based on your physical location and how much time and energy you have available.

The Dare

Look at your action lists now. Are there a few conspicuous items that have been there for a long time? How long have they been there? How would you know? If you care to do an experiment, put the date on the end of that action item or project heading now. In future reviews you'll get a little more information about how long that item has been parked (no forward movement). Please note this is not about making yourself feel guilty for what you're not doing, it's all about helping yourself re-assess why an item has gone stale. Maybe it's absolutely perfect you haven't gotten to that thing yet! But how can you know until you get objective about the situation? In other words, you can't feel good about what you're not doing, until you know what you're not doing.

Posted by Lisa at 11:14 AM | Comments (1)

December 29, 2006

10 Beginner Behaviors

What are the entry-level behaviors to GTD that anyone can do to "get in the game"?

First of all I should say that this question contains some forethought. A GTD Connect member brought this idea to my attention at a recent public seminar and the theme of entry-level behaviors for GTD has been following me ever since.

The question of entry-level behaviors rests on the assumption that GTD is like any complex system worth learning on multiple levels (from nitty gritty to deep and profound). Other examples include golf, mastering aikido, driving a car, running a business, and assimilating into a new culture. What all of these mega-projects have in common is a need to master smaller subprojects in order to gestalt the more meaningful principles that form the whole. With any of these endeavors, it's easy to fall off the wagon en route to mastery. They are also similar in that getting started can be daunting without a little help. Entry-level behaviors are the accessible and practical behaviors that a beginner can do in order to see some real results without having to do a whole-life overhaul. My hope is that the following tips will give you some ideas on how to get started with (or get back into) Getting Things Done for the New Year.

10 Beginner Behaviors

1. Purge your files

The biggest jam in the system for most people is reference files that aren't current. New Year's tip- spend a few hours attending to your paper or digital reference (yes, "My Documents" can get messy, too!). Through out the old and simplify where you keep the current items. If you have a safe place to put reference (non-actionable) items, every other piece of the system will go more smoothly.

2. Write it down

Get a tool for writing down your ideas, and keep it near you always. Even if the thought amounts to nothing, writing it down is the only way to give yourself a fair shot at handling it responsibly. The mind is a great place for having ideas, not storing them.

3. The 2 minute rule

If you're going to do it at all, and it takes less than 2 minutes from where you are now, do it now. It would waste more time and energy to try to remember and track it if you don't.

4. The waiting for list

Keep a complete list of everything you are waiting for from others that you care about. Items loaned, next actions delegated, online orders that should arrive. This one has instant payoff when you see how empowering it is to follow up before something slips through the cracks.

5. Use your inbox effectively

Your inbox is a runway, not a parking spot. Practice processing the items that come in (not doing them, not reshuffling them, not procrastinating on them). Simply make a decision one item at a time.

6. Read every email only once

Never re-read an email unconsciously. Unless you need to reflect on it while you are composing a response, you should be able to cue yourself up about how to handle it the first time you see it. Rereading emails can drain energy and reinforce procrastination.

7. The someday/maybe list

There are millions of things you would like to do someday if you had more resources, time, energy and money to do them. Rather than letting them nag at you, capture them in a complete list that you review regularly. You are much more likely to do them or renegotiate them if they are out of your head.

8. Be real with your calendar

The calendar is meant to give you some clear cut guidelines for your day, it is not a parking spot for all the things you wish you could do in one day (if you were superhuman). Use it well. Does that item need to be done on that specific day? If not, try an action list instead. Are there other items that you know you will only get to if you set aside some uninterrupted focus time (i.e. writing a paper, home maintenance, drafting up a project plan)? This is one of the easiest areas of your system to get squeaky clean.

9. Do it, Defer it, Delegate it.

If it's actionable, there are only 3 options: do, defer, or delegate. Do it in 2 minutes or less, or defer it to a more appropriate time on your action list or calendar, or delegate it if you can.

10. Start at "zero"

Give yourself a clean start whenever you can. I recently heard a financial advisor suggesting that people open a new checking account in order to ensure their electronic bank statements synchronize appropriately, with no old transactions clouding the view. Use this analogy of starting with a clean slate in your organizational system. Process your inbox to zero, start a new file cabinet, get a tickler file, buy a new personal organizer. Newness has psychological power. Your new system is more likely to attract you, which will help you give it appropriate attention as you maintain it.

Wishing you a productive and joyful 2007!

Posted by Lisa at 11:30 AM | Comments (9)

December 15, 2006

The dreaded inbox

Things seem to be winding down in the corporate world. The number of emails in my inbox is decreasing and the proportion of automated out of office replies is growing exponentially. With a little down time handy, this is a good time to brush up on your processing skills - something that can be essential when you return from a vacation to the deluge of input.

Tip for the season: Love your inbox, and it will love you.

Seriously, the number one reason people procrastinate on processing the inbox is the dread factor. You've been there, we all have. It slowly begins to increase in volume, piling up little by little, threatening to spill out and take over.

So why is an in-tray or a screen of emails scary? Everything in your life either attracts or repels you to some degree, and the inbox is no exception. I've identified these reasons for the dreaded inbox phenomenon:

Be it the inbox on your desktop, or the one on top of your desk, here are some keys for making processing painless...

I hope these tips help you get into the flow of processing. For further reading about attraction and repulsion, check out these articles from our coaches:

Keeping You In-Box "Real" by Julie Daniel

Are You Attracted To Your Lists? by Meg Edwards

Yum or Yuk? by James Daniel

Posted by Lisa at 10:22 AM | Comments (5)

December 06, 2006

Nifty capture tool

You may have noticed that I'm a big proponent of capturing everything out of your head with a capture tool. If you were looking closely at my home office setup, you might have noticed that I use my own version of David's Notetaker wallet. I've also been known to say everyone should have a post-it cube for capturing in their car.

It appears the Post-It folks have outdone me with this high-tech Auto Message Center. You record your thoughts into the tape recorder, then once you are parked you can jot them down on the post-it notes. (Thanks Erik!)

So why am I such a fan of capturing?

Believe it or not, it's more than just a geeky love of gadgets that keeps me interested in collection, the first step in the 5 Phases of Mastering Workflow. I actually have found that mastering the Collection step can increase my ability and agility with other phases down the line. Once I have everything out of my head and on paper, part of the subconscious kicks. I feel an instant sense of trust in my GTD system just knowing that all of my fresh ideas and commitments are "out there" somewhere, ready to be manipulated and shuffled around however I see fit. Collecting also forces me to think about processing. As my inbox gets taller with the collected material, my internal radar triggers me to set aside time to process the stack back to zero. Which of course leads me to organize the information into a system that needs to be clean and clear (otherwise why organize it in the first place?). So if you're new to GTD, or just want to get back in the game: Collect. There are lots of ways to get started:


The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing - to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. - John Keats

Posted by Lisa at 10:38 AM | Comments (3)

November 20, 2006

Why get things done?

For the first time in the 7-ish years I've been involved with Getting Things Done, I asked myself today: Why do we want to be getting things done?

The word "done" rang out loud and clear in my head at that moment. The sweet tase of completion. It seems that success is a word that really rings our bells here in Western civilization, and completion is genuinely intertwined with worldly success. But perhaps at times we are too focused on the end results, aiming for goals without asking ourselves the big "why."

I'm sure David Allen knows all this (and perhaps to a much deeper cut than I do), so why on earth did he title his book Getting Things Done?

Then I woke up to the word "getting". He didn't choose "Get Things Done", he chose an active, progressive, moving verb. We are in the process of getting things done. Suddenly it clicks for me- we are all in process, all the time, constantly moving and growing and learning as we refine the process called life.

So what? What does this all mean to me?

It means that GTD really is a martial art- it acknowledges both the real stake-in-the-ground signposts that we have out there as goals, objectives, accomplishments, sucesses, etc. and it also reminds us that we are all en route to those experiences.

Where has your focus been lately? On "getting"- the process of life? On "things"- the stuff of life? Or on "done"- completion, closure, end states.

No one focus is better than another. If your garage has 150 boxes of unnecessary stuff, the wisest use of your time may be on the stuff. Go tackle your stuff so it won't have to distract from the other pieces of life. Or if you're 99% complete with a project, career, business venture- maybe "done" has most of your attention. But perhaps the most neglected word- "getting" pops up when we're in the flow, consciously aware that life is a journey. Someone recently pointed out the power of the words "human being". This person felt so completely overwhelmed and caught up in the busy-ness of life that the term "human doing" was almost more applicable. But hundreds of years back when the noun "human being" was coined, someone knew precisely what they wanted to communicate. We are humans being, and also doing, and also completing.

Posted by Lisa at 06:00 AM | Comments (5)

October 31, 2006

Getting to the essence

If you haven't yet subscribed to this free newsletter from Michael Bungay Stanier, named Canadian Coach of the Year, have a look at his recent ruminations here: Outside the Lines - October 2006

In his main article he talks about getting to the essence in three ways. Essentially it's about simplifying your life along these 3 dimensions:

1. Essential people
2. Essential work
3. Essential stuff

What struck me is most about this list is that I tend to list these essentials in the reverse order for a very particular reason. When getting started with Getting Things Done, or when getting back on the wagon after a lapse, the best way to begin is with stuff.

Some good beginning behaviors to tackle stuff:

Clean a drawer
Purge (or setup!) your A-Z files
Get an inbox
Collect your stuff in one neat corral
Process your inbox using a Workflow Diagram
Process your email backlog
Clean out your purse, wallet, or trunk

Now what about essential work? This phase tends to come in only once you have a good enough overview of your "stuff" to see what your work actually is! Now that you're clean and clear, review your lists and ask yourself if this work is bad, good, or great. I've found using Michael's tips on the 3 types of work has been very valuable. I try to get as many "great work" items on my projects list as possible, and when I see an item that has been stale for a long time I ask myself if it's because it's bad work and needs to be re-evaluated, clarified, or creatively enhanced. The great thing about GTD is that it gives you the freedom to ask these questions about your work, moment-to-moment and during the weekly review.

Essential people? Often people least expect GTD to be a tool for enhancing relationships, and they are shocked when it does precisely that. How can GTD help you keep essential people in your life? It's simple really. The more you are clear on your agreements and communicate consciously about them, the more the quality of your relationships will become apparent. It's easy to maintain and enhance essential relationships when you know who's got the ball and what your successful outcome is as a team. It's also easier to spot relationships that are no longer serving their purpose when you have a system in place to track how things are moving along, who's keeping their agreements, and the true vision and purpose of the endeavor.

Thanks to Michael for the gems he puts out there!

Now go out there and use GTD to "Get clear, get current, get creative!"

Posted by Lisa at 10:07 AM | Comments (2)

October 12, 2006

Reflections on Chicago

Had the pleasure of joining David and his road crew at the RoadMap seminar in Chicago last week. Apart from the stimulating experience of watching David present the seminar with his usual lively and comedic energy, I also got to engage with quite a few GTD Connect members and the city of Chicago itself.

The people

It was such an absolute delight to meet Connect members from near (Wheaton, IL) and far (Australia) during the seminar and for drinks afterward. I saw some really fantastic and creative project planning and tracking sheets drafted up by Nancy, who is an entrepreneur/mother (talk about busy successful folks who need GTD). I got inspired by her to look at spending more time in the public schools teaching GTD to kids. When I see pictures of kids proudly sitting at their desks using an inbox or writing a note it just makes me grin inside and out. I have always wondered to what extent grade school through college actually prepares kids for the jobs they will take, and it seems to me that GTD has so much more to offer in terms of real-world life skills.

I also got inspired by a new members who shares my alma mater to reevaluate a large project on my list: Clarify how I will contribute to caring for myself and the environment in an ecological and progressive way. It's a gigantic project, but what this one conversation did for me was point me in the direction of some introductory behaviors that can help me get in the game. So I came home and started composting. It's something, it's doable, and it breaks through the psychological barrier of "I can't make a difference." Big thanks to Jim for this epiphany. I'm fascinated by how this "getting started" syndrome relates back to GTD. Specifically, what are the entry-level behaviors for GTD that we can all adopt to ease into a very new way of working and living?

There were a multitude of other connections. I especially enjoyed previewing some newer Pocket PC technology (since I'm in the market for a new PDA). I also bumped into quite a few folks who are using GTD to support their work in as reverends and church volunteers. Always great to have a strong ClerGTD turn out. These folks remind me of the connection between the 50,000 ft. life's purpose and the very next physical action. There is something comforting in knowing that not-for-profit and service groups have caught the GTD bug. If you happen to be a Connect member, check out this discussion on GTD for the clergy.

The buildings

I grew up in a small farming community where the largest building in town had 4 stories (max). So it's always a treat to see something a bit older and taller, like the heart of Chicago's financial district. I learned that our very stylish venue, the W Hotel, actually dates back to 1927 with much of the original architecture and flooring in place. On first sight I had simply thought the hotel was aiming for a strange blend of classic and ultra-modern. But alas, the gold leaf ceilings were original. I also captured a few shots of pretty high rises while out and about in the city.

The food

Still big on my raw food kick, I visited the only two raw food restaurants in Chicago. Karyn's Raw Gourmet, though stylish and in a sweet little residential neighborhood, was not to my taste. I found their use of garlic totally overwhelming, and the raviolli just didn't compare to the raw raviolli I've had. The pasta primavera was quite nice, though, with a sweet sauce. Given the choice, I'd cruise uptown to Cousin's Incredible Vitality any day of the week. The atmosphere is very relaxed and fun, and the dishes are fantastic. Try a green smoothie, they are just as sweet and smooth as they are healthy. I had a baby greens salad with walnuts and ginger tahini dressing, totally delicious.

The bean
Speaking of food...

thebean.jpg

The most phenomenal thing I saw was "the bean". I had a blast interacting with it and watching others conquer its mysterious ways. Click below for more pictures of what I consider one of the most inspiring and playful pieces of art I've seen.

The bean and my boots- this is what it's like when you bravely lay under the bean.

Looking into the bean- totally mind-boggling, like fractal art in 3-D.

Me and the bean- A passerby insisted that she snap this shot because the sight of it was cracking her up.

I just love Chicago! A fabulous trip to one of my favorite cities, with some great connections, lessons, and inspirations.

Posted by Lisa at 03:00 PM | Comments (3)

October 09, 2006

David Allen a la Podcast

I'm happy to report that we have opened up a public podcast feed here at:

The David Allen Company Updates

If you haven't yet, add this feed to your favorite RSS news reader to get company updates from Coach's Corner, What's Up At DavidCo, and our blogs.

Right now you can hear the first episode in "Productive Talk", conversations between Merlin Mann and David Allen. It's been really fun for me whenever I've had a chance to interact with these two visionaries. David + Merlin is a great recipe for engaging and often funny conversation about the fringe between GTD, technology, and contemporary ways of thinking and living. I believe it was David Harrington who first told me that the best creativity emerges from interdisciplinary studies, on the fringe between different cultures. A diverse environment stimulates new ideas in abundance because new perspectives are filtered into existing conversations and modes of operation. I certainly have a creative experience whenever I hear David consulting with his wide array of tech experts and geeks for the latest and greatest tips on where the world is headed. So I hope you'll enjoy the clip and the clips to come. It's great to be offering a slice of David in podcast form, a technology that seems all the more viral these days.

Posted by Lisa at 08:02 AM

October 08, 2006

Service in 2 minutes or less

I was taking out the trash today, a chore that I have on my calendar as a repeating weekly event, when I had a major GTD epiphany. I had just loaded up the largest trash bin and was about to walk down my very long driveway with it when I spotted an irksome little piece of garbage on the floor of my garage. My mind struggled in that millisecond- to pick it up or not? Picking it up interrupts the flow of my action, but it means a cleaner home. Not picking it up means looking at that piece of trash when I come back into the garage in a few minutes. I imagine this is the normal "to act or not to act" dialogue that brains do millions of times per day on a neural level.

Then the epiphany struck- beyond weighing this action based on a cost-benefit analysis of what I would get out of it, there was something more interesting to be learned from this. I did pick up the trash because it was an action that took 2 minutes or less and I knew it would be weighing on my mind if I didn't do it now. I would definitely pick up that trash someday, so it might as well be this instant and be done with it. I realized I had just applied David Allen's two minute rule in a whole new way! (See Getting Things Done, pg 131-133.) This simple action became in my mind a tiny act of service to my household. Thus 2 minute service was born.

I spent the rest of my day with eyes peeled for opportunities to give back to my community, friends, family, anyone, via simple next action steps. Many people I know talk about not having enough time to commit to service work and volunteering, at least not as much as they'd like to. It occurs to me now that there are different levels of service, i.e. projects on the 10,000 ft. Horizon of Focus and next actions at the "Runway" level (GTD, page 51-53). There is a problem with the way we tend to think about service as being limited to 10,000 ft. Projects and ongoing 20,000 ft. Areas of Focus. This attitude makes it easy to throw our hands up in the air and say, "Sorry, I'm just too busy to participate with that!" I count myself among the guilty on this one. What if being of service didn't require clocking in monthly or weekly to the same organization or the same behavior? In fact there are hundreds of daily opportunities to be of service using the wisdom of GTD to immediately complete actions that require 2 minutes or less.

Here are some ideas from my own day today to help you get going with 2 minute or less service. I'm certain that it will look different for everyone, and I would love to hear your ideas and suggests about other 2 minute service actions. (Side note: remember, service can be to yourself as well as others- sometimes taking care of yourself has the best long term benefits because of what you are able to contribute to others when you are rested and healthy.)

Pick up some trash
Call the neighbor whose dog seems lost in the rain
Recycle something
Pick up the change someone dropped while standing in line
Tell a cashier you appreciate them (better yet tell their manager)
Take a 2 minute stretch break in service to your health
Comment on a blog or website you like
Email a friend who could use some support- send something heartfelt or funny
Support a budding artist or musician you know
Donate to a charity online in 2 minutes or less
Give someone 2 minute or less tech support
Recommend a business/practitioner/venue to someone who is looking
Give someone a 2 minute neck massage
Listen, really listen, to someone for an extra 2 minutes beyond what the conversation required
Tell someone "keep the change"
Smile at someone

What's so powerful about these commonplace gestures?

The number one excuse for not being of service is "I don't have time." But one thing I have been learning from the Getting Things Done approach is that I am in control of all of my time and all of my agreements. In effect, I single-handedly create my priorities and to what I give my resources (time, money, energy, etc.) Using that attitude to my advantage, it becomes clear that I can make time for anything that matters to me.

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."
- Edmund Burke

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
 - Anne Frank

Posted by Lisa at 09:35 PM | Comments (7)

September 19, 2006

3 Steps to Projects that Inspire

I was browsing through a great conversation today in the GTD Connect forums about inspirational projects, folks sharing their "way cool" projects, many of which are in Someday/Maybe land, and I got to thinking about how it's unfortunate that so many of our most heartfelt dreams get sidelined for more practical endeavors.

One of the toughest habits I had to kick when I first got into GTD was the belief that Projects need to be "work" and Someday/Maybe items need to be "play". As soon as I became aware of this, I began letting go of the old habit, and living in a more fun and fluid way. Want to know how to make your projects more inspiring and meaningful? Here's how I do it.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Week:

1. Are there any fun, joyful, playful, creative, nurturing projects that I need to add to my list? (Now give yourself the freedom to think of a whole mess of them. There will be plenty of time to cross off the crazy ones later, for now just jot them down and see if any of them make the cut to your action lists.)

2. Am I fluidly moving reminders between my Someday/Maybe list and my Projects list, based on what's realistic, rather than what's idealistic? (Hint: if you've done your weekly review and not one single item has moved between the two lists, you're probably not renegotiating all you commitments honestly!)

3. Is there any Someday\Maybe item that's so powerful, so alive, and so real for me that I choose to make it a current Project right now, no looking back? (Can I realistically put my energy into more of my "great work", and how do I do that? What's my next action step? Will I have to renegotiate other commitments to make room for this new priority?)

As it turns out, we have all the power we need to turn "someday" into "this day". This power lies in ability to make decisions, a skill not to be underestimated if you're using GTD to make it up and make it happen.

Take it deeper-
Want to get inspired about using the Someday/Maybe list? Here are 3 great stories from GTDers about the power of the Someday/Maybe:

1. A system for incubating priceless ideas - from David Allen's archives

2. The power of a clear intention - from the blog of Jason Womack

3. Renewed peace of mind - a coaching success story from Meg Edwards

Posted by Lisa at 10:55 PM | Comments (1)

September 03, 2006

Home office setup

I am 99% complete with one of my bigger projects this year- completely redecorating and refurnishing my home office. Here are the subprojects that are done:

Remove old furniture
Prepare for painting
Paint the room
Move in new furniture
Move in desk supplies, reference files, books, equipment

And still left to go-

Decorate the walls with inspiring and relaxing art

I am so pleased with my new room that I find I am drawn to it even more than my bedroom as a place to relax, surf the web, listen to music. That's how I know it is a success- I've often heard coaches here at The David Allen Company talk about how every task either repels or attracts you. And even more consequential, I've discovered firsthand that every piece of my GTD system will either attract or repel me. Revelation: it actually matters whether or not I enjoy my physical working environment. When it's pleasant and appealing, some part of the subconscious mind relaxes and can devote more of my creative energies to the work at hand.

Here's a picture of my new space. I often hear questions from new GTD users about how to setup their reference files, inbox, etc. So I thought I would share mine as yet another individual example. My basic setup consists of:

desk.JPG

My laptop, mouse, speakers, printer, and Palm
An in-tray (I keep an inspirational photo and quote attached to the bottom of it, motivating me to get "in" to zero everyday!)
Trays for each of the GTD File Folders: To Office, Action Support, Read & Review, and my own Waiting For Action Support

My colorful GTD File Folders brighten up the otherwise bare room. And speaking of color, I LOVE my lavender file folders for my A-Z references. Anything you can do to make the mundane experiences more enjoyable, I say.

Hope you enjoy the pictures and feel inspired to do good things to your own space. If only you could see how hideous the room was before this!

Posted by Lisa at 08:07 AM | Comments (6)

August 14, 2006

GTD Connect

It's official! I am delighted to announce that David Allen's new membership program, GTD Connect is now available to the public.

For several months I have had the pleasure of being part of the Connect team, preparing to offer a wealth of coaching resources and materials from David Allen. The program includes interactive forums, a system for reflecting on goals and intentions, a library full of audio and video resources, monthly mailings, and so much more I could not possibly list it all here.

My excitement about GTD Connect is that I see it as a program that fills in a huge missing link for GTD users everywhere. Suddenly people all over the world will have an opportunity to connect with a leading expert on personal productivity, without needing to travel to a seminar. It's also a program designed to be beneficial for everyone, from CEO's, to stay-at-home-parents, to students, to entrepreneurs. Because it's largely a web-based program, it's something everyone can benefit from, wherever you may be.

Beyond the accessibility of GTD Connect, I'm excited and delighted about how Connect will provide on-going coaching and support more than anything we've done before. Like anything worth sticking to, using the principles of GTD in life can be tricky at first, and it takes time to form solid new habits to replace behaviors that weren't as effective. The very nature of Connect is that people can jump in at any point in their process to deepen their learning and, in effect, transform their behaviors to create a more balanced, fulfilling, and creative life.

For me personally, it's a fantastic opportunity to me a part of a program that is flexible- always ready to grow and change based on what our members want. I am so blessed to be working with David and everyone here at DavidCo. David's complete dedication to sharing his information with the world is both contagious and inspiring.

More to come as GTD Connect unfolds... I just wanted any readers out there to know, it's officially here!

Posted by Lisa at 12:46 PM | Comments (1)

June 02, 2006

Centering and Mind Like Water

I recently joined an intermediate pottery class at Firehouse Pottery with Frank Massarella here in Ojai, California. I must say it is SO refreshing and wonderful to be committed in an ongoing way to something that is purely relaxing for me. I was partly inspired by the weekly "creative nights" that my brother and his wife schedule weekly, and suddenly I find myself setting aside time for something totally wonderful.

I got into ceramics in my senior year of high school and later did my senior project teaching hand building techniques at an orphanage in Mexicali, Mexico. Ever since then I've been seeking ways to stay in touch with the clay, it's one of those things that just opens my heart in such a big way. In college I particpated in a pottery cooperative, and took handbuilding classes that taught me to form pots as native Americans do. So here I am just getting back into one of my favorite hobbies.

My new class is going well so far, and teaching me a lot beyond just the physical techniques of throwing pottery. I've always been interested in how the centering process requires a significant amount of calm, focus, and attention. I highly recommend this book, Centering, In Pottery, Poetry and the Person by Mary Caroline Richards. Centering clay is a powerful metaphor for being centered in yourself.

I had a fun experience with centering last week in my class. I have always held my breath during the centering process as a way of staying totally focused on the motions of my hands and arms. It's been a conscious choice for me to do so, but when my new teacher strolled by me last week she said, "Breathe, Lisa, breathe!!" And I did. I gave it a try and found that I am perfectly capable of keeping a steady rhythmic breathing going while I center even large pieces of clay. It was so relaxing! I'm sure that taking yoga has something to do with how peaceful it feels to be aware of my moving breath right in the midst of attemping to create a perfect stillness in the clay. It's always fun to discover a deeper level of relaxation.

Then as I was leaving the studio, I overheard a beginner in the class say, "It's so weird, I can't even think about all the things I have to do while I'm in this class. It's great!"She had her first taste of mind like water!

I'm so thankful for GTD and all of the techniques and tools I've picked up over the years that allow me to get totally emerged in creating and playing, letting time disappear altogether.

Posted by Lisa at 01:54 PM | Comments (3)

May 25, 2006

Someday maybe...

I first heard about having a list of things to do "Someday/Maybe" when I was about 10 years old. You can imagine the fantastic and wild ideas that came bubbling out of me as soon as I heard that I was "allowed" to think about all the wonderful things I could do, be, and invent in the adult life ahead of me.

Many years, and many notebooks, journals and file folders chock full of design plans, lists, and images later, I still believe in the power of the Someday/Maybe as a way of giving ourselves permission to have creative ideas, even when we can't commit to them in the moment.

I came across this site today from a life coach who is encouraging people to capture their biggest dreams and aspirations on her free website, SuperViva. The feature I liked most about it is that you can easily mark an item on your list "Active" or "Backburner". The backburner seems to me another way of saying, I still like this thought enough to keep it, but I just don't have the resources to commit to it right now. It can take some courage to move that fantastically cool idea OFF your "To-Do" list and over to your Someday/Maybe/Backburner list because then you have to trust that sometime in the future you will have more time, more energy, or more money; and that you will get to some of those cool ideas.

The other issue of trust is whether or not you will remember that cool idea, which is where GTD comes in as a fail-safe way of keeping track of things without relying on your fallable memory. For me the weekly review has made all the difference in being able to trust that my Someday/Maybe list is alive and well. I review it every week, no matter how large it gets, knowing that I'm keeping those items around for a reason. Often times I find I've already done a few things on the list without even planning it that way, and I also end up removing the items that just don't have value for me anymore.

Just hearing the term "Backburner" after such a long time of being used to the terminology "Someday/Maybe" reminded me that this isn't just a list I keep because a smart guy said so. It's a list I keep because my dreams matter to me now just as much as they did when I was 10 years old.

Posted by Lisa at 09:29 AM

May 17, 2006

Two steps to a clear mind

I was lying awake in bed thinking when I suddenly stopped myself and said "Hey, what do you think you're doing lying here thinking? Just get everything off your mind and go to sleep." Probably spoken like a true brown belt, one who has achieved a considerable degree of proficiency with a GTD system, but is smart enough to know I'm not there yet!

So I got out of bed and as usual wrote down a few stray thoughts that were gently nudging me towards my capture tool. But the instant I did that, another thought popped in (actually the inspiration for this blog). Funny how that happens.

Perhaps there are two cuts to getting things off your mind. The first step, which is actually not-so-obvious, is writing it down. It often seems unnatural or even scary at first to write down the small stuff, as if our ballpoints are actually chisels that will carve our words into eternity. But once we do write it down, the relief from not having to think of it is phenomenal, one of the biggest ah-ha moments I've watched people have at the RoadMap seminars.

The second cut of a clean and clear mind is this: Let it go. Not only do you have to be willing and commit to letting the thought go, you also have to do whatever it is that's necessary in order for you to let it go. I can only feel that tiny rush of freedom when I write down "Mow the lawn" if I feel pretty confident that I will process that note relatively soon into a system that I will review frequently enough that I will have the right information at the right moment to mow that lawn (before it eats my lawn chairs).

So why is it that sometimes even when I have something captured and "in the system" I continue to think about it? (Besides the obvious factor which is that an active and healthy mind enjoys a good deal of thinking in the spaces in between). My theory is that the only reasons to ever continue to think about something you already have identified as a clear next action step are these:

1) The thought is too juicy and delicious to leave it in your system for later (i.e. Who cares that I know exactly what to do to make my first trip to Chile happen tomorrow, I'm just bouncing around knowing that I'm on my way!)

2) Some part of me can't let that thought go because there is more information in it, about it, or with it to be processed in a more effective way. (The far less sexy: I know we created a successful outcome at that last project meeting, but I have this tiny niggly feeling we made the wrong call on our marketing slogan).

Either one of these boils down to: you haven't let that thought go yet, whether that's by choice or by less-than-conscious choice. Neither state is worse than the other, but the second one takes a bit more work to resolve than the first, which is self-resolving.

In the interest of aiming for mind like water, here are a few tricks I've picked up to bring myself back into the present moment:

-Awareness of breath. It so simple and tremendously powerful as a way of reconnecting with the natural moving rhythm of the breath. It also reconnects you to your body, which is important when you're deep in mentally-powered work.
-Step back and ask "Why am I thinking about this? Is there something I am trying to do or accomplish by thinking about this?" If so, choose to set aside some time either now or later to really devote yourself to this thinking, you might uncover some great new information, or just as good, you might find out that the next action step needed a lot more clarity and focus.
-Laughter- nothing refocuses you like a sudden uncontrollable burst of humor. This exercise is best done in contagion.
-Talk about it out loud. Propel your thoughts out, start up a conversation with an obliging friend or colleague and see where an outside perspective takes you. This can also help uncover hidden information and clarify the true next action step or successful outcome you are looking for to get back to mind like water.

I would love to hear from any of you who might be reading this about your experiences with aiming for an empty head, and with being present in the moment.

Posted by Lisa at 11:51 PM | Comments (2)

May 09, 2006

Another great weekend- at school

I'm just settling in from a really fantastic weekend at University of Santa Monica where I've been studying applied spiritual psychology this year. The highlights for me this weekend were getting revved up about the second year of the program starting next fall, the fact that I find myself laughing more than in any other classroom (I've taken courses on humor that didn't come close) and best of all this incredible sense of community and connection to my class of 250-some dedicated people. Many of the folks I meet in our classroom exercises have had incredibly rich careers in all different walks of life, and are now so thrilled to be turning towards counseling.

One assignment that I've found so much value in this year is the exercise of creating detailed descriptions of the vision I have for my life, broken up into separate mindmaps based on each Area of Focus. So as I planned out my ideal vision of my health for instance, which included everything from an exercise plan to experiencing regular and deep sleep, I incidentally had a great opportunity to review all of the Areas of Focus/Responsiblity in my life before planning out specific next actions. It's so essential to occasionally pop up above the clouds and get a sense of how I'm doing in the main areas of my life, and USM has given me a great way to do that.

I'm now making it a part of my custom weekly review check-in to ask myself to reflect- Which area of focus has had most of my attention this week? And which one has had the least? Just looking at that often reveals to me some factors that were previously unconscious. This prompts me to wonder, what would happen if we recorded the 20,000 ft. (Area of Focus) level for every single next action step we identify and process? It would be a fair amount of work, perhaps more than it's worth, but I'll bet some interesting information would probably arise...

"What has your attention?"

Posted by Lisa at 08:06 PM

May 03, 2006

Managing email

If you're like most people these days, you've experienced what it's like to have an email inbox that is out of control. The key for dealing with it is to treat this space like any inbox- a place to gather incoming information that you will process frequently. There are really only 3 options for what you decide about any email-

Is it actionable?
Is it reference?
Is it trash?

It has made a world of difference in my life since I've made it a rule for myself that emails don't get to just "live" in my inbox, instead I decide the first time I read them whether or not to do something with them. I would never want to return to the added stress of not knowing what's lurking in my inbox. Check out this hysterical comic strip that illustrates some of the worst possible practices for handling email.

For anyone who may be reading this who can relate to Cathy's mother, give yourself the gift of a great sigh of relief- and start working that inbox down to zero using David Allen's Workflow Diagram. You can download it for free here, and it's also on page 32 of Getting Things Done or page 160 of Ready For Anything.

Posted by Lisa at 01:35 PM

April 19, 2006

Yoga for migraine

I just had my first appointment at the Keeler Center for the Study of Headache where I'll be a patient of Dr. Robert Cowan and am excited to learn more from these top-of-notch researchers about how to manage, and hopefully eliminate, my migraines.

I already enjoyed the benefits of a yoga session specially designed for migraine-sufferers (what a pity-inducing terminology they use for us!). Our instructor, Veronica Lee, did a fantastic job of easing us into a relaxed place, and I had an experience of being more present with my body, instead of my thoughts, than I have in a long time. It seems like this kind of relaxed focus on each particular pose, each particular stretching sensation could be especially beneficial for people with migraines, who in my experience are often somewhat disconnected from their bodies or symptoms.

After the session I couldn't help but think to myself, "Is this what having nothing on your mind really feels like?" I had a renewed sense of joy and excitement about life, and yet there were almost no thoughts crossing my mind. The only thought I kept having was, "What next?"

I have always been a big believer that physiological and psychological issues are highly interconnected and mutually influential. So perhaps I have found a golden formula, for myself at least, in achieving relaxed focus:

Yoga + GTD = Mind Like Water

Rachelle would be proud.

Posted by Lisa at 09:53 AM | Comments (3)

April 04, 2006

Unusual Capture Tools (A Confession)

One of the things that has always intrigued me about GTD, or rather about GTDers, is the wide range of tools we choose to capture our ideas. It makes sense that when a bunch of diverse people learn about writing everything down to keep it off your mind, some creative capture tools emerge. Here are my musings on some of my favorites. I welcome your comments on cool tools of your own!

-3 by 5 cards- stackable, lined or unlined, easily papercliped together for portability. The big con I see is that they're fairly thick, not something I'd want in my pocket.

-My Notetaker with a twist- I decided to take the idea of our popular Notetaker wallet and create my own version of it. It's essentially a paper pad (the same ones we put in our wallets) tucked into the business card slot in my leather Palm carrying case. My expandable pen fits into the center section, which is normally used for an extra graffiti wand. The result of this little recipe is a paper capture tool for quickly gathering up my thoughts on the left, and the PDA where I often input these thoughts on the right.

-The Winner, my absolute favorite of the capture tools I've adopted:
I have a standard yellow post it pad attached with velcro to the stearing wheel of my car. The velcro allows me to remove it and switch in a new pad when I need to. I know it's dorky, I know it doesn't look particularly cool, but I can't tell you how many times I've had an important thought while caught in traffic or driving along the beautiful California coastline. The pen that goes with it lives on my dashboard, so anytime I'm in my car I'm ready to offload my thoughts. I don't recommend anyone write while driving, of course. It's just such a handy way to eliminate fumbling for my purse when in transit.

Finally, I just wanted to pay a little tribute to my friend Eric Mack for his great blog on capture tools, one of his ideas involves capturing while in the shower- brilliant, I think. Besides, it makes me feel better about my post-it note confession!

Posted by Lisa at 09:21 AM | Comments (3)

March 28, 2006

GTD & Entourage

Just a quick note to say I'm so happy that we've released our GTD & Entourage document, which is basically a sister product to our GTD & Outlook document. 37 pages of great insights from our coaches, yay! A triumph for Mac users everywhere.

Posted by Lisa at 02:02 PM | Comments (2)

March 25, 2006

When was the last time you did a really great mindsweep?

I'm looking at my in basket and it's about four inches tall... this is only unusual because every single item in it is a new thought generated by me and scribbled on yellow junior legal pad paper.

I just got home from two fantastic Roadmap seminars this week and was inspired to do a really great mindsweep. Tuesday we were in San Francisco with a very fun enthusiastic crowd. I loved the Japanese comforts of Hotel Nikko and was lucky enough to bump into Merlin Mann, a big GTD enthusiast and Mac geek like myself.

Friday we were in Santa Monica and I soaked up some great connections with old friends and new faces alike. David was better than ever in my estimation, though perhaps I'm just getting better at picking out the insights that really make a difference to me.

I came home and decided to try out something I recently suggested to someone I coached- I did what I call a "mobile mindsweep". I walked through every room of my house, writing down anything and everything that popped into my head on a new sheet of paper. It was surpisingly difficult to avoid censoring the weird or time consuming thoughts that probably won't even wind up on my Someday / Maybe list. But in keeping with the spirit of GTD, I wrote it all down and tossed it into in. It's amazing how having all of these new ideas collected makes such a difference! I'm off to enjoy my weekend now, knowing that my mind is free to collect and process anything I can think of.

Posted by Lisa at 11:46 AM