For many people, a mobile list manager is a requirement for implementing GTD.  To support productivity on the go, the lists must be accessible in real-time, showing your projects, as well as your actions sorted by context.  There are plenty of third-party task applications for mobile devices that help to some degree with list management.  The BlackBerry is a very popular choice among GTDers looking for a device with a built-in task app.  In fact, David Allen Company has a Setup Guide specifically written so you can dial the  BlackBerry in according to GTD best practices.  If you’re considering a mobile device, this review at Notes on Productivity describes the functionality of the task app in the BlackBerry Torch.  How do you think the BlackBerry stacks up for managing your lists the GTD way?

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We’d love to know how many of you are using or plan to use Outlook for Mac.  Please vote:

This is helpful for us in our long-term planning for GTD Setup Guides.

Thanks!

David Allen Company Education Team

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The GTD Workflow Map is now available in a small folded version.  The map set includes the coaching DVD with David Allen.  The map is in full color, offering a concise visual representation of the GTD models.  The map folds down so that the set is more compact, which lowers shipping costs — to anywhere in the world!  This set makes an ideal gift for yourself, or for someone you know who could use a portable GTD reference.

GTD® WORKFLOW MAP SET – SMALL FOLDED VERSION

The GTD Workflow Map is a stunning visual learning tool for understanding how David Allen’s models for control & perspective come together. Set includes: one small folded color Workflow Map and a DVD with David coaching you through the Map. This folded version of the Map is idea for international customers looking for more cost effective shipping options.

Order your Workflow Map Set today.

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This great idea comes from Matt, a GTD enthusiast who has lots of great ideas.

I have some of my best ideas in the shower.  I don’t know if it’s the hot water or the lack of distractions, but things pop into my head and I know that I’ll need to take action on them.  But when I’m halfway through a shower, I only have two choices: try to remember it, or get out and write it down.  Neither really works well. One results in a wet floor, and the other means I spend the rest of my shower anxiously trying not to forget.

Of course, the GTD answer would be to write it down. But pen and paper don’t survive long in the shower.  Fortunately, I remembered that when I’m scuba diving I sometimes carry a small writing slate to more easily communicate underwater.  I grabbed my slate and put it in the shower.

Now, I write down anything that comes to mind when I’m showering.  After I’m dressed for the day, I can grab the slate and add any action items to my queue.

You can get a dive slate from your local dive shop, or from an online store.

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PC World asked David Allen to name five tips for productivity.  The focus is on productivity within the Windows environment, but several tips apply to Mac as well.

1. eProductivity for Lotus Notes
2. Blackberry synchronization with Lotus Notes
3. MindManager from Mindjet
4. ActiveWords
5. Pamela Professional for Skype

Read more . . .

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GTD is an approach that is not tool-specific.  So while it’s important to land on gear (paper or digital) that will stand up to the complexity of your work and personal life, it’s more important that it clearly serves the purpose of reflecting the reminders and information in the most appropriate way for you. The tool won’t decide what something means—you have to do that, and the GTD process is the key.

If anyone is telling you a specific piece of software is required for GTD–good chance they don’t understand GTD.

We do have a few key tools that we personally use and recommend that have gone through David Allen’s extensive vetting process. You can find a link to those in our online store.  If you don’t see your software listed here, it means we do not have a recommendation at this time, but a search on GTD Times and our public Forums should give you quite a few helpful suggestions about what other GTDers are using.

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RIM announced the BlackBerry PlayBook this week. Anyone planning on using it as your GTD system?  If so, what appeals to you about it? If not, how come?

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If you have been wanting to try out a Tickler File, here’s your chance. The David Allen Company store has their popular GTD Tickler System file folder set on sale for $29.95, a discount of 25% off the regular price.

Check it out now! 

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Do you use an iPad for anything GTD-related?

You can hear how David uses his new iPad on the latest Up Close with David podcast series on GTD Connect.

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We just released an A4* size of our new GTD & BlackBerry Guide. For those of you who will print the Guide and prefer this size instead of the standard U.S. letter size, you will now find it in our David Allen Company online store.

This 45 page Guide, created by David Allen and the senior coaches, will show you how to:

• Manage your email effectively on the BlackBerry–including how to get email to zero
• Use BlackBerry Tasks for your Projects and Actions–including descriptions and examples of what goes on different lists
• Use the Calendar as a critical foundation for actions–with shortcuts for switching between different views
• Create useful reference lists in MemoPad–for managing the “non-action” part of your life as well
• Move faster with speed keys and shortcuts–referenced throughout the Guide and on handy quick reference sheet
• Navigate around the BlackBerry easily–with tips on customizing some settings to match the way you work

*210 MM wide and 297 MM tall (about 8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inch), used in Europe, and rest of the world, except the US and some neighboring countries where ‘letter-size’ paper (8 1/2 x 11 inch) is used.

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