If you’re a GTD’er (or want to become one) and you happen to live overseas, your opportunity to learn from the master has just come much closer to home. Nathaniel Stott, a contributor to GTDtimes has reported that he and his associates at Life Architect have been working on the details for months and now, finally, they are ready to release the information.
From Nathaniel:
“Life Architect is about helping people get more done. Achieving more with less stress. More time for fun! And the things we love to do in life. With this in mind we (started the company) invited David Allen to Holland and Germany to present his GTD Roadmap seminars on 17th and 19th February 2009. We are jointly organising these events with the David Allen Company. Its about getting your blueprint to a new life. Getting things done is the foundation on which Life Architect intends to continue building.”
This is less than a month before the GTD Global Summit in San Francisco so a lucky group of people might have the chance to use the Roadmap in Europe as a tune-up and then could follow David back across the Atlantic to join us for the grand-daddy of all GTD events on March 11th through the 13th of 2009.
GTDtimes would like to congratulate Nathaniel on his big news and wish him much success with Life Architect which is going live today. Be sure to check it out.
Yes! I fell off the wagon this summer—I just had too much going on in my head. The summer holidays swept me away—not just the flooding we had in the cellar or even the rain and spectacular heights of the Swiss Alps—I simply had a lot of things going on. A lot to get done with more than the usual interruptions.
The kids at home
Why and how did I get into GTD? “Getting Things Done” was such an interesting book title, that it was the title alone that grabbed my attention. And that in combination with a huge period of changes—just moved, settling into a new country and then separation and divorce. Alone and at home with the kids.
There was more, but I needed to focus on the essentials.I have a lot to do and GTD gives me the peace of mind just to get on with it. That is why I think falling off the wagon is such fun–I mean when else do you get to roll in the grass? Or take a hike up the mountains. To really experience what it is like at high altitude. Breath taking!
Forgetting and remembering
Summer holidays are a time to reflect and to forget. By falling off the wagon—by forgetting everything—I get the chance to review everything anew. The kids get to do this too. They fall off all the time. And climb back on. And sometimes just run allongside the wagon. In fact it is part of the expected rhythm of a the year. Intensive periods of learning and of rest. The summer holidays are a time to forget everything and do something altogether different.
Wow! what a time in your life! The school day and week is fully organized and structured and then there are 6 weeks of chaos. Nothing. Actually the weekend can be a bit like that too.We have been back at school for 3 weeks now. And what a refreshing way to take stock and a new look at everything.For example our weekly review takes on a new perspective. Also new importance as commitments and structure take hold again. New projects are appearing everyday! Class trips to London, plays, music lessons and choir and then of course The Circus! The twins joined the Circus last year…
In growing up we acquire responsibilities and independence. Charlotte is taking on a review all by herself. Organizing her week, homework and practicing her violin. With some help new steps can be taken to independence.That is why we need time to play! Next summer I will jump off the wagon and roll in the grass. I remember now how much fun it is to play and just forget about things for a while.Where are you making time for fun?
Doing the wash is just a few minutes has started some discussion with friends. Most of all the question: how do you do it?I am simply inspired by others.In the video here (explained in the classic GTD 2 minutes) you will see how a t-shirt can be folded in 2 seconds.
Now this is something you can try at home with the kids! We had fun learning this 2 second trick
David Allen starts the RoadMap seminar: “GTD is all about the lazy way of getting things done”.
That got me thinking. Getting things done - that means everything done. Yes even the wash. Done. Getting the wash-IN basket to empty can be done in 2 minutes. Each stage in the process need not take longer - be that collecting or processing, organizing, doing or reviewing.
Doing the wash, even big piles of it which comes with living with 3 kids, takes me (us) a couple of minutes at each stage. The piles grow (quickly) everyday, especially with children. Mostly things just get dumped on the floor. I find things in the oddest places too, like a left sock under the car seat or a sweater next to the sofa and a hat on the kitchen table.
A visiting friend once pointed out “this house is lived in!”.
Collection is a continuous and daily task. Everything gets to the wash-in basket - and it never takes more than 2 minutes to get to done.
Process - organize and color code “What is this?” Processing the wash-in basket gets done quickly. Involving the children can make this a really fun task. It also takes the mystery out of what happens to my dirty trousers, and gives understanding to the question: “where is my favorite shirt?” Or a clean set of underwear.
Like Michael Sliwinski mentioned in his recent post on GTDtimes, doing things, like the wash, is all about the 2 minute rule.
Delegate it. I delegate tasks for the children. In fact they organize their own lists of who does what each week (more on lists in another posting). Collecting and putting away the wash for example are great habits to foster.
Learning by doing: In a situation where learning by doing sometimes means not doing anything, I recently shared the experience of not having any clean underwear with my son. This came came about when the collection step was missed. Puzzled as I had done all the wash, dried it and folded most things - I helped see where the problem was. Sure enough several discrete piles were discovered. None had been placed in the wash-IN basket. After reviewing this “awakening” together and agreeing who does what in the process of doing the wash my son had a better understanding of how “not doing” resulted in a result also - though not the desired result to be sure.
Having fun. Of course with kids, making things fun - even something boring like the wash is key to engaging their minds and making the lessons stick. By incorporating the principles of GTD into doing the wash with my kids we see that this chore can be done 2 minutes at a time and we can even have fun in the process.
The GTD weekly review is a great habit. Almost everywhere I read about the importance and effects of regular reviews. In my everyday activities I notice the effects too - amidst the chaos of everyday life, the payoff of committing myself to conducting regular reviews results in having the appropriate response to whatever comes up.
I also read about the struggles we (can) have. A recent lecture at my children’s school helped me understand why I struggle and how I learn new habits.
Learning new habits
A habit is something we all have plenty of. Learning a new one takes time. Whatever it is. Yes even “bad” habits take time to learn.
Children are quick to learn. And like me need time to make what they have learned really their own.
It takes something like 4 weeks to acquire a habit.
Every day or week, diligent repetition of a task helps make that task a habit. And the learning continues. It takes something like a year to make a habit a part of me. A skill. Good reason to continue until that habit reaches a level of perfection.
Music lessons and the music of GTD
My children each play their own instrument. Charlotte the violin, Judit cello and Thomas piano. The daily rhythm of playing is important to establish. Weekly lessons support the practicing habit.
Orchestra and ensemble rehearsals, regular concerts and just playing bring joy to music. That moment of concentration. Those nervous moments waiting. Deep breath… One. Two. Three. Four. Pure music to the ear. And the applause! Wow what a feeling.
And that is just me as father listening! The hardest thing I love to do, is watch the children growing up.
We now have summer concerts at the end of the school year. Later in the year Christmas street concerts are not only great fun, but raise extra pocket money too.
Goals and projects making music
“Papa! I want to play every weekend at the Market!”
I ask: What do you need to do to get there? When can you play? Who do you want to play with? Which instrument? How many songs do you know? Which songs are fitting for Christmas or just fun to listen to? Which piece are youM going to learn next?
Focusing on goals like these means we often forget that we are learning about habits. And suddenly habits become something else. Its just about having fun!
GTD is like making music.
I’m really excited to be making this particular introduction because the topic he plans to cover - GTD for Kids - is both new (to my knowledge) and I think will be incredibly valuable and very well received.
When Nathaniel approached us with the idea of having some content on how to implement a version of GTD for kids I immediately felt like this was a great idea.
Nathaniel is the full time father of 3 (Charlotte, Judit and Thomas). In his own words, Nathaniel says:
“The best surprise of my life was the arrival of the twins soon after our daughter arrived. From that moment on I had a lot to do.”
“It was not till 2006 that I first read David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” and that really changed my life. As a parent and at work.”
“I quickly realised big changes with GTD in how I work and live. As a father I thought that these changes could help my children get more fun out of the day. It certainly has helped me. So starting to share experiences and ideas for GTD with kids is what I want to do here and on GTD4kids.com.”
Please help me in giving Nathaniel a warm welcome to the GTDtimes team - I am sure that like me you’ll be excited to see what he’s got in store when it comes to ideas about implementing a GTD program that can be an exciting, stimulating and ultimately, incredibly useful skill for your kids as well perhaps as a way to bring families closer together.
