Completely Stuck

[ataylor]

Greetings everyone. Let me say I have read GTD and have the audio version on my ipod and frequently listen to it on commutes. Everytime I listen I learn or should I say "hear" something new. I have hit a wall personally and professionally. I am finally at peace with it...sort of bottoming out I guess. Now I am anxious to turn things around and one of the tools/techniques is to re-embrace GTD. I just signed up for the trail of GTDConnect and am prepared to start the entire process over again. Here is my problem(s). I have a variety of ideas, desires for the 20,30,40,50K views...but I am having a hard time getting them in place because frankly my runway, 10K k situation is such a mess.

Here are things that I am absolutely certain of. A paper based system is best for me. I am not a huge fan of relying on the computer (outlook). I don't own nor desire to own a smartphone...

The second item is I can't continue to go forward without making changes....I am just stuck right now.

Help.

[Barb]

First, let me say welcome! We're glad to have you. You might consider posting also in the "Members Only" area; some people never look at the public forums (I generally don't, but this caught my eye).

Now, take a deep breath! Paper is a great choice, so the trick is to just start. It doesn't have to be perfect because you can always fine tune later. Just start.

Next, go to the Connect home page and look for "Paper Planner" materials. There is a great webinar (recent) that will walk you though what needs to be there. Use the search box or click on the tab labeled "Audio and Video Library" and look under webinars until you find it. Also look at the tab labeled "Set up Guides". You'll find one there for paper planners.

And take it one step at a time. Really getting GTD is a process...enjoy the process!

[kelstarrising]

I would agree with Barb (who is one of the best GTD Connect ambassadors we have!) The paper planners webinar I did a few weeks ago should be of great support.
https://secure.davidco.com/connect/m...62&trackid=973

As for this comment

my runway, 10K k situation is such a mess.

I can't encourage you enough to block some time for yourself to get this under control. Even 2 to 4 hours of uninterrupted time. I bet you would make huge progress. If you feel like much of that is backlog, watch the backlog webinars on GTD Connect too (or at least listen while you are doing something else like walking/working out if you setup the podcasts.)

Hope this helps!

[ataylor]

Thanks to you both. I am going to take a listen/look at the link this evening

[ekmorris]

I've been there (more than once!) and I echo Kelly and Barb - take a deep breath, block out whatever time you have, and give it a try. It really is a journey. Whatever you can put into your system - I'm transitioning to paper myself - will help you, so don't get hung up on all-or-nothing thinking. And let us know how you make out!

Evelyn

[PaulK]

I sympathise with the desire to think about 20K & up levels, but it is hard to do that when overwhelmed at runway level. This is one of the areas where GTD really works. You can use it to get next actions under control first which helps free up the attention and time to focus on the higher levels.

[ataylor]

Thanks to everyone for their kind responses. I spent an hour last night watching the webinar about organizing the paper planner...but I didn't finish it. I had a notebook nearby and spent close to 2 hours just writing everything down. From tax prep to cleaning the garage. I had no idea how much garbage I had running around in my mind. I now have a gigantic pile of written thoughts that I will need to process soon.

[stampf]

You can't hope to get perspective and climb in altitudes if your daily life is not first and foremost under control.

Then, you'll have the mind clear to think to your altitudes.

My proposal is perhaps to first raise straight to area or responsabilities (20k) or Objectives 1-2years (30k) and go down from there (you might have something urgent or that will become urgent soon) to identify your mid term priorities.

Then, go for the top level (50k) and define who you are and what you would like to do with your life. Then go down again from 50k to runway, including the altitudes you've already viewed (30K, 20K) because, coming from 50K, you might want now to clean things up (and add things, of course).

You might think there's some redundancy at the lower levels because you move through them more than once. My personal feeling about this is that you need to empty your mind at these levels first before climbing higher. It's not efficient for me to try to move higher with a mind not cleared of low level stuff.

Just like an alpinist that need to acclimate (?) himself to some intermediary altitudes before climbing to the top.