Lately, the fancy web term seems to be GTD. As those of us who play around on the web know, it is a world of acronyms. And as someone who only recently realized that natch was short for naturally, I thought I might take the time here to demystify GTD for the rest of us.
First things first: GTD= Getting Things Done, a term that was pioneered by productivity and business coach David Allen in his book of the same name.
Even though the term is Allen's, as is made clear by the registered mark after every title of his workshops and products, it's become quite a buzzword outside his realm as well- specifically as related to productivity planning and software.
Since I am a big proponent of taking the bull by the horns in terms of brainstorming, organizing and charging ahead procrastination-free, I wanted to give some time to these elements of GTD, complete with my spin on the philosophy as well as sharing my favorite software for this process.
This is the time to start thinking about what things you want to get done in 2009, so why not set up a system that helps you do just that? Let's get started...
image: "Post-it To-Do 2.0" by rintakumpu
First of all, I think it's essential to understand the basic principles of GTD and then you can see how the software that's available can help you take advantage of its ideas.
The most basic element of this philosophy is that your brain is not meant to be a storage container for all the brilliant little ideas that you are cooking up. Of course you have a running list going of what you're thinking about, but your head should not be the Fort Knox that contains all the data. Example: think about that time you have the most transformative idea for your current project right as you are getting in bed and you think, "This is so good, I know I'll remember it tomorrow," only to wake up to an empty street with tumbleweeds blowing by for a memory. we can't hold it all in our heads!
So, Allen's idea is this: get those ideas out of your head and into a more relaible sotrage container. Don't try to remember them. They are still yours and they are still good even when they are written or typed in somewhere else. This allows your head to be a constant pipeline of ideas that flow through with ease. Sort them later.
The image I like on this one is from Charlotte Joko Beck's book on Zen, Nothing Special. She talks about the danger of gripping. If we think of our minds like streams, the water stays clean as long as it keeps flowing freely. Once we get attached to holding onto something, little eddies form and that's where debris gets trapped and the stream starts to get dirty. Keep the stream of your mind clean: get those ideas out of your head.
Which brings me to software application #1: Evernote. This software might single-handedly make me switch to an iPhone, just because the application on there is so cool- granted you can use it also on a iPod touch. Evernote is an application you can put on your desktop, use on Mac or PC and on mobile devices as well as attach to Firefox. It helps you record and catalog ideas in very cool and efficient ways. I would lay them out for you, if this excellent and clear article from The Weekly Review hadn't done the job already.
So, Step 1: Get those ideas out of your head and into another container. If you don't like using web apps for this sort of process, you can use a good old-fashioned notebook, or the paper planners that David Allen sells in his store- they seem to be good for the paper planner set.
Now, what do you do once you have all these ideas swimming around outside your head besides coming up with more? Ideally, you want some of these ideas to take on a life and become real live projects and plans. Great! This is very exciting stuff and it's where the real getting done part gets started.
You need a way to plan out your to-do lists. It is my opinion that to-do listing is the single biggest weapon against procrastination out there. I have used this tool in various customized ways with clients and it has gotten results like no other.
Here's the way to make a proper to-do list:
- break your list into categories: personal, business, by project, etc.
- make your tasks small quick things you can do relatively quickly and check off- ideally no more than an hour of work for each one. For example, don't put "start new business" on your list. Put "register domain name," "call graphic designers," or "read one business book this week." If you find you are procartinating a task, break it down into smaller chunks of time.
- Make your tasks time limited. If you just assume you'll get them done someday, then there is no tension or motivation. Put the date or time you want the task completed by and stick to it as best you can. If you don't complete a task, don't throw it out, just set a new deadline. Perfectionists are huge procrastinators. They tinker for ages before completing things, if they ever do. Don't fall into this trap. Set a date and do it.
Which brings me to software category #2: To-Do list applications!
The two I have used and that I feel are appropriate for this work are the following:
- For both Mac and PC users: Remember the Milk. This is a web-based to-do list program which interfaces with gmail, twitter, can be synced with your Blackberry, iPhone, or other mobile device, and which lets you make categories of to-dos with notes, web links, and deadlines. You can also allow other users to sign into your lists, so its a great one for small businesses. I have used it for quite a while and it has been great. Thanks to lifehacker for the recommendation.
- For Mac only: Things. This is a newer ap, actually not yet released until January, but it is available for preview download. I have been playing with it the past week or so and have been very impressed. This is a streamlined application which allows you to dump to-dos into an inbox as you think of them and then sort them into catgories in a very easy drag-and-drop format. it also has an extremely popular app for iPhone or iPod touch. Pros: it is so simple and easy to use immediately. I have found it pretty and intuituve, which are the elements I love most about Macs. However, it does not interface with gmail, ical, or have a blackberry app at this point- yet another case for me to go iPhone perhaps. You can synch between desktop and iPhone wirelessly, but only if you are in the same place to do so.
So which one to choose if you are a Mac person and can use either? The good thing is that both have free versions at the moment; I recommend downloading and trying both to see which fits your needs. Let me know what you think in the comments and also please share any other software you know about.
Finally, the mantra of the GTD manifesto seems to be the following: NO MULTITASKING. We all used to think that doing many things at once was a great idea. More recently, every productivity expert I have read or encountered says this is untrue. Doing one task from start to finish is the best way to be certain you are doing the best and most complete job possible. The wikipedia article on GTD lays this out quite nicely. Do it, delegate it, or defer it to the time you can do it best. Never put something back in your inbox. get it out of your head and off your list.
I hope this has clarified an exciting way to get yoru mind around goals and plans for 2009. I am so excited to start putting new things in place for the next year. I will be launching new coaching programs, teleseminars and new products in 2009, so look for those.
And those of you who want to do coaching at your current rates, please book now, as my prices will be changing in January....
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