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davinia
Guest
Hi! I'm new here I've been implementing GTD fairly successfully in the last month though not as well as I'd like (I'm finally going to attempt a truly full "capture" of everything by coming in to work all weekend).
I've been realizing how much I had resisted staying organized previously because making my tasks fully conscious is really scary - it makes putting them off a very different kind of choice than it was when I could shuffle a lot of what I ought to be doing to the back of my mind and have it making me vaguely anxious. Now it's in black and white, crystal clear in front of me, and while it's theoretically off my mind, that only holds true when I'm actually working. There are a lot of times when I look at all the NAs and feel how deeply I don't want to do them, and I choose to either put them off and do something entirely non-productive or to make a choice about what to do based solely on how much I like a task rather than on sound reasons for what it would be best to use my time for. Or I avoid reviewing my lists because they make me so anxious. Then my lists come pouring back into my mind and making me worry because I know I ought to be doing something from my lists. Essentially, GTD is making it impossible for me to not consciously recognize the poor choices I make when I don't use time that should be spent being productive actually working. I can no longer attribute my anxiety or the ways I'd like to do my work better to not being organized because I now *am* pretty organized with GTD - I must admit to myself that there are some other issues going on that are making me unwilling to be truly effective. I want to change that, and aside from just forcing greater discipline on myself I am not sure how to go about it.
I know GTD is not a procrastination tool, though it sometimes helps with my procrastination a little by giving me clear NAs instead of amorphous stuff to focus on (thus lowering my mental resistance). But can anyone here recommend any books or other resources on procrastination that tie in well with GTD? The ones I've looked at often suggest time management techniques that I know won't work well with GTD methods.
Also, a side bit of GTD humor: my mind is so filled with GTD patterns right now that yesterday I went outside to pick raspberries in the yard and thought to myself, "There are so many times I think about picking raspberries and don't because I don't have my shoes on (I never wear shoes in the house). Maybe I need an @ShoesOn list of tasks I might do while my shoes are on." It only took me an instant to realize that this was not the most practical plan, and it would be smarter to jot down a note to myself involving putting a pair of slip-on shoes near my door, but as a theory it amused me no end
Thanks for any tips
And speaking of procrastination, time to get back to work on some of the NAs on my lists!
--Davinia
I've been realizing how much I had resisted staying organized previously because making my tasks fully conscious is really scary - it makes putting them off a very different kind of choice than it was when I could shuffle a lot of what I ought to be doing to the back of my mind and have it making me vaguely anxious. Now it's in black and white, crystal clear in front of me, and while it's theoretically off my mind, that only holds true when I'm actually working. There are a lot of times when I look at all the NAs and feel how deeply I don't want to do them, and I choose to either put them off and do something entirely non-productive or to make a choice about what to do based solely on how much I like a task rather than on sound reasons for what it would be best to use my time for. Or I avoid reviewing my lists because they make me so anxious. Then my lists come pouring back into my mind and making me worry because I know I ought to be doing something from my lists. Essentially, GTD is making it impossible for me to not consciously recognize the poor choices I make when I don't use time that should be spent being productive actually working. I can no longer attribute my anxiety or the ways I'd like to do my work better to not being organized because I now *am* pretty organized with GTD - I must admit to myself that there are some other issues going on that are making me unwilling to be truly effective. I want to change that, and aside from just forcing greater discipline on myself I am not sure how to go about it.
I know GTD is not a procrastination tool, though it sometimes helps with my procrastination a little by giving me clear NAs instead of amorphous stuff to focus on (thus lowering my mental resistance). But can anyone here recommend any books or other resources on procrastination that tie in well with GTD? The ones I've looked at often suggest time management techniques that I know won't work well with GTD methods.
Also, a side bit of GTD humor: my mind is so filled with GTD patterns right now that yesterday I went outside to pick raspberries in the yard and thought to myself, "There are so many times I think about picking raspberries and don't because I don't have my shoes on (I never wear shoes in the house). Maybe I need an @ShoesOn list of tasks I might do while my shoes are on." It only took me an instant to realize that this was not the most practical plan, and it would be smarter to jot down a note to myself involving putting a pair of slip-on shoes near my door, but as a theory it amused me no end
Thanks for any tips
And speaking of procrastination, time to get back to work on some of the NAs on my lists!
--Davinia