You’ll find a great selection of free GTD podcasts with David Allen and his senior staff available here.
This post is from Maureen, a coaching client of the David Allen Company. She describes her experience using both paper and computerized GTD systems.
I have been practicing GTD for about 8 years. I use the word practicing deliberately, because it takes time, effort and patience to improve my skills. Early last year, I made the bold decision to go from a paper-based system to using tasks in a computerized system. I had observed how much of my work was generated on the computer. It seemed that I ended up never fully capturing the totality of my work in my paper system because of this. I thought switching to a computer-based system would be the perfect way for me to finally get on top of all my work, get clear on my projects and their outcomes, etc.
I was so very, very wrong.
I have spent the last year in agony, enslaved to an elegantly designed system, which had me sucked in at such a minute level that the whole thing revolted me. I almost never did a weekly review. Looking at my lists happened sporadically. I dreaded trying to locate something in the system. I was miserable.
Then about 2 months ago I chucked it. I went back to paper, and a sense of calmness has enveloped me ever since. Am I perfect in my weekly reviews? Hardly. But happier? You bet. Here is what I learned through all this: [Read more →]
What’s been the easiest thing about implementing GTD for you? What’s been the most challenging to make a habit?
Residue seems to have the habit of spontaneously showing up, but never going away, by itself. You have to work at keeping things streamlined and current. The mere passage of time can make meaningful things irrelevant. The Weekly Review is psychic spring cleaning. – David Allen
For those of you on Outlook 2010, we just released a new Setup Guide to assist you in creating a rock-solid GTD system in Outlook. Since the 2010 version changed some ways things are done in Outlook, we created a new Guide specific to this version. A few of the updates in this new 45-page Guide include:
Read a free sample from the email section
David Allen Company has an immediate opening for a highly skilled and effective Washington, D.C.-based Business Development Director. The ideal candidate has 10+ years successful professional services sales experience and strong relationships with senior decision makers in private sector industries and the federal government. Major job responsibilities include managing existing accounts in the Washington, D.C. area and being proactive in managing new sales opportunities. Prospecting is a very big part of the job. Required competencies include consultative sales skills, account management, executive presence, strong business acumen, and strategic account planning. Qualified applicants are invited to submit a cover letter and their resume to jobapplicants@davidco.com.
Question: When I am processing my email inbox, when should I take the time to complete something? Only if it takes less than two-minutes?
David Allen: At any time you can decide to do something that takes more than two minutes–you’re just deciding that’s the work to do at that moment, vs. “processing” your inbox to zero. Could be lots of reasons that it’s the thing to do. Also, if you’re on a 5-hr plane ride, you can spend as much time as you want on any of the items as you’re cleaning up your email, if you figure you’ll finish by the end of the trip anyway. No hard fast rules about any of that. The point is, if you want to see all your work, current, you can’t do that until your inbox is empty and all the work has been defined. And if you want that to happen asap, don’t spend longer than two minutes on any one item.
We’re hosting two webinars this month on GTD Connect, our online learning center.
GTD in a Sales Role – June 17 from 10am-11am Pacific Time
Hear how two seasoned sales professionals apply GTD to managing opportunities, building relationships, and tracking tactical actions with clients.
Getting Started with GTD – June 27 from 11am-12pm Pacific Time
Get tips, tricks, and coaching strategies for getting started with GTD. Hear from two senior David Allen Company coaches about where to start (especially if you feel overwhelmed), helpful resources to access inside GTD Connect, suggested tools for your workspace, choosing a list manager, and more.
To learn more or register, visit GTDConnect.com. Not a member but would like to attend a webinar? Try a free two-week guest pass.
In the most recent Productive Living, David Allen asks why so many knowlege workers don’t consider processing their inbox to be part of their work. It’s as if they consider processing their inbox to zero to be a luxury reserved for those who don’t get much input or don’t have anything better to do.
DAVID’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Processing your work is part of your work
I’m struggling with my impatience. I’m not as neutral as I’d like to be yet about how many professionals regard their inbox processing time as “extra” work that they can’t find time to do.
The stress many people feel can be directly attributed to the avoidance of daily and weekly catching up—with the flood of emails, voice mails, meetings, projects, and other informational and actionable items.
Most people behave as if this stuff is relatively unimportant. I argue that it’s where much of their primary value lies. Knowledge workers are paid to bring their intelligence to bear on input, and improve things by doing that. The decision about what to do with an email and its contents, what it means in terms of the work and standards at hand, is knowledge work.
Subscribe to Productive Living. It’s free and sent about every 3 weeks. You’ll find essays from David Allen, thought-provoking quotes, and productivity tips you can use every day.
