Has anyone gone back to paper?

[kkuja]

Thinking paper as potential comeback system

I have fallen from GTD wagon and I'm thinking about getting back with paper. Previously I used Omnifocus for mac and its iOs version. Now I feel some resistance towards starting to use it again (there were some sync issues), so I thought maybe paper would be better to start with. Although, I always did all capturing in paper. And I will always do. Until there is PDA/Phone like device with which I can capture as fast as typing to paper.

I like paper. :mrgreen: Only weakness of paper, to which I have stumbled upon, is the physical size. I'd like to be able to always have my system with me, and as I live fairly active life, that means it should be pocket sized. All pocket sized solutions I have tried have been repulsive. My previous paper system, which was ok, was A4 sized binder, but it was a pain to always carry a bagpack with me.

I'd like to use paper, but digital has some fairly nice advantages toward it.

 

[Zac]

Yep, paper-based is working well for me...

I've been using GTD for about two years now and recently switched to a paper-based system for a number of reasons.

Less temptation
My partner used to (well, still does) make fun of me for always getting organized, yet rarely making progress on getting things done. (That's not entirely true, but it looks that way from the outside.) I realized a few months ago that I frequently look at other applications and test them out to see if they're better than Toodledo. I've wasted a bunch of time setting things up in other systems, trying them for awhile, then reverting back to Toodledo. In retrospect, I was just procrastinating and playing.

More Current
With a digital system, I often wrote paper notes while on calls or in meetings because it was quick or I didn't have access to the digital system. (Typing a long note on an iphone is tedious for me.) Later, I'd have to transfer those notes to the digital system. Usually, I'd be overwhelmed with new stuff and those notes just wouldn't make it in the system, so I couldn't trust the digital system to be up to date.

Less detail/more focused/less duplication
It's so easy to copy-and-paste with my digital system that I ended up putting way too much detail in it. Copying entire e-mails that required me to scan lots of text to get the gist of what the task really was - annoying. With the paper-based system, I just write out a few things - sometimes "Issue 363 - fix user access" because that issue was already logged in the clients SharePoint site, so I could go there for the details (which would also be more current than my list).

My paper-based system uses small notecards (about 2 inches by 3 inches) and a little box with dividers. I keep a stack of notecards on my monitor stand and just grab one whenever I have a new task. The small size forces me to be brief. Since I still have some tasks which require additional detail, I have OneNote on my computer that contains reference material. The cards are great because I can lay them all out and see a global picture of each context or group.

When I'm out and about and think of a task, I just send myself an e-mail and write it up when I get back to my desk.

- Zac

 

[cwoodgold]

I like paper. :mrgreen: Only weakness of paper, to which I have stumbled upon, is the physical size.

One of my systems is a pocket-sized notebook with a page for each context. I write actions onto the appropriate part of the appropriate page as soon as I think of them. I erase them when done, to make room to write new ones.

 

[mdcougar]

Hybrid

My system is a hybrid. I find that for meetings I prefer to take notes on paper. I also use paper when I'm brainstorming or working on a primarily creative activity. My thought processes are different with a pen in my hand, rather than a keyboard.

But I LOVE using OF to ensure I have everything captured, organized, and prioritized.

My hybrid approach requires I have a way to easily get paper notes and action items into the digital world.

For that, I use a combination of Evernote and some custom software I created.

Papers that are needed for reference are photographed and land in Evernote. Papers that contain to-do items get processed with my custom software.

It let's me take a photo of my notes and it automatically extracts the parts of the photo that contain to-do items (it looks for a special marking) and puts them into my Omnifocus inbox where I can process them within my normal workflow.

No more transcribing my handwritten to-do items!

As others have said, the key is finding the balance that works for you.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[cfoley]

Judging by the start date of this thread, I've been using a paper system for 5 months and it simply isn't working as well as my old electronic system. Don't get me wrong, there are things I like about my paper system but there were more things I liked about my electronic one.

I'm going to temporarily move my stuff back onto Toodledo. I say temporarily because it wasn't ideal either. Part of the problem with electronic list systems is that they is that they are more restrictive than paper. They always want to display stuff in rigid lists or tables. Printing formats often seem like they are thrown in as an afterthought and the interface for editing the relationships between items can feel clunky at times.

I think I can do better. Someone on here said one of the best systems they have used is a relational database. It certainly must be the ultimate in flexibility! I've thought about this and have come up with a simple schema that captures what I want out of a GTD system.

I also have plenty of ideas for a user interface that shows useful views of the data depending on whether you are collecting, processing, doing, etc. I also have an idea that may solve the problem of linking a project to an action. If it works as well as I hope it will, navigating between views will feel incredibly smooth.

I know this project could potentially suck up a lot of time but I work as a freelance software developer and always let myself have one personal project on the go.

 

[cheelnluke]

Paper gets a little messy but sometimes my hands really want to write down things rather than typing them over some software.

 

[mark1968]

Having just attended the Mastering Work seminar, I'm inspired to go fully analog (at least with respect to projects, goals, next actions). I'd love to hear/see how people are doing this. When I'm ready, I'll post photos/video of my system.

 

[jmsmall]

Paper works better for me

Being a geeky kind of guy I thought electronic would be best for me, but I found I had a tendency to shoot things onto action lists too quickly and ended up with hundreds of useless items. Writing on paper has worked better; it gives me a bit of time during processing to think about things. I also love the tactile feel of a fountain pen on thick toothy paper, so I bought premium TOPS heavyweight pads at Office Depot.

Upside:
1. If the lists get over a page long it causes discomfort and I'm more likely to buckle down and do things.
2. More flexible; doodle, picture, put exclamation points, etc.
3. tactile feel is nice for me.

downsides:
1. Having to rewrite list periodically when it gets cluttered.
2. A bit of a pain to correlate actions with projects (but my workaround is to number my project list and add the number to the action in parentheses.) also I copy the project list and check it off during weekly reviews.)
3. Less portable; so I put my @errands list on blackberry and calendar on outlook/blackberry. Home and work, gee, portability is not an issue.
4. Can't just drag an email to paper. Still working on how to make email actions work better for me; out of sight out of mind is an issue.

jmsmall

 

[S-Tolland]

I find paper works brilliantly for me. A few years ago I had my lists in excel and they just weren't particularly attractive. Paper and pen is just more comfortable somehow. I have just reinvigorated my lists at work by printing lines onto A4 coloured paper and using different colours for different contexts. It's made them really enjoyable to work with - a simply change that has made a bigger impact than I expected. In case you are interested, I have four contexts at work:
@Office
@Websites
@Minutes
@WaitingFor
I had just had an office and WF list before I moved to the coloured sheets but it was getting unwieldy and these new contexts are working very well for me.

In response to the comment made by jmsmall, I also struggled initially with email, but my method is now as follows:
- Process item from inbox
- If actionable, write the NA on the appropriate context list and move the email to @Action Support folder within outlook. I also normally write next to the item (Em. A/S) so that I know that it came in as an email. If the item is paper related I write (N/A Supp) next to the item so I always know exactly where to go to get the support documents, whether electronic or paper.
I failed entirely to work direct from email, with the items in the A/S folder as the list so to speak, and this hybrid version that I run now works really well for me. I can also feel confident that all my actions are in one place (on those four sheets of paper in my lists tray) rather than feeling that they are strewn about.

 

[mark1968]

Ashamed to admit, I own:

• The Hit List
• Omnifocus (Iphone & Mac)
• Things (Iphone & Mac)
• More, so much more

and always return to paper. I'm currently using paper, and think I may be here for a while.

 

[jesig]

I took a bunch of Davidco podcasts with me on a 12-hour roundtrip the weekend before last (I'm a poor student who can't get Connect, so I gobble up free podcasts in batches and then never, ever delete them), and two were David and Kelly and the CTO whose name I can never remember...Robert? talking about the ideal list manager.

One podcast was them discussing the various merits, and then there was no real resolution (because as I'm sure David knows, the moment he says, "Use this product" GTDers will flock to it in droves, whether it's actually the right product for them or not). And then it sounds like there was some listener backlash/reply that there was no "answer." So there was a second podcast, more of the same. Except, at the end, David said, "You know, the thing is, if you asked me what is the very best, most foolproof list manager? A loose-leaf notebook. Everything is there, you know how to use it" etc.

When I introduce someone to GTD, I always suggest paper to get going. The last thing they need is to learn a new tool along with the thought process. It really also helps underscore the notion that the thought process is independent of the tool...they've used a plain notebook before, so it obviously must be the way they're thinking about it that makes this notebook work differently than some other notebook. And the times I've seriously fallen off the GTD wagon, I always begin again with a paper list manager for at least a while. There's something very concrete about paper that takes the focus off the tool.

 

[kelstarrising]

I took a bunch of Davidco podcasts with me on a 12-hour roundtrip the weekend before last (I'm a poor student who can't get Connect, so I gobble up free podcasts in batches and then never, ever delete them), and two were David and Kelly and the CTO whose name I can never remember...Robert? talking about the ideal list manager.

One podcast was them discussing the various merits, and then there was no real resolution (because as I'm sure David knows, the moment he says, "Use this product" GTDers will flock to it in droves, whether it's actually the right product for them or not). And then it sounds like there was some listener backlash/reply that there was no "answer." So there was a second podcast, more of the same. Except, at the end, David said, "You know, the thing is, if you asked me what is the very best, most foolproof list manager? A loose-leaf notebook. Everything is there, you know how to use it" etc.

When I introduce someone to GTD, I always suggest paper to get going. The last thing they need is to learn a new tool along with the thought process. It really also helps underscore the notion that the thought process is independent of the tool...they've used a plain notebook before, so it obviously must be the way they're thinking about it that makes this notebook work differently than some other notebook. And the times I've seriously fallen off the GTD wagon, I always begin again with a paper list manager for at least a while. There's something very concrete about paper that takes the focus off the tool.

Your post is inspiring. You seem to have a clear understanding of GTD. I applaud you!
Yes, it was Robert Peake on that podcast with us.

Can you email me your current address? I'd like to send you David's Ready For Anything book on CD as our gift. I think it would be a wonderful addition to your audio library (and my personal fave!)

Kelly

 

[lauwoman]

Add another one to the paper train....

I am really happy to find this thread today! I have tried to implement GTD many times over the past 10 years and in the past year have been mostly successful. Still many many gaps. Read a massive ebook on Omnifocus (you know the one) and the MacSparky videos. Loved them! Attended a DA seminar and really think I am getting it.

So here's the thing....I LOVE computers. I changed careers to work with computers. I have gone 99% paperless in my home, become a ninja in Omnifocus & Evernote, and would be embarrassed to mention the number of Apple devices I own. I have automated my workflow on the Mac using Hazel, Text-Expander and Applescript.

And yet......my lists repel me. Except for one that I keep in my paper notebook, carried with me to a part-time state job that does not allow personal devices on-the-clock or access to cloud-based services. Guess where I've been most efficient...?!

And one other thing- I have been a rock-star with the tickler system- and-you guessed it- in a paper-based 43-folder setup! It makes me very happy and I love opening it up to discover a reminder or inspirational quote each day. So- I am thinking the universe is trying to tell me something.

Paper GTD it shall be!

 

[Acurivot]

I use paper more than the electronic gadgets because it's more convenient for me.

 

[sgazard@outlook.com]

It is interesting how this debate continues ..... and how like me all of us seem to move back and forth ...

I've also lost count of the number of apps I have, the scripts I've written in Outlook not to mention the number of different size / style notebooks, filofaxes, folders etc I have collected over the years ...

However something on one of these forums clicked with my last year that suggested:

Digital for anything historic or future, and
Analog for anything current ....

I have adopted this and it seems to work for me in that I now have:

Digital via Outlook;

Calendar
Archive filing
Evernote
Generic task list (I have a quick function that files an email that requires next action but flags it, marks as unread so I can retrieve it on iPad and Outlook task list - I then categorise and use TaskTask on the iPad)
I also have a script in Outlook that takes any email that starts with the @T. and converts it direct into a task and deletes from inbox ... this allows me to quickly drop tasks on to my task list with a quick email.

Analog;

The thing I've struggled with is meeting notes .... some people still struggle to realise you're taking notes when typing versus distracted on something else .... plus always challenging to take notes and read documents on the same device single screen ...

So I tend to use iPad for the meeting pack and take notes on an A6 postitnote pad in a nice leather holder that I now have with me all the time. I then process the notes later in the day taking any actions.

....

The only deviation currently from this is I am trying an iPad app called 'Less Meeting' which allows you to capture notes and actions ... but importantly syncs those actions directly with reminders on iPad meaning it gets straight back on to my task list in Outlook with no intervention.

This works quite well and I now vary between the two dependent on meeting .... usually group meetings done via iPad and 1:1 on paper.

 

[Foxman]

I think the problem with digital is it's basically infinate!

The amount of times i've set up a system in Toddledo, Filemaker database, Dropbox folder system, Evernote, Outlook, Mindmanager, etc, etc, etc then jumped ship is shameful! With paper what is in your hand is what you have to work on, nothing can get 'lost' as you know it's in there somewhere and you just have to write a contents system to find important stuff. Backup is easy - just take photos of pages you have important stuff of - sync them to Evernote or what ever should you need them, quick and simple. Bottom line is it's all about doing, if you remove the 'glamore' from you notes and concentrate on the content you will get more done in less time.

 

[DenaDahilig]

On the money!

I think the problem with digital is it's basically infinate!

The amount of times i've set up a system in Toddledo, Filemaker database, Dropbox folder system, Evernote, Outlook, Mindmanager, etc, etc, etc then jumped ship is shameful! With paper what is in your hand is what you have to work on, nothing can get 'lost' as you know it's in there somewhere and you just have to write a contents system to find important stuff. Backup is easy - just take photos of pages you have important stuff of - sync them to Evernote or what ever should you need them, quick and simple. Bottom line is it's all about doing, if you remove the 'glamore' from you notes and concentrate on the content you will get more done in less time.

Can I get an "Amen!?!?!!" Yes, you are right on the money. This is why I keep coming back to paper. Ok... paper and Evernote.

Nicely put.

Dena

 

[2097]

With roughly 200 active projects at any given time and nearly 600 in someday/maybe paper is just flat not an option for me.

That is exactly why I'm trying to switch back to paper. To do fewer things more thorougly. Still use GTD completely by the book, just take on fewer projects that are more wholly aligned with the more zoomed-out horizons of focus. To be more deliberate.

 

[Oogiem]

That is exactly why I'm trying to switch back to paper. To do fewer things more thorougly.

Of course another option is that sicne I abhore subproject is tha tmy 200 projects are probably in reality closer to w50 or of what most folks call project <g>

 

[2097]

Right, but it's just that for myself (I switched to digital in 2010, after almost four years on paper) I've found that I gloss over the "do I really want to do this?" step, it's so easy and effortless to just add stuff to the projects and context lists. Worse yet, I often just do things right away. I get a lot of stuff done so it's been working awesomely at the lower horizons of focus but not super happy with where my life is at. I wanna get way more deliberate about what I'm doing the way I was when I was on paper. That's possible on digital as well I guess, with a li'l self-discipline, I dunno.

It's funny (in a sad way); even though you're not supposed to worry too much about the horizons of focus (or whatever they're called in the new edition) when you're first starting out, I was doing a lot better in that sense for my first four years of GTD than for the following thirteen years. I was better at saying no to things, and I was better at looking at something on the inbox and just throwing it away (or, more often, put it on "someday/maybe"). That's what I wanna get back to: being more deliberate.