I'm a beginner at GTD. I've studied David Allen's books over the years, but I have not implemented a system. I've been considering a paper-based system. I've been finding that it's important to me for things to look neat and orderly and attractive, and that it bothers me that my handwriting and hand printing are messy, hard to read, and even at times illegible. A paper-based system does appeal to me, but I'm not attracted by the result.
On the other hand, I've had the unnerving experience of losing data several times when computers have crashed. This made me cautious about trusting technology with my data. Also, when I enter my data into a computer program, my data seems buried and inaccessible in there, and this bothers me. In addition, I don't like the idea of my data being anywhere but private. Finally, I've read here about the difficulty that can arise when a manufacturer stops supporting a program and there turns out to be no good way to download the data in usable form. I would feel more comfortable having my information in a safe and accessible paper system.
However, I enjoy using technology, to the extent that I understand it, and it might be that a combination system would work for me. I could enter information into a computer program, perhaps one I know, such as MS Word, and I could print pages containing my data, so my system would be both accessible and attractive. I would need the tools and equipment to do this.
If I'm not mistaken, I read here on the Forum that you have been using a paper-based index card system for your projects and next actions, which has worked really well for you, and that recently you are doing something different, which I believe is also paper-based. I've been considering an index-card system. I'd be interested in what you liked about your index card system and what motivated you to make this change.
It's inspiring to hear of your enjoyment in using your paper-based system. I think it's a wise move that you are working from printouts to back yourself up, so your data is protected while you are migrating your system.
I also don't trust technology. Backups are really important. Here are two kinds of backups that I use:
* An off-site backup. This is important in case your house burns down. It should be automatic, either scheduled daily or done instantly. It can be set up easily with a cloud provider, of which there are several.
* A manual backup. This is done by copying the entire contents of your hard drive to external storage. It is important in case you lose access to your cloud storage. Maybe the cloud provider deletes or loses your account (I've heard stories about this happening), or the automation goes wrong and deletes things. You want this to be so simple that it cannot go wrong. Simply copy all the files in one go. Ideally, you have several external hard drives that you can rotate between, so you have backups at different ages.
As far as software vendors stopping support for a product, here is my advice:
* Always look to see if the software can export data. It should be in a standard or open format, preferably plain text. Export the data regularly, maybe just before doing a backup. If you have regular, up to date exports in an open format, then you will always be able to find software to read it, even if it is Notepad!
* If there is no export in an open format, then look for a commonly used format in the industry. For example, there will always be software to open xls files, even if something happens to Microsoft.
I know what you mean about information disappearing on a computer. I think that engaging with the content can help reduce that effect. You do this in the weekly review but also every day when you are adding to and working from your lists.
My handwriting is also messy. It always has been, but lately I have been making an effort to be neater and it is beginning to pay off. It is still not great but it is much better than it was, and it is so satisfying to see. I watched some videos on YouTube about handwriting and they motivated me to make the effort. I also have the concept of longevity of the writing. Projects might be on my list for a year, so they have to be written neatly so I can understand them later. Items that I capture will be processed in a day or two, so it is OK if they are messy, as long as they serve as a reminder while I am processing. Actions fall somewhere between the two.
I made the opening post in this thread years ago. Since then, I have had several different digital systems and a couple of paper-based ones.
I no-longer use my index card system but I really enjoyed it for a while and may go back to it one day. Here are some things that were great about it:
* Easy to focus on just one card while doing or reviewing.
* If my lists were too long, it became very obvious!
* Project one side, action on the other made linking them an effortless side effect.
* I could easily "select" a subset of a list.
* I could spread them out over the whole floor or desk, grouping them in different ways.
* It was nice manipulating information on a physical medium.
I moved to using notebooks a couple of months ago. The index cards were a bit clunky to take to different locations so I found some nice notebooks that I like.
Finally, I would say that the perfect is the enemy of the good. You've read the books, so you know how to clarify, organise and review. Start with four pieces of paper: Inbox, Projects, Actions and Someday/Maybe. Make a start, and make improvements as you feel inspired. Congratulations. You have graduated from "beginner" to "fully-fledged GTDer".
