Is "Doing" even part of GTD?

[Roger]

A couple of recent threads have led me to consider this question.

On one hand, yeah of course it is -- it has its own chapter in GTD and everything.

On the other hand... hmmm. Taking a good look at that chapter, it doesn't really talk about Doing itself very much. The chapter is properly titled "Doing: Making the Best Action Choices". But the process of making the best choice of what to do isn't really Doing.

So it may be that Doing, itself, lies outside the scope of GTD. Which I'm totally okay with. I'm just a bit surprised that it's taken me this long to notice.



Cheers,
Roger

[artsinaction]

Yep, Roger, you still have to do the doing. GTD just makes the doing a lot more doable.

So, I hate shredding. It's loud and time-consuming and should be left to the professionals. And it's on my project list.

So here's how I tricked myself into doing it:
Next action: Move shedder to family room.
That's it. No other expectations. My next action after that would be to pull out all of the full sheets I'd stuffed into it's big cavity, and, again, that's it. No other expectations.
Break it down into tiny bites.

But here's what happened:
When I got it into the family room, well, the power outlet's right there... I'll just plug it in. "Hey, I wonder what's on Netflix... Grumpy Old Men? I love that movie!" And by the time Jack Lemmon and Ann-Margret had gotten married and Walter Matthau was on his way to the VFW dance, I was FINISHED!

So, sometimes the doing sneaks up on me. But I still have to do it, Roger.

[Barb]

I hate shredding too. So I got a big shopping bag and just starting loading things in there to shred. Then I took it down to the local office supply store the next time I went in for supplies and paid around $4.00 for someone else to do it. Money well spent!

[supergtdman]

Yeah, I think doing is really outside the scope of GTD. How to actually do things, or in other words GET THINGS DONE is not explained in GTD. Ironic, isn't it?

Gtd is more about how to not think about your commitments more than necessary. I have no problem with this either. When you really think about it GTD system is completely unnecessary to get things done.
It's necessary however to stay relaxed and stess free when you have a lot of plates spinning at the same time.

[artsinaction]

Oh, Barb, you ARE the party!

[TesTeq]

I hate shredding too. So I got a big shopping bag and just starting loading things in there to shred. Then I took it down to the local office supply store the next time I went in for supplies and paid around $4.00 for someone else to do it. Money well spent!

Funny! I love shredding! I love to feed a shredder and watch how sheets are forgetting the information.

Next time send the bag to Poland!

[Barb]

Funny! I love shredding! I love to feed a shredder and watch how sheets are forgetting the information.

Next time send the bag to Poland!

It might cost me $100 to ship my shredding to you! I really do hate it if it's more than a few sheets. I keep up with it unless I'm doing a big purge.

[mthar1]

It might cost me $100 to ship my shredding to you! I really do hate it if it's more than a few sheets. I keep up with it unless I'm doing a big purge.

I really did hate shredding too - then I bought a shredder with auto feed and now I don't mind at all since the only thing I need to do is put the pile of paper in the shredder and it will take care of the rest. I was definitely worth the extra money.

[North]

My mind is not very subtle about avoiding doing, it's more like "what if I don't do as planned and go re-watch The Walking Dead instead?".

GTD has a lot on creating next actions, but I'm not sure what information on doing would be. Basically GTD helps you get to the point where all that's left is "just do it". It assumes you have the resources to do it (knowledge, time, etc), e.g. how to repair your TV if that's what's on your list.

Not that it's ever that easy, even if I'm in the right context and have the time and energy (although I often do have some energy problems) and the stars are aligned etc I might still not do it for mysterious reasons. Are you looking for information on how to stop procrastination?

[supergtdman]

A lot could be said about doing, I think. Procrastination, resistance, lizard brain - many names for the same problem.
I think there isn't much about doing in gtd because David Allen hasn't really figured it out as well as other phases of workflow...
Could be a good topic for another book! "really gettings things done" LOL!
Hmm.. Maybe I'll write it and become a millionaire, someday/maybe.