Franklin Covey / GTD

[steve beal]

Does anyone use a combination of the two systems??
I love GTD's next action thought process..I've been involved with GTD from the onset...The lists are a big problem for me...I simply get more done by making a list for the day...I know this goes against the grain of GTD. I have no problem with @ Home...It's the business stuff.
Also, I rely on the record of what actualy happened today...who promised me what...what milestones were met...etc...
Hope I've made myself clear and I would appreciate any suggestions...
Thanks

[ScottL]

Does anyone use a combination of the two systems??
I love GTD's next action thought process..I've been involved with GTD from the onset...The lists are a big problem for me...I simply get more done by making a list for the day...I know this goes against the grain of GTD. I have no problem with @ Home...It's the business stuff.
Also, I rely on the record of what actualy happened today...who promised me what...what milestones were met...etc...
Hope I've made myself clear and I would appreciate any suggestions...
Thanks

Hey Steve,

A name I remember from days past on the board.

"I simply get more done by making a list for the day.."

GTD has many excellent things: waiting for, next actions, 2 min rule, etc. However the way David deals with priorities doesn't work for me either. I'm not sure if I get MORE done making daily lists, but I get more important stuff done consistently making daily lists. What David suggests works for many but clearly not all people.

By "combination of the two systems??" What are you taking from Covey?

[ArcCaster]

Does anyone use a combination of the two systems??
Thanks

Absolutely! But projects and next actions get so much attention that Covey is overlooked.

GTD talks about runway (next actions), 10000 feet (projects), 20000 feet (areas of focus), and goes even higher.

However, stop at areas of focus; on page 205, Getting Things Done defines 'areas of focus' as 'hats' or 'roles'. This is the Covey level.

Regards,
Rob

[ArcCaster]

Does anyone use a combination of the two systems??
The lists are a big problem for me...I simply get more done by making a list for the day...I know this goes against the grain of GTD. IThanks

Sorry -- I should have read your question more carefully. Covey and GTD have a similar approach to lists -- they both teach using a weekly list, not a daily one.

However, if you were to poll GTD users, I think you would find that at the start of their day, or at the start of a particular context for the day (such as @work), they go through their weekly list and identify what they want to tackle today. That subset of items is then focused on for the day.

So, it is basically what you are doing -- whether you are making a list for the day, or whether you are flagging a subset of next actions for the day, or whether you are somehow pulling a subset of next actions to the top of your weekly list, or whether you use post-it notes for what is important for thhe day, the majority of GTD people make daily lists.

People, please correct me if I am wrong.

Regards,
Rob

[mcogilvie]

Sorry -- I should have read your question more carefully. Covey and GTD have a similar approach to lists -- they both teach using a weekly list, not a daily one.

You have to be careful about what you mean by "Covey" because Franklin-Covey was formed by the merger of two organizations. Covey (the man) had very high name recognition, and emphasized some very popular concepts, such as "big rocks" and "roles." On the other hand, most people did not find Covey's ideas very helpful on a day-to-day basis. Franklin, headed by Hyrum Smith, had a focus on day-to-day planning, but with an emphasis on top-down prioritization. The Franklin planner method was not so easy to follow, and if you "fell off the wagon" it was hard to get back on. Since the merger, I don't thing there has really been a coherent philosophy or planning method.

However, if you were to poll GTD users, I think you would find that at the start of their day, or at the start of a particular context for the day (such as @work), they go through their weekly list and identify what they want to tackle today. That subset of items is then focused on for the day.

So, it is basically what you are doing -- whether you are making a list for the day, or whether you are flagging a subset of next actions for the day, or whether you are somehow pulling a subset of next actions to the top of your weekly list, or whether you use post-it notes for what is important for thhe day, the majority of GTD people make daily lists.

People, please correct me if I am wrong.

I think the majority of GTD people make daily lists sometimes, but different people have different needs. The checklist for the day I leave on a long trip is different from the list of tasks on my calendar that I must do today, and that list is different from the things on my next action list that I would really like to do. You might have a system that allows you to star or flag a next action, as I do. But that's not my list of things I have to do, or even will do. The conceptual difference with the Franklin Prioritized Daily Task List may be subtle, but it is real.

[jpm]

So, it is basically what you are doing -- whether you are making a list for the day, or whether you are flagging a subset of next actions for the day, or whether you are somehow pulling a subset of next actions to the top of your weekly list, or whether you use post-it notes for what is important for thhe day, the majority of GTD people make daily lists.

For me it is a question of whether it goes on a next action list or on the calendar. I put block time on the calendar for the high priority actions. With that I don't feel that I need a daily list.

[kewms]

So, it is basically what you are doing -- whether you are making a list for the day, or whether you are flagging a subset of next actions for the day, or whether you are somehow pulling a subset of next actions to the top of your weekly list, or whether you use post-it notes for what is important for thhe day, the majority of GTD people make daily lists.

What's a daily list? The Franklin people recommend creation of a prioritized action list *every* *single* *day.* That is *not* the same thing as scribbling a few reminders on a sticky note when one day looks especially chaotic.

It may be true that most people (GTD-oriented or not) use some form of daily list some of the time. That does *not* mean that most GTD users incorporate the Franklin methodology. Certainly DA himself explicitly rejects the daily planning approach.

Katherine

[steve beal]

First, I'm flat out amazed by the fact that people are so willing to help ( I live and work in N.Y.C!)
I've been a list maker since age 12.
7 Habits changed my life when it came out.
Hyrum's book took it further.
I found it interesting that Covey advocated weekly / not daily planning until the merge.
Hyrum and Covey seem to get into the headier stuff. Values, Roles, Goals, Big Rocks..etc...while David talks about filling your stapler.
I've read 7 habits a dozen times, Hyrum Smith's book at least three times, GDT about 5 or 6 times. Listed to the 16 cassette thing from GTD when it first came out at leasttwice all the way through. (I think it's still in my garage).
I switch from digital to paper at least once every two months.
I'm exhausted!

[plaid]

I switch from digital to paper at least once every two months.
I'm exhausted!

I feel your pain. I switch between a Compact Time/Design binder, Natara Bonsai on Desktop and on my Palm TX, Agendus desktop/Agendus on TX, Palm Desktop and Datebk6 on my TX, get frustrated with everything, go back to paper, try the "Do It Tomorrow" time management scheme, then back to GTD, then get frustrated with paper and back to the software cycle again. What's the definition of insanity again?....

[jesig]

What's the definition of insanity again?....

Ah, but the definition of an optimist is one who does the same thing hoping that this time the results will be better.