Mike’s asked (among other things - answers to which can be found in the comments here) how Gmail fits into the GTD system. Since I was already planning on doing another post on GTD, I figured I’d go answer this question with just a link: 43 Folders talked about just this topic a little under a month ago, and there are some links in the comments, too.
Next GTD post coming soon…
Anybody need a Gmail invite? I’ve got 6 of ‘em burning holes in my pockets and all my buddies are already on….
No running lately, so I’m just stopping in to say congratulations! to April-Anne. Sounds like she had a great day!
That’s it - I’m a convert. About a week and a half ago, I ran across this post on Anil’s blog. Always one to be intrigued by potential productivity-enhancing activities, I checked out the referenced 43 Folders and read more about the wonders of Getting Things Done. That afternoon, I picked up the book itself from the bookstore on the way home and started to read (not on the way home, though - that would’ve been dangerous!)
After finishing the book, I decided to try the system out - so the next day, I took a few hours at work and started to collect all my ‘open loops’. I cleaned out my cube, throwing away loads of old material and piling everything else into (and eventually beside) my inbox. Once that was done, I pulled out a stack of paper and started writing down anything and everything that I could think of that I needed to do - get stamps, return library books, write out my career development plan, everything - and tossed all those into the inbox, too.
I started slowing down after about a half-hour, so I then turned to processing. I picked up the first thing I could reach in the inbox area and decided what to do with it - toss it, file it, delegate it, defer it, or do it (the latter only if it’d take less than 2 minutes). I started a series of lists in my copy of ListPro (which I chose since it comes in both PocketPC and desktop versions) - a Projects list, a Next Actions list, and various other lists recommended by the system - so that I’d have a place to log the results of my decisions during the processing; big to-dos (those that would take more than a single physical action to accomplish) were added to the Projects list, while single actions and the next actions required on the big to-dos were added to the Next Actions list, etc.
After a few hours of this, I’d finally addressed everything in my pile and I felt markedly better. Instead of being distracted by stray thoughts when I was, say, reading a technical document (something I’ve always had issues with), I could focus much more strongly on the task at hand - secure in the knowledge that when the time was appropriate I’d be able to turn back to my lists and see what other actions I have committed to.
See, that’s the insight and the power of the Getting Things Done system. I, at least, have always had my productivity reduced by internal distractions - I’ll be doing one thing, and *bam* I’ll think of something totally unrelated that needs a-doin’. I always thought I was just easily distracted, but now I’m hearing that most people are like that, and that there are strategies (e.g., the GTD system) to cope with and curtail those ditractions. The key is to relieve your mind of the responsibility of reminding you of things you need to do; by moving your reminders to a superior, external system, you free up your mind to focus on whatever you choose to focus on. So far, it seems to be working - I’ve implemented the system at the office and at home, and I’ve noticed a increase in my ability to devote my full energy to the task at hand. It’s a very, very good feeling; I can understand the dedication with which people promote the GTD system.
