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I recently borrowed David Allen's book Getting Stuff Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity from the library. I have some gripes about the book, but it had one true gem of an idea. If I can just get that one idea going my annoyance will be worth it.
Allen's first big point is that we spend way too much time thinking about, and stressing over, our "stuff we need to do". Our minds aren't good at reminding us that we need a new faucet when we're driving past the hardware store; they remind us when we're in front of the sink, when we can't do squat about it. Oh, and when we're falling asleep, too. And when we're in a long meeting.
Here's the gem: We can STOP this waste of energy. All we have to do is write down what we need to do -- all of it, there's challenge number one -- and train our reminder-obsessed brain to trust that we'll check the list, which is of course challenge number two.
After you spend an afternoon or so writing down an incredible amount of crap, the whole rest of the book focuses on the management of what you've written (challenge number two above).
So I'm trying it out. I wrote down everything. Each thing had its own sheet of paper. The stack was about three inches thick. That night, when I fell asleep, I had room in my head for an earworm... for the first time in ages. Whoa.
I know a couple of people on my friends list are looking at (or have been using for a while) this system also. *wave*
The two grumbles I have about Getting Things Done are:
1) The book is packed with jargon. What's this "horizontal" and "vertical" crap? Where does he define "open loop"? Why do we need to think about a "runway"? What's so wrong with the phrase "areas of responsibility" that it needs the code number "20,000 feet"? Yeesh! Fortunately, this doesn't have to stop me if I just get the book outta my house and don't read it again.
2) Way, WAY too complex a system downstream of the "in" box. Allen argues that every piece of this system is necessary, and that blurring the lines between them will undermine the effectiveness of the whole. I find it very hard to believe that it can't be managed more simply. He may be right, but I'm going to try first to see if I can use something easier to manage.
Right now I am working with a simplified system. My current needs are
- A calendar, keeping track of appointments that will happen at a specific time
- A Review Daily list/folder, with stuff that's high priority for me to do real soon
- A Review Weekly folder, with stuff that I'm okay with letting slip for a while
- A Someday/Maybe folder, which I review monthly, containing long-term projects that I may or may not choose to activate next time I see them
That is IT. I made a tickle file and it's mostly a pain in the ass.
Allen's first big point is that we spend way too much time thinking about, and stressing over, our "stuff we need to do". Our minds aren't good at reminding us that we need a new faucet when we're driving past the hardware store; they remind us when we're in front of the sink, when we can't do squat about it. Oh, and when we're falling asleep, too. And when we're in a long meeting.
Here's the gem: We can STOP this waste of energy. All we have to do is write down what we need to do -- all of it, there's challenge number one -- and train our reminder-obsessed brain to trust that we'll check the list, which is of course challenge number two.
After you spend an afternoon or so writing down an incredible amount of crap, the whole rest of the book focuses on the management of what you've written (challenge number two above).
So I'm trying it out. I wrote down everything. Each thing had its own sheet of paper. The stack was about three inches thick. That night, when I fell asleep, I had room in my head for an earworm... for the first time in ages. Whoa.
I know a couple of people on my friends list are looking at (or have been using for a while) this system also. *wave*
The two grumbles I have about Getting Things Done are:
1) The book is packed with jargon. What's this "horizontal" and "vertical" crap? Where does he define "open loop"? Why do we need to think about a "runway"? What's so wrong with the phrase "areas of responsibility" that it needs the code number "20,000 feet"? Yeesh! Fortunately, this doesn't have to stop me if I just get the book outta my house and don't read it again.
2) Way, WAY too complex a system downstream of the "in" box. Allen argues that every piece of this system is necessary, and that blurring the lines between them will undermine the effectiveness of the whole. I find it very hard to believe that it can't be managed more simply. He may be right, but I'm going to try first to see if I can use something easier to manage.
Right now I am working with a simplified system. My current needs are
- A calendar, keeping track of appointments that will happen at a specific time
- A Review Daily list/folder, with stuff that's high priority for me to do real soon
- A Review Weekly folder, with stuff that I'm okay with letting slip for a while
- A Someday/Maybe folder, which I review monthly, containing long-term projects that I may or may not choose to activate next time I see them
That is IT. I made a tickle file and it's mostly a pain in the ass.
