Quote Originally Posted by SpirosGyrosAU View Post
The good news is that my filing has improved to a more centralised manner. Folders named A-Z and then I place a sub folder relating to the subject/topic.
That's good, although don't go deeper than folders and sub-folders. Given the sophistication of searching these days, you could even just shove everything into one huge folder and search (although I generally don't recommend that for most people).

The bad new is that Im having a difficult time implementing my initial system.
I've gathered all my notes which contain all my TODO items but I'm having a hard time seperating them into the various categories.
I'm with the others on this: not sure what you mean. Can you give a couple of examples?

I work for a software company and administer all their IT systems and provide IT support. I work on many facets of the organisation (all relating to IT).
I suspect (and correct me if I'm wrong) that you're asking how to categorise your tasks as part of some larger, over-arching framework. In that case, in GTD terms, you're looking at 20-30,000 foot level, I think.

If that's the case, you don't really need to assign your tasks to a category, unless you want to analyse your workload in terms of how much time you spend on each area of work. If you want to do that, the easiest thing might be to make up a spreadsheet template, with columns for various attributes, and carry-over totals, and just enter the stuff as you do it.

By the way, you said that you sometimes forget to email clients when you've done the work. Do you use email templates? Because that would make it super-fast and almost unforgettable: you just bang their name into the appropriate template ("I fixed your login details, X, so you're good to go") and it's done.

Is there anyone from Australia who can help me in defining/building my system so I have the courage to move on?
I'm an Aussie, Ross. And just from the information you've given, I suspect there are a couple of aspects of your system that aren't getting enough of a workout. Let me know if I'm wrong.

It sounds like you're working reactively rather than proactively: is that correct? That is, do you start the day with a plan, which you vary according to what comes in? Or do you simply front up to work and start working on something, then get distracted by the next shiny (or shouty) thing, and the next, and the next, and never get back to the original thing?

If so, then you need to do some (a) planning and (b) reviewing. They'll give you some idea of what you'd like to get done each day, and how much of it you actually completed. And they're extremely helpful in dealing with the feeling of overwhelm, and in stopping things falling through the cracks.

I think that's enough for one post: let me know whether I'm on the right track or not!

Cheers,
Alison