Thursday, July 27, 2006
(Not) Getting Things Done
Yesterday was going to see a different post, but Blogger's been down for quite a while, taking my half-finished draft ramblings with it. Yes, I know, this is what I get for using a third-party service...
So, on another note, will someone please explain this Getting Things Done phenomenon to me? You have to like a book which includes phrases like "amorphous blob of undoability," but, here's a wee bit of honesty: I've checked this book out of the library three times, I've renewed it as often as the system will let me, and getting through it is one of those things I can't get done. I've incorporated a couple of minor tidbits out of it, like "do a task now if it will take less than two minutes to complete" -- and that's been all good. But, the rest of it seems somewhat overwhelming.
I do have delusions of someday becoming uber-organized. Like yesterday, when the gigantic new IKEA catalog showed up, I drooled as always over the bright furniture with all the tidy little cubbies. (Nevermind the bizarrely pitiful cthulhu-wannabe five-legged octopus they're trying to push on children lately.) Will GTD free my inner consumer? (OK, I'm sure that's not the point, but give me an excuse here...)
So, for you GTD evangelists, where should I start? Does one have to jump whole hog into this system for it to be effective? Should I just start reading 43 Folders instead of the book itself? Will I actually experience "stress-free productivity?"
It looks like Blogger's back up for a moment, so I'll post this now ... letting me feel like I've gotten at least something done! ETA -- apparently Blogger is only half-down, it's letting me blog to my blogspot blog, but not to this one via FTP. So hopefully y'all won't see this 37 times from my repeated attempts to publish!
So, on another note, will someone please explain this Getting Things Done phenomenon to me? You have to like a book which includes phrases like "amorphous blob of undoability," but, here's a wee bit of honesty: I've checked this book out of the library three times, I've renewed it as often as the system will let me, and getting through it is one of those things I can't get done. I've incorporated a couple of minor tidbits out of it, like "do a task now if it will take less than two minutes to complete" -- and that's been all good. But, the rest of it seems somewhat overwhelming.
I do have delusions of someday becoming uber-organized. Like yesterday, when the gigantic new IKEA catalog showed up, I drooled as always over the bright furniture with all the tidy little cubbies. (Nevermind the bizarrely pitiful cthulhu-wannabe five-legged octopus they're trying to push on children lately.) Will GTD free my inner consumer? (OK, I'm sure that's not the point, but give me an excuse here...)
So, for you GTD evangelists, where should I start? Does one have to jump whole hog into this system for it to be effective? Should I just start reading 43 Folders instead of the book itself? Will I actually experience "stress-free productivity?"
It looks like Blogger's back up for a moment, so I'll post this now ... letting me feel like I've gotten at least something done! ETA -- apparently Blogger is only half-down, it's letting me blog to my blogspot blog, but not to this one via FTP. So hopefully y'all won't see this 37 times from my repeated attempts to publish!
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Oh, I'm glad you said this - I too am one of those (hitherto) silent GTD "failures". I haven't even managed to finish the book! So much in the book sounds good and makes sense, but it all seems way too overwhelming and I have no idea where to start!
Maybe it's just me, but...I find the whole "Getting Things Done" jazz just a wee bit fascist. Like making sure the trains run on time. I prefer the leisurely pace of a good corrupt bureaucracy. Why get done today what you can put off until tomorrow?
I've been GTD-ing for about a year, with moderate success (enough that I actually started a productivity blog, The Scattered Librarian , where I talk about my organization thoughts as well as generic library stuff). All in all, Things are great at work, but still a little jumbled at home.
How I did it? Well, first of all, I don't take David Allen As Holy Writ. Since I first discovered GTD at the beginning of a sleepy summer semester, I had the time to implement it all, run with it for a week or two, and see what parts I actually used. For instance, the tickler files didn't work for me, so I would stuff deferred things like that into my waiting on queue and set an alarm in outlook for when I wanted to start on them.
However, I know the "throw a bunch of stuff against the wall and see what sticks" thing doesn't work for most people, so I'd say start with what you feel you'll get the most benefit from tight now. For me (and most people) when I started GTD, just cleaning up my workspace was a godsend.
At the time my "office" was the circ desk, so I was able to do my initial clean up and gathering in a couple of hours on a quiet friday during intersession. I don't agree with him that you *have* to clean up your whole office in one fell swoop--that sounds incredibly intimidating to me. Break it up into zones, and do one zone a day, or one a week, or whatever works.
As far as the process itself, I found a great workflow diagram that's a bit more understandable than the one in the book--email me and I'll zap over the PDF. And you don't have to start with all of it--like you mentioned, just the 2 minute rule can help out. Maybe try a version of the weekly review(I've found this probably the most helpful of the steps). But really, pick out a tip that looks good, dip your toe in, see if it works for you, and repeat. THe important thing is creating a system that works for you, not to embrace the "system of the week".
And to your other questions? there are approximately 18 billion GTD sites/blogs out there, each with a slightly different implementation. 43 folders is awesome, as well as other newer blogs such as Black Belt Productivity. And I don't know if I would say I'm *stress free*, but life definitely goes smoother now that I KNOW that my boss won't ever email me to ask on the status of a project i forgot existed. :-) I hope I haven't bored you silly, and that some of this works for you!
How I did it? Well, first of all, I don't take David Allen As Holy Writ. Since I first discovered GTD at the beginning of a sleepy summer semester, I had the time to implement it all, run with it for a week or two, and see what parts I actually used. For instance, the tickler files didn't work for me, so I would stuff deferred things like that into my waiting on queue and set an alarm in outlook for when I wanted to start on them.
However, I know the "throw a bunch of stuff against the wall and see what sticks" thing doesn't work for most people, so I'd say start with what you feel you'll get the most benefit from tight now. For me (and most people) when I started GTD, just cleaning up my workspace was a godsend.
At the time my "office" was the circ desk, so I was able to do my initial clean up and gathering in a couple of hours on a quiet friday during intersession. I don't agree with him that you *have* to clean up your whole office in one fell swoop--that sounds incredibly intimidating to me. Break it up into zones, and do one zone a day, or one a week, or whatever works.
As far as the process itself, I found a great workflow diagram that's a bit more understandable than the one in the book--email me and I'll zap over the PDF. And you don't have to start with all of it--like you mentioned, just the 2 minute rule can help out. Maybe try a version of the weekly review(I've found this probably the most helpful of the steps). But really, pick out a tip that looks good, dip your toe in, see if it works for you, and repeat. THe important thing is creating a system that works for you, not to embrace the "system of the week".
And to your other questions? there are approximately 18 billion GTD sites/blogs out there, each with a slightly different implementation. 43 folders is awesome, as well as other newer blogs such as Black Belt Productivity. And I don't know if I would say I'm *stress free*, but life definitely goes smoother now that I KNOW that my boss won't ever email me to ask on the status of a project i forgot existed. :-) I hope I haven't bored you silly, and that some of this works for you!
Joshua: I hope there's some sort of happy medium here! :)
Sarah: Can't find an e-mail in your profile/blog, but would love to see the PDF - rachel@lisjobs.com. And thanks for the pointer to your blog, too! More on this probably later, gotta run...
Sarah: Can't find an e-mail in your profile/blog, but would love to see the PDF - rachel@lisjobs.com. And thanks for the pointer to your blog, too! More on this probably later, gotta run...
I am definitely drinking the GTD Kool Aid. Here is a self-link to a presentation I have done on GTD several times at my library.
For me, one of the most important concepts is drawing boundaries between "actions" (things you can actually do, such as "read chapter one of JavaScript book") and "projects" (things that consist of many actions, such as "learn JavaScript"). Also, the boundaries between "collecting," "processing," "reviewing," etc. help me keep from trying to do everything at once.
And Joshua is getting 10 years in the gulag for that "fascist" remark.
For me, one of the most important concepts is drawing boundaries between "actions" (things you can actually do, such as "read chapter one of JavaScript book") and "projects" (things that consist of many actions, such as "learn JavaScript"). Also, the boundaries between "collecting," "processing," "reviewing," etc. help me keep from trying to do everything at once.
And Joshua is getting 10 years in the gulag for that "fascist" remark.
I remember getting overwhelmed with the book partly because I the first few chapters gave enough of an overview that it felt like I should "get it", but I didn't. So reading the whole book without getting to worried about figuring out how to do it worked for me.
I read it the first time about four years ago. And I revisit it once or twice a year. I've occasionally had it working in toto. But mostly, I just use the bits that work for me--the Tickler File and In Box. A lot of people never get those going and find the categorized by context Action Lists are what works for them.
I read it the first time about four years ago. And I revisit it once or twice a year. I've occasionally had it working in toto. But mostly, I just use the bits that work for me--the Tickler File and In Box. A lot of people never get those going and find the categorized by context Action Lists are what works for them.
Rachel, if you are not one of the most "getting things done" (ie, insanely productive) people I know, I don't know who is!
Several months ago, Annie and I gave a presentation at IACRL on GTD and other time saving tips for librarians. We compiled our resources into a blog. Check it out! and let us know what you think!.
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