GTD Coach/Experts?

[roakleyca]

Hi there,

I'm really stuggling with my GTD implementation. I have just gone through all my "stuff" a few days ago and since then have felt the most incredible amount of stress and anxiety of my life. I am pretty sure that I have gone from "unconscious incompetence" to "conscious incompetence".

I think I understand the principles and even the methods from the book, but something critical is missing and I need some help. I'm using the outlook add-on (which expires in a few days...) and a blackberry for my lists.

I really want this to work because I'm sick and tired of making promises and not delivering on them. I think if I talked to someone who could help me troubleshoot my system, I may be able to get out of my funk.

Is there like a GTD "Helpline" I could call?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Eutychus]

There is depending on your budget. In addition, I think you will find this forum to be an excellent source of help.

I am no expert, but I wonder...it seems to me that most of us make it more complicated than it is. It has been amazing to me to see the numbers in the forum who report reducing the system to the basics after starting with a lot of gadgets and duplication.

However, it takes some time to learn how to make GTD a part of your life and truly learn to trust it.

I am in my third (GTD) life since last June. Each time I have failed to keep up. But the gain while I was doing it was extroadinary in my experience and each time I have learned something more about myself and GTD. And each time I have come back with a greater commitment to relax, and make it work.

 

[kewms]

This week in Ready for Anything, I read:

(Chapter 32)
The effectiveness of your system is inversely proportional to your awareness of it.

When you have to focus *on* your system, you are detouring energy that could be used to create and produce *with* your system. The objective of system installation, change, or enhancement is to get "system" off your mind again as soon as possible.

In particular, systems that require too much attention will break down when stressed. You'll get sick or busy and won't maintain it. Once that happens, you can't trust it, and the whole edifice collapses.

Katherine

 

[Cpu_Modern]

I am no expert, but I wonder...it seems to me that most of us make it more complicated than it is.

Yes, but there are IMHO 2 GTD-inherent reasons your life gets more complicated once you begin doing GTD.

1. You have to establish lots of new habbits at once. Isn't it hard enough to change to one new behaviour?

2. Through the completeness of the lists, problems in your life get highlighted you weren't aware before.

So suddenly you have a lot more to carry. Even though this ultimately leads to a better life (if you do the process) in the begining you start with the complicated situation you drove yourself into in the first place. That's why you started GTD , because you knew you had to improve, right?

 

[techsavvyguru]

GTD Help line - sort of...

Hi there,

Is there like a GTD "Helpline" I could call?

Thanks,

Ryan

Hi,

You might want to check out a service call bitwine.com This is a directory of people with expertise on certain topics that make themselves available online for consultations at reasonable rates (and negotiable too!) The service is integrated with the latest version of Skype as well. You can basically talk with any of the advisers for free for a period of time that you both agree to and if you think the person can help you - they than start billing you at the agreed upon rate. Payment is via PayPal I believe (not sure if they set up other options yet). It is a relatively new service and I can say I am not seeing much activity on it (I am listed for other topics besides GTD) - but it may be worth your while to check it out.

Currently, it looks like there are three people listed as SME (Subject Matter Experts) in GTD. Disclaimer: Yes, I am one of them.

You could also consider the GTD Connect service as well.

 

[Jamie Elis]

outcome desired?

I would urge you to determine and describe for yourself the outcome you desire from coaching and then really reflect on this and discuss it with your coach. I made a mistake in this. I though I just needed to build consistency when I needed to learn elements of the system and how to apply them. So, I had some telecoaching and it was very helpful but the coach thought I was trying to build consistency and it took quite a few sessions before we both realized that I didn't understand the system. I have also asked many, many questions in the forums and the responses have always been polite and highy informative, and reveal that GTD is of interest to a particular kind of bright and insightful person. I have been able to implement many of the ideas but just as many have been a little over my head in terms of my present ability to explore and do, but have lead to SDMB items for me! If yhou search the forum, you can locate a description of GTD "belt" levels (yellow to black, akin to marital arts) and that would be a good starting point to help you "diagnosis" the sticky points for yourself. But, there are many aspects that could be sticky points. For me several critical matters that I failed to address early on were/are: 1) where are my lists? (in my handheld Palm and desktop Palm) 2) what could be some reasons that am I not looking at them all the time? (cumbersome and discouraging, leads me to think of more and more things that I feel I have to capture 3) avoiding weekly review because I can't process every little bit of paper and the backlog is growing exponentially. ARe things getting better? Yes. Was the coaching helpful? yes. But an really specific "quiz" on understanding and implementation practices would have helped me clarfiy what I needed to get out coaching.

 

[3rddawn]

For me several critical matters that I failed to address early on were/are: 1) where are my lists? (in my handheld Palm and desktop Palm) 2) what could be some reasons that am I not looking at them all the time? (cumbersome and discouraging, leads me to think of more and more things that I feel I have to capture 3) avoiding weekly review because I can't process every little bit of paper and the backlog is growing exponentially.

But an really specific "quiz" on understanding and implementation practices would have helped me clarfiy what I needed to get out coaching.

Already those 3 questions above have challenged my behaviours.

I think this is a gem of an idea - does anyone have such a checklist of questions that would help relative newcomers to know how they're doing?

 

[Brent]

does anyone have such a checklist of questions that would help relative newcomers to know how they're doing?

This is certainly not exhaustive, but here are a few ideas:

• Am I reviewing my lists several times per day?
• Are my lists really, truly current?
• If I have spare time, is the appropriate Next Actions list to hand?
• Do I re-remember things that I want or need to do? In other words, if I discover a needed task, do I remember that I need to do that later that day?

The desired answers, obviously, are Yes, Yes, Yes, and No.

 

[cornell]

does anyone have such a checklist of questions that would help relative newcomers to know how they're doing?

I've had very positive feedback on my Workflow Assessment/Tips Checklist. I find it a useful tool for new clients to assess how they're new habits are coming along.

 

[cornell]

Hi Ryan. Anything specific going on, do you need 1:1 coaching, or just some Q&A?

 

[kelstarrising]

Try GTD Telecoaching with a David Allen Coach

A great way to jump start your GTD systems is telecoaching with a David Allen trained coach. We can do this by phone, Skype, Go To Meeting etc. I highly recommend this.

http://www.davidco.com/telecoaching.php

GTD Connect is also a great way to get contact with the GTD staff. Lots of great content up there. There are also some assessment tools in Connect that give some great perspective on implementing GTD and measuring your success.

Kelly

 

[Rbischoff]

A bit ungracious

It seems a bit ungracious to solicit business on this forum which is operated by a company which provides exactly what the initiator of this thread is asking.

I do appreciate the information provided but not the solicitation, even a soft one for business which competes with Mr. Allen's company.

Richard Bischoff
El Paso, Texas

 

[Jamie Elis]

I say "thanks, Cornell".

I appreciate Cornell sharing his tip list. It is exactly what I have been looking for. It is very helpful to ask oneself specific questions about implementation before trying to fix one's efforts in a more general way, either alone or with a coach. I have not had the time or the clarity of thought to create such as list myself and Cornell has done a good job translating. I understand how this could be interpreted as a "soft sell" ("hey, my services are for sale, if you need them"), but I interpreted the post in this context as a generous gift, and one that is offered in the spirit of collaboration that tends to run through the forum. So thanks Cornell and I think your blog is full of other useful free information.

 

[cornell]

Thanks, Jamie - that's exactly how I intended it.

 

[lmw]

I'm thinking that the call-out was in reference to this, not to Matt's Blog...

You might want to check out a service call bitwine.com This is a directory of people with expertise on certain topics that make themselves available online for consultations at reasonable rates (and negotiable too!) The service is integrated with the latest version of Skype as well. You can basically talk with any of the advisers for free for a period of time that you both agree to and if you think the person can help you - they than start billing you at the agreed upon rate. Payment is via PayPal I believe (not sure if they set up other options yet). It is a relatively new service and I can say I am not seeing much activity on it (I am listed for other topics besides GTD) - but it may be worth your while to check it out.

Currently, it looks like there are three people listed as SME (Subject Matter Experts) in GTD. Disclaimer: Yes, I am one of them.

You could also consider the GTD Connect service as well.

 

[Stew]

Ryan,

You mention that you are tired of things slipping through the cracks, and want GTD to solve this problem. It will - and soon enough you'll find yourself delivering your commitments better than you thought you would. But getting to that level doesn't come from the Outlook plugin and Blackberry alone. You must change the fundamental way you relate to and think about your workflow. For me, I had to learn to redefine my to-do list as a set of truly actionable items.

It sounds as though you already have a solid grasp of the book's principles. I generally find that if I can look my lists and they still cause me stress, it's because I forgot something while processing. I didn't properly define an outcome or how to achieve that outcome. Maybe there's an item on an action list that is really a project in hiding, or maybe even a poorly-worded task. If I have to ask myself "How?" while glancing over my actions, some things simply won't get done. If there is too much on the list, I'll put the projects I'm unlikely to get to this week onto my Someday-Maybe list and reevaluate them at my next weekly review.

Hope this helps.
Stew

 

[w_i_t_n_a]

GTD Telecoaching

A great way to jump start your GTD systems is telecoaching with a David Allen trained coach. We can do this by phone, Skype, Go To Meeting etc. I highly recommend this.

http://www.davidco.com/telecoaching.php

Kelly

This isnt a paid public announcment, and no I dont work for Davidco.
If you go to the link in Kelly's response you will see my testimony regarding telecoaching that I did as an international client.
My Coach used Skype and Gotomeeting and it worked well, but what was even better was the one on one review of my systems and my thoughts about GtD, where my implementation was at and how to make it better.
So my recommendation is that if you can afford it, do it!

good luck!

 

[grovesjon]

what is the cost of the virtual coaching ?

A great way to jump start your GTD systems is telecoaching with a David Allen trained coach. We can do this by phone, Skype, Go To Meeting etc. I highly recommend this.

http://www.davidco.com/telecoaching.php

GTD Connect is also a great way to get contact with the GTD staff. Lots of great content up there. There are also some assessment tools in Connect that give some great perspective on implementing GTD and measuring your success.

Kelly