Years ago, David Allen worked with software design firm Netcentrics to create a GTD solution for Outlook users.  In fact, it’s one of the few applications (Eric Mack’s eProductivity product is another) that has David’s fingerprints on the look, feel and functionality.  Although you can customize Outlook to be more useful via the GTD & Outlook whitepaper, the Netcentrics GTD Outlook Add-In automated many of the customizations we suggest in that paper and adds a few key things that only the Add-In will do:

Link Projects to Actions (solving the timeless question and request from GTD’ers, “How do you know which project a next action relates to?”)

Process input more easily (gives a GTD toolbar for one-stop processing, linking and organizing) [Read more →]

4 Comments »

A Microsoft Outlook user recently asked one of our coaches:

After working with the GTD system for quite awhile, I find tracking next actions in Outlook to be pretty easy.  The harder part is tracking projects.  Where do you do that and how do you move from the 10,000 level (projects) to the runway (actions)?

Coach Wayne Pepper replied:

I keep my Projects list in Outlook Tasks.  I simply create a category in Tasks labeled “Projects”.  [Read more →]

6 Comments »

Like the desktop quest, many GTD’ers are searching for the perfect GTD list manager app for the iPhone.  The NY Times just posted a nice, simple article on organizing apps for the iPhone. While it’s certainly not an extensive look at the topic, nor will it cover all of what’s out there, or even your favorites (but I’m sure you’ll let us know!), it’s worth a read.

I’ve also written a few articles on my experience of GTD & iPhone over on my blog:

• GTD & iPhone – Part I – My criteria for choosing
  
• GTD & iPhone – Part II – My system evolves
  
• GTD & iPhone – Part III – Still looking for Lotus Notes sync
  
• GTD & iPhone – Final – Update on Chapura (it’s no longer an option)

Stay tuned to GTD Times for more on Getting Things Done with the iPhone.

21 Comments »

Studies show that most people will be 4 times faster on the keyboard by using shortcut keys versus reaching for the the mouse and clicking their way through menus.  You don’t need to know all of them, but certainly the keyboard shortcuts that represent the tasks you use the most can be a tremendous time saver.

One of our Coaches was recently working with someone on OmniFocus and passed along a great summary of all of the OmniFocus keyboard shortcuts. We also have these posted for Windows & Outlook.

5 Comments »

Any GTD’ers out there have this same challenge & setup and want to tackle this one?  Patrick is looking for some advice on managing GTD systems across two systems.

I wonder if there is any conventional wisdom/tools/tips/tricks for implementing GTD (I am using the Outlook plugin) when I have to navigate TWO Exchange profiles and  a personal email address, too.

My gut reaction is that I want to have a single place to implement my GTD methodology – and it worked fine when it was just a work exchange address and a personal one – Outlook could easily handle the Exchange account and the personal profile.

Now, I have a 2nd Exhange address (everyone at my new agency does – we’re also a vendor for a software company). So we have our @ourcompany email address AND we have the @their company email address, too.

So – some of my co workers use one or the other, some try to use Outlook Web Access to keep an eye on both and so on. I’m wondering if anyone else has had to solve this challenge?

-Patrick

18 Comments »

Much as people malign Microsoft, there are still plenty of people that couldn’t live without some of the software cooked up by the company.  Most especially Outlook – which in spite of its many usability issues is still by far the most popular email client and calendaring application on the planet.

Many GTD’ers have lamented the lack of good “how to” information with respect to using Outlook as the centerpiece or even just as one of the core components of a GTD system.  Well, Rob who blogs at  7 Breaths has come to the rescue (at least partially) with a very useful post about using Outlook and OneNote 2007 as part of a GTD system.

Rob has a number of other GTD related posts on his site beside this one – it is certainly well worth a look especially if you’re strugging to find a good way to implement GTD using Microsoft products.

4 Comments »

This is the final post from my e-mail that answers the question: “How to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes?“  We’ve touched on the productivity equation and we’ve looked at how methodology is the first component of the equation. We also explored the technology or tools that can be used to implement GTD in Lotus Notes.  Last week, I discussed Mobility: how to get things done on the run, and two days ago, I blogged about the value I’ve found in getting coached and coaching others.

As I wrap up this series, I want to share some of the resources I’ve used to get connected  to the information and people who help me sharpen my skills.

Here’s what I shared in my e-mail about some of my current favorite ways to stay connected to all things GTD:

[Read more →]

No Comments »

One of our most prolific contributors, Eric Mack, has been hard at work developing a tool that has been called the ultimate GTD application for Lotus Notes.  Now, after months of beta testing with select companies, Eric is about ready to release the application to the public.  However, before he did this he wanted to do one last set of tests and get some additional real-world feedback.

As a result, you’ve got a chance to get a 24 hour preview of eProductivity for Lotus Notes and for those folks that put in the time and energy to give Eric the sort of detailed feeback he seeks, it seems you’ll get a preview license and also be entered into a drawing for a full version.

For more information you should head on over to Eric’s blog and check out the announcement for yourself.  Also, if you do check out eProductivity and find that it is as useful as people have been saying, could you please comment here so that others will have the benefit of your experience?  Thanks.

4 Comments »

I was thinking about my friend Marc Orchant this morning while also looking for something about how to do a good weekly review when I came upon a post that Marc himself had authored back in 2004. He was actually referring to another post that explains how to set up Outlook to automate the process of performing a weekly review.

Marc’s original post is copied verbatim below, including the links to the post to which he was referring. The script for automation may require some updating but aside from that the advice is as good now as it was then.

by Marc Orchant

Michael Hyatt, whose blog is a must-read if you practice Getting Things Done, has provided a great Outlook macro script that automates the process of setting up a weekly review task list. I am a Visual Basic novice and it took me about three minutes to set this up (including creating a custom icon).

I figure I’ll save ten times that amount of time every month because now I can click a single button and my Weekly Review is all set up.

Great stuff.

[Read more →]

2 Comments »