Quote Originally Posted by Brent View Post
Good topic! Here are a few things I've learned:
Thanks! I thought so, too. It's one cluster of the GTD system that (unlike inbox, weekly review, and other compenents) that isn't so air-tight and can easily collapse into a heap of "trouble" and mounds of "amorphorous reading stuff" so I found it relevant and good too. This feedback is invaluable. I might give google reader a short, Moggy, and GREAT more "process" as opposed to a specific "tool" tips, Brent.

  1. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Prune your feeds as soon as their value decreases.
  2. Skim. Jump to the good stuff. Online material can't be read the same way one reads a magazine; you have to retrain your brain to bounce around rapidly (I'm sure you already know this; just re-stating for emphasis).
  3. Categorize. My email is routed into half a dozen different folders, some of them signifying greater importance than others.
  4. Print for later review. I print off the most powerful, useful articles/posts/etc. I find, and put them on my nightstand for close reading later. I usually tickle them for later re-reading, as well.

Does that help?
Could you elaborate? "Prune your feeds as soon as their value decreases."??? How ? Flag items as 1, 2, 3 priorities? Delete them? When does it's "value decrease". If something is currently not relevant, it still might be "reference worthy" what then?

That's great you ahve so many email folders. Same here! I've got over 20 email gmail labels. I'm interested in simplifying these down to 10

Code:
AAA_Docs
(17 conversations)		rename     remove
ActingCareer
(253 conversations)		rename     remove
Apartment
(21 conversations)		rename     remove
Attempt-Submit
(1 conversations)		rename     remove
Bult_Blog
(35 conversations)		rename     remove
Bult_Fbook
(227 conversations)		rename     remove
Bult_Forum
(277 conversations)		rename     remove
Bult_LACast
(149 conversations)		rename     remove
Bult_YTb
(77 conversations)		rename     remove
Craigs_eBay
(36 conversations)		rename     remove
Deleted Messages
(31 conversations)		rename     remove
Family
(111 conversations)		rename     remove
Finances_Ship
(235 conversations)		rename     remove
Friends
(142 conversations)		rename     remove
Fun
(6 conversations)		rename     remove
Health
(16 conversations)		rename     remove
Income
(115 conversations)		rename     remove
Kittens
(140 conversations)		rename     remove
LifeEd
(132 conversations)		rename     remove
Networked
(4 conversations)		rename     remove
NLP
(68 conversations)		rename     remove
R:Maybe-Someday
(11 conversations)		rename     remove
School
(60 conversations)		rename     remove
Sent Messages
(52 conversations)		rename     remove
TimbEzra
(371 conversations)		rename     remove
Travel
(7 conversations)		rename     remove
Volunteer
But that's a different thread.


LOL! I have to train my brain to focus. I'm a natural "brain bouncer"! haha!

You're prioritization of emails, then to printing off important files, and then tickling them later really does help. I see how REad-Review can tie seamlessly into GTD system. But I don't get the core of it. All your reading is via email?? I don't have that. Here's the classification of reading I have going on and they're priority. Don't ask why I used percentages ( I was starting with how much time I'd like to spend)
  • 2% Email reads
  • 10% Books (would like to read cover to cover)
  • 20% Selected cutout hardcopy reads (similar to reads from 'surfing the net" but paper and this folder is more selective)
  • 20% Already Read books but frequently skim and Review (GTD is part of this collection)
  • 30% Reads from surfing the Net -- a large collection
  • 40% Reviewing my writings for inspiration
  • 40% RSS Feeds from Newswire

I'm in the works of simplifying and prioritizing those readings. My bottom-line is I have WAYYYYYYYYY WAYYYYYY to many "buckets" for reading material. To get scope of all the read-review material I have I have to check
3 computer locations
  1. one desktop folder
  2. a newswire program
  3. iPhone saved important documens (reading on the go)

5 hard-copy locations
  1. one handheld paper folder
  2. a bookshelf of not-read boks
  3. a bookshelf of previously thoroughly read motivational books
  4. bookshelf of my writings
  5. a magazine collection

8 different areas just for some reading??!! That's insane!! It's WAAYYY out of control. Ahhh!!!


So I'm working on getting ALL my reading down to maybe 4 areas -- newsfire, a computer collection basket, an "unread hardcopy" shelf, and a "review already read hardcopy shelf". That would be great.


This
John Kucz -- "If you define necessity perfectly and possess nothing less, you won't be deprived; explore nothing more, and you'll be revived."
an Millman – “Moderation? It is mediocrity, fear, and confusion in disguise. It’s the devil’s dilemma. It’s neither doing nor not doing. It is the wobbling compromise that makes no one happy. Moderation is the for the bland, the apologetic, for the fence-sitters of the world afraid to take a stand. It’s for those afraid to laugh or cry, for those afraid to live or die. Moderation…is lukewarm tea, the devil’s own brew.”(Of course some moderation can create a healthy happy balance – balance whoever severely outweighs and belittles moderation. Things should be about balance; also God is the lively zany, inspired, Loud, fun one – the devil just is sloppy, lifeless, and bored!).
Anonymous – “Everything in moderation, including moderation”.
William Ockam – “Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred.”
will be my quotes and matnra for getting balance with my Read-Review the way I want it so it's not controlling, but rather intellectually fueling my life!