There is a plethora of discussion about the tools people use for GTD, but what were your wins around changing your productive behaviors and habits in 2011?
What are you doing better than in previous years? What’s more habitual for you? What’s easier for you now with the GTD
you come from when you first started with GTD that you could acknowledge yourself for?
We’d love to hear from you!
Here’s what I’m doing better:
–Reviews: These are crucial (as you know). If I don’t do them regularly, the whole system doesn’t really work.
–Tools: Stop searching for the perfect software and (for now, at least) stick with what works well enough, and make a system out of that. Currently, it’s Toodledo.com, with an iPhone “front end” app (Toodledo app, but also trying Action Lists, which seems more GTD-centric — OK, I haven’t completely stopped trying new tools).
–Working with Contexts: Still could do better here, but learning to Do on a contextual basis (which of course works if I’ve done my organizing, processing, reviewing).
–Collecting: Always have done fairly well here, but have been collecting more often directly into Toodledo, which helps.
Andy
Great job Andy!
I took three major strides forward this year. First, I simplified my focusing lists and made them more ubiquitous by using Evernote. This has helped me use the list more regularly, as I have been able to record things wherever I am. It has also helped me feel attracted to my lists because they are clean, up-to-date, and easy to use.
Second, I purchased the cd set on projects and used that to streamline and improve the hard edges around what I list as a project. This has helped me get clearer about this important horizon of focus, including being able to redefine my job description to something that more closely matches who I am.
Third, I finally got religious about keeping my weekly review. Forming that habit, every Friday morning, has helped me keep me projects, lists, and calendar up-to-date which has helped keep my system relevant, as opposed to something that repels me.
Looking forward to 2012 being a more productive and less stressful! Thanks!
Chris
…to make it short:
implementing GTD.
…the longer version:
-listening about four times through the GTD-live CDs (I can heartily recommend them!!)
-implementing the calendar GTD-like on my Mac
-starting the lists on paper following Davids advice to start low tech (This was really helpful, as my earlier trys to implement GTD failed because of too much tool and too little GTD-doing)
I had already implemented a 12/31 system for manila folders.
Still not established, but planned for 2012:
-Going through the horizons of focus with enough time
-Doing the weekly review more often than two- to three-weekly.
-doing the projects list more rigorously
Greetings
Wolfgang
In January 2011 I purchased an Android smartphone, and I am using Toodledo to implement GTD. All the actions, lists and calendar events are always with me.
Thanks to the “ToodleTask” app, writing something to the Inbox is simply a matter of:
Grab phone, tap icon, type words, tap “send”.
This greatly improved efficiency for me.
I’m right in the middle of my year-start GTD review – processing piles of both physical and electronic “stuff” that despite my best efforts, accumulated throughout last year.
I think I’m pretty good and collecting and processing some of my inputs. For example, my email inbox is almost always zero. I need to improve that throughout my other inboxes – for example, my Evernote “Inbox” notebook (where I keep meeting notes and other scraps I save in Evernote) does not get processed as frequently. And I definitely need to work on my weekly reviews – the lack of those is what allowed the accumulation of all the stuff I’m currently going through.
Happy new year to everyone!
For me it was finding the right tool for the job. In my case it was software that made managing my lists so much easier.
For one thing, I’ve gotten very comfortable with capturing any major idea in OmniFocus (either on my iPhone, iPad or Mac) or on paper that will ends up in my large desk inbox to be processed within a week or so (could be more efficient with this).
I’ve gotten comfortable assigning contexts to actions right away, and having contexts that make sense for me. I’m getting better and better at going deep with planning projects and have begun to study the “natural project planning model” to help plan bigger projects — your system guides are a big help for this.
I’m also learning the importance of eliminating all the noise of things that I’m not really committed to doing in my system. I used to put every stray idea in there but that would just stress me out and make me not want to open my action management app. Even limiting what I allow in Someday/Maybe helps with this.
I’m also better at separating the collecting, processing, and organizing phases now.
What I’d like to improve on is getting more complete with my project plans for certain major projects (rather than just leaving the with 1-2 next actions) and also defining my goals more clearly (at the higher horizons of focus) – something that’s easy to overlook.
I’d also like to get more comfortable in reviewing my task lists when deciding what needs to be done and trusting my intuition for what’s most important at any moment.
A great year to you all!
Ilhan
The methodology clicked, big time. I bought the book in ’09, went through it half-heartedly (I’d read sooo many other time/organinzing/habits/etc books I was burned).
David’s book: I read it again in ’10, got as far as Ch 6. Still nothing, but I stopped buying and reading other time/organinzing/habits/etc books.
’11 – Started the book again, right after reading a book called Willpower. I have made it through Part 2, have started Part 3. And this time the thing has clicked in my head.
David, thank you.
I also have one question for the man. It’s somewhat trivial and has to do with the labeling system, and since it’s one of my goals to call and actually speak to accomplished individuals who have had a huge impact on my life, I will call and ask Mr. Allen myself.
Best regards,
Ed