I get a nerdy fiendish rush from trying a new GTD application, especially when I've been off the wagon (off is when you're *doing* the bad thing again, right?) for some time. It's like I'm tucking my cute little next actions into their beds and turning out the light knowing they'll slumber well. Will this GTD app be the one? How long will our relationship last? What will happen when the initial excitement wanes and we settle in to mundane organizational domesticity?
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Sometimes I wish I was one of you GTD people. Because it seems like you must have a lot of things to get done all the time. Important people who need to get things DONE! Nope. A post-it with the thing(s) I need to get done in a given week is usually enough. Like "Deadline Thursday" with "Thursday" underlined. And I understand what the deadline's for, 'cause it's just the one thing.But then I think that Merlin Mann is one of the main GTD guys out there. What does his big to-do list look like?*Wacky blog post*Wacky blog post*Wacky blog post*Wacky blog post*Film self talking into wallet*Wacky blog post*Wacky blog post*Wacky blog post*Film self talking into shoe in closet*Wacky blog post whose title includes "productivity pr0n"The last one is just scary.
Durlando pretty much summed up what I was going to say. I'm perfectly happy making my to-do lists in outline form, with lots of @s and >s and +s, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, I just don't have enough to do to really make good use of the system. I am definitely familiar with the new system rush though, I got my red Moleskine calendar in the mail yesterday and I am positively flush with excitement.
In the words of Classics professor James T. Coulter, "Jeffrey, I envy you in your leisure."I've always had problems staying organized, even when it wasn't predominantly career-related stuff I was trying to keep track of. Maybe the joke is on us organizational tards. Whatever the reason, for the exact reasons in Getting Things Done: The Book (not to be confused with Getting Things Done: The Coupon: The Movie), if I make daily to-do lists every day I just end up with a bunch of undone to-do items and too much stress. That does not work for me. And there's too much junk going on to float without a system for too long. The kinds of things on my next actions list aren't monumental, they're ordinary crap, like "return that t-mobile phone before the 14 days are up because windows mobile smartphone 5.0 sucks balls", "rsvp to sassy assy's holiday party invitation", "email someone to ask them something because I was told to". You don't have stuff like this in your life? Or you don't have any problem keeping up with all of it?
If you don't like his wacky blog posts, I definitely don't recommend his wacky podcasts, his 5ives, or his 'phone guy' series. All favorites of mine but sound like not your cup of dirt.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I love Mann's stuff and think he's often hilarious–most especially "phone guy." I'm just not his primary audience. I read/watch his stuff mainly because it's entertaining. If there's something there I can use, so much the better.It seems that right now a combination of my email inbox, post-its, and the nagging voice in my head is enough to get things done. That may well have to change if/when I have a lot more stuff I need to do.
I can't buy one of those things in part because I can't get myself comfortable saying "mole-skeen". Or "mol-eh-skin-ay". Or whatever.
I never refer to it by the brand name when speaking. Just notebook. Or I guess calendar in this case. I have no clue the proper way to say it, so I'd rather not say it.
Ha!! That reminds me I have to do a favor for a friend today that I had totally forgotten about. Thanks.
I have too many methods to GTD. My best (read: most effective) is still good ol' pen to composition notebook. Fill 'er up and grab the next one. What did I do this time last year? Grab that trusty notebook off the shelf and flip to the date. Your own handwriting gives perspective to your life like nothing else.
i feel kinda creepy that you have me on a to do list.
Come now, who doesn't have "sassy assy" on a to-do list? Many of them might not be using it as a proper noun to refer to you, my dear Assy.