For Those that have used GTD for 2+ years...

Loukas;44060 said:
Future is for items I`d like to do in the next say 3-months (but don't belong in the immediate N/A list) and Maybe is probably close to the original S/M list. A recent example was "Write Xmas cards" which resided in the "F" category for a couple of months now until it was move to @h last week...

Glad it's working well for you! That's the most important thing.

Personally, I prefer to put Future projects in my tickler. Then I don't have to look at it until I know it's time to work on it.

"Write Christmas cards" is a perfect example; I have a yearly reminder that goes into my tickler for November, then gets shuffled in to some day near the end of the month.
 
Hi Brent,

Thanks for your comments. :)

As I try to be as close to digital as possible, I guess I use the Future category as a tickler file. Most of the items in there do have a due date, contrary to my NA which are without a due date in their respective @categories, as required. I don't like the idea of putting all these tickler items in my Calendar, which I try to keep as clean as possible, and only with items that need to be done on the specific day or specific time (Hard landscape).

Then the Maybe category is for stuff like "Go on vacation to Australia" which I'd like to do, but in the long future. All this is reviewed Weekly.

Maybe I should rename the Future category to "Tickler"? :)

In any case, it works for me!

Thanks again for the support...

L
 
Physical/Virtual world connection?

Loukas;44077 said:
Maybe I should rename the Future category to "Tickler"? :)
Where do you store and how do you connect the physical Tickler File items with the corresponding electronic Tickler File items (for example bills to pay)?
 
TesTeq;44088 said:
Where do you store and how do you connect the physical Tickler File items with the corresponding electronic Tickler File items (for example bills to pay)?

Hi TesTeq,

The one option is to try to pay them right away :) (in which case they go into my backpack with a NA in @out "Bank: pay Mastercard bill") ...

If it's something that *needs* to be done on a specific date (eg. submit assignment on 22/12/2006) I will put a calendar entry and the paper work (the printed assignment) in its respective folder.

I can see your point, where a tickler file becomes useful. I haven't had the need for it so far, as I manage to get by electronically, with a system I trust. Could be something to consider for the future..

Thanks for your comments,

Loukas
 
gotbisco;43877 said:
What I haven't tackled yet are the higher elevations (I haven't gotten the book yet and I'm assuming that's going to make a big impact on my perception) and it seems that evaluating the higher elevations are a big part to the mind like water.
Just so you know, the book says very little about higher elevations. Regarding what he calls 30,000-50,000+ feet, DA says "Since Getting Things Done is more about the art of implementation than about how to define goals and vision, I won't offer a rigorous examination here" (p 207). However, as he points out, there are many other books that do. If you are looking for help with higher elevation, I recommend looking outside GTD.
 
Context Check Lists

Several have asked for my context check lists. I keep this in my palm memo/outlook notes section. I've inserted a few comments. Hope you find this useful.

@Context Checklists:

@Agendas
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Subject: {Name} : {MM/DD/YY} {Agenda item}
- Agenda For (Outlook Custom Field) = Name
- Item Body
- Objective/Purpose of talking point?
- Reference Info?
- Deliverables?
- Due Dates?
- Follow-ups?
- Info Needed/Questions to ask?
- Delegation Checklist:
- Clear, specific task definition
- Due date
- Authority: Recmmend, Inform and Initiate, or Act
- Checkpoints for review
- Debrief

@Anywhere
This context is truely Anywhere, including the electronic dead time between closing the door and 15 minutes after take-off when I can't use my palm or other electronic device.

1 NA each on 3x5 cards in a moleskin cahair that I cary in my back pocket. (I also cary a reading file in my briefcase)


- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Subject: {Completed Action}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Reference information
@Calls
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Subject: {Name} and {Phone No}. re: {subject}
- Contact in my contacts list or cell phone address book?
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of Call
- Reference Info
- Deliverables?
- Due Dates?
- Questions to ask?

@Computer
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Subject: e.g. Draft|RandC (Review and Comment)|Finalize {Filename}
- @Computer? Is everything I need to crank this widget on my notebook?
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Link to or fully qualified path name of any files
- Relevant notes re the action

@Deferred
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Subject: {Appointment/Meeting Name} ({Location/dial in info, etc.})
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of meeting
- Agenda:
- Meeting Notes:
- Follow-ups/Next Actions
- Attendees
- Roles:
- Meeting Leader
- Note taker
- Facilitator
- Timekeeper
- Reference Material (stuff to bring, notes, links/filenames, etc.)

@Networked
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- @Networked? Is everything I need to crank this widget on my notebook or available via web/vpn?
- Subject: e.g. RandD|Email {Subject Matter}|File Expenses {trip}|Book Travel {trip}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Link to or fully qualified path name of any files/web sites
- Relevant notes re the action

@Office
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Is this really @Office? Could I do this in a less restrictive context?
- Subject: {Completed Action}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- File references (e.g. PF {project name}; RF {reference file name})
- Relevant notes re: the action

@Palm Stuff I can do anywhere I can use my palm...
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- @Palm? Is everything I need to crank this widget on my palm?
- Subject: e.g. Draft|RandC (Review and Comment)|Finalize {Filename}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Relevant documents synced via docs2go
- Relevant notes re the action

@Wifi Next Actions I can do on my Palm/TX if Wifi is available
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- @Wifi? Is everything I need to crank this widget on my palm or available via wifi?
- Subject: e.g. RandD
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Relevant documents synced via docs2go
- Relevant notes re the action
- urls etc.

@Home
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Is this really @Home? Could I do this in a less restrictive context?
- Subject: {Completed Action}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- File references (e.g. HPF {home project name}; HF {Home reference file name})
- Relevant notes re: the action

@Errands
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Subject: {Location}: {Action}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Reference information (e.g. item specs, size, brand, etc.)
- Store hours

@Waiting For
- Any pre-requisites? Is this really the next physical action?
- Subject: {Delegate} {MM/DD/YY}
- Item Body:
- Objective/Purpose of action
- Reference information (e.g. item specs, size, brand, etc.)
- Store hours

Projects
- Is this project in alignment with my higher altitudes?
- Could I delegate this to someone else?
- Can I move this project forward in the next two weeks?
- Subject: {Project Name stated as a completed}
- Item Body:
- Objective of project
- Purpose (Why do I want to achieve this; what does it mean to me)
- Action Planning: (list of next actions)
@Context {Next Action Subject Line}
- History: (list of completed next actions, project tracking, history and notes).

Someday
- Can I end the nonsense, renegotiate with myself, and decide to delete this now and forever?
- Is this someday maybe a project? If not do I already have a someday maybe'd project that this should be kept with?
- Subject: {Project Name stated as completed}
- Item Body:
- Objective of project
- Purpose (Why do I want to achieve this; what does it mean to me)
- Action Planning: (list of next actions)
@Context {Next Action Subject Line}
- History: (list of completed next actions, project tracking, history and notes).
 
Thanks JPM, that is an excellent list. I especially like your "Could I do this in a less restrictive context?". I'll try that out for a while. Doing most of my work on the computer I tend to put work into too many categories.
 
andersons;44125 said:
Just so you know, the book says very little about higher elevations. Regarding what he calls 30,000-50,000+ feet, DA says "Since Getting Things Done is more about the art of implementation than about how to define goals and vision, I won't offer a rigorous examination here" (p 207). However, as he points out, there are many other books that do. If you are looking for help with higher elevation, I recommend looking outside GTD.

Does Allen's other book offer more insight into the higher elevations?
 
If, by "Allen's other book," you mean Ready for Anything, not particularly. It contains meditations on the system and their implications, mostly.

David mentions in the recent 43folders podcasts that, if he were to write another book, it'd cover the higher elevations.
 
Great thread!

gotbisco;43859 said:
But for those that have gotten “it”, if you would like to take a crack at explaining to some extent, what do you notice about your GTD process from before and then after you “got it”?

What are the things that use to hang you up that are now off your radar?

Thank you for posting this gotbisco, it has been really informative.
 
pixlz;44166 said:
Thank you for posting this gotbisco, it has been really informative.

No problem, it was something I think even the posters learned from. GTD is so complex that it becomes a personal thing in how everyone adapts to it. If everyone starts to post the situations that create and perpetuate those little light bulbs going off then I think it can do nothing but help other people get their own light bulbs going. Thanks to everyone that posted as well, and to anyone who was thinking about it, please share what was the "got it" moment, it's been a big help for me and I'm sure everyone else too.
 
Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Brent;43879 said:
In the recent 43folders interview with David Allen, David says that, if he were to write another book, he'd write it about the 30,000-foot to 50,000-foot views. He says that the Getting Things Done book covers the groundwork solidly, but that people seem to struggle mostly with those higher elevations.

I may be wrong, but I think that one needs to actually implement the system for a while before one can even see those higher elevations (or at least see more than glimpses). Your psychic RAM is too full to let you process any of that higher-elevation data, until your system has been chugging along enough for you to completely trust it.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs...(The Eutychus corollary) It's hard to deal with someone about their soul or their future when it is all they can do to thrash about and keep their heads above water!
 
a balance

kewms;43880 said:
I think that's nonsense. Plenty of people who've never heard of GTD pay lots of attention to higher elevations. Methodologies like Franklin Covey place higher elevations (known in Franklin Covey-speak as Roles and Goals) front and center.

Now, plenty of people get frustrated with Franklin Covey because, without control over the Runway level, it's impossible to actually make any progress at the higher levels. But then, plenty of people get frustrated with GTD because they feel it turns them into "widget crankers" with no greater purpose. Katherine

There needs to be a balance. I have had good success with the big picture in myself and others with Alan Lakein's old gem: HOW TO CONTROL YOUR TIME AND YOUR LIFE. His priority system works especially well for those who tend to some organizational character traits anyway. And they even helped me. But when I got into a situation (start up business) where I could no longer delegate, I was soon overwhelmed. I realize now I have always been in over my head. So in my case, I have the big picture. It is the nitty gritty that is driving me nuts.

But I still think--in general--you need to stop someone from drowning before how to paddle a canoe will make sense to them.
 
Empty inbox and Full Project list

Two things that I am glad I have gained over the past years of GTD are (1) clean inboxes (both real and virtual) and (2) a complete list of projects with at least one action associated with each.

This has allowed me to focus on my different 30k areas of responsibility (or as David calls it "response-ability"). the 40k and 50K levels are still a work in progress.

I really don't worry anymore about work, and if for some reason I do I write it down and put it in my inbox. I keep pens and pads all over the house, car, office, next to my bed - everywhere. Why keep it in my head?

I would love to report that now I only have great and important thoughts but I would be lying. Every now and then I have a new idea which then I have to balance again my existing commitments and decide if this "new" idea goes into a concrete project, a new one, the "list of good ideas", or in the someday maybe list.

A work in progress. but anyway, WRITE IT DOWN and process it!
 
Just getting started

I'm just getting started and this has been a great discussion. Thanks for all the insight and ideas. It has really helped.
 
Moulaert;44571 said:
I would love to report that now I only have great and important thoughts but I would be lying. Every now and then I have a new idea which then I have to balance again my existing commitments and decide if this "new" idea goes into a concrete project, a new one, the "list of good ideas", or in the someday maybe list.

Life doesn't consist only of great and important thoughts. I love having a system that can deal with both the Da Vinci ideas and reminders to change air filters.
 
in-box to empty & NAs/projects for this week only

#1: Getting my in-boxes to empty every day. My WR fully took off once my processing tasks were handled in a timely fashion.

#2: Being ruthless with my NA & projects list. Paring these down to clear, concise tasks and doable projects that I intend to move forward within this week (or 2). ALL ELSE moved to my Someday/Maybe list.

It's been great to hear all the responses on this thread -- keep it coming!
Pamela
 
Just to come back to this thread with a little bit of progress myself, i thought I'd echo the sentiment that it's essential to maintain a way to (1) get it out of your head and into the system and (2) keep the inbox empty. The difference from some stuff still stuck in mental ram to all on paper is a huge leap for me.
 
Very fine thread, gotbisco

gotbisco;44865 said:
Just to come back to this thread with a little bit of progress myself, i thought I'd echo the sentiment that it's essential to maintain a way to (1) get it out of your head and into the system and (2) keep the inbox empty. The difference from some stuff still stuck in mental ram to all on paper is a huge leap for me.

Some of these replies are exceedingly helpful. And I'm a fan of Merlin Mann's 43Folders, too. Lots of neat little hacks that ease the path.

As for higher levels vs runway, I think it very much depends on why you started with GTD, and what your particular issues are. My problems are stress from feeling overwhelmed and procrastination, so the runway stuff is what makes the biggest difference.

This might be because I've had a variety of different jobs, so I'm fairly confident that what I'm doing at the moment is what I want to be doing, in the main. This might change once I achieve the Mind Like Water, though.

I see my situation like this: if you're stressed out juggling chainsaws, it's best to work out how to keep 'em in the air before you start trying to swap them for hatchets. ;-) So I agree with you that getting the runway-level worries out of your head then allows you to think about the higher levels. I seem to recall DA says that several times in the book, too.
 
unstuffed;44870 said:
if you're stressed out juggling chainsaws, it's best to work out how to keep 'em in the air before you start trying to swap them for hatchets. ;-)

Well said. The more I do this the more I realize that you can't even begin to look at what you want to do until you know what you have to do.
 
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