Fun ways of using GTD?

[billmcneely]

I was wondering if any of you wanted to share fun ways you use GTD. Of course use your definition of fun ;-). Here is one of the things that I do:

When I have to call customer service, or wait in line at the DMV or any of the myriad of other times that I interact with people who are in customer facing jobs I make a note of getting their name, by asking or off of their tag and while I am chatting with them if they are happy to be there, cheery and polite I will make a note of it in my system. Next time I visit that establishment I try and go through their line again if possible and see if I get the same service. I will then contact their manager and let their manager know how much I appreciate that individual. (I have done it the first time I visited and the next time got terrible service).

If I am calling a customer service number I always write the name down, and the chances of getting that same person on a subsequent call are nil, so I will make it a point to call back in and talk to a supervisor immediately, or just have the individual transfer me to a supervisor when we are finished with business. If I am waiting for some deliverables from that individual I will call when I get them to ensure they followed through.

Two quick examples:

Robert at my bank is always completely professional and goes out of his way to answer any questions or help to solve any issues that I might have.

I called our state disability number to make sure they got some forms and to request some more forms and Star ran me through the questions on the form rather than wait for it to get through the "system", released the forms I needed early for my doctor and then made sure that I would get paid on time to ease any financial hardship that may have arisen.

I of course let them know how much I appreciate it, but the additional follow up with their supervisors is a plus.

I think it's fun because I'm looking for people who enjoy what they do and are happy rather than looking for and finding grumpy people. It also makes the trips to places like the DMV a bit more tolerable, although I will admit that the DMV is a hard nut to crack as I haven't found anyone who is really happy to be working there yet . I also hope that it helps to justify having people accessible rather than the phone systems that force you through 5 or 6 menus until you can get to a person. I would much rather talk with someone than deal with a computer.

So any other ways you connect members have fun with your systems?

 

[rightbrain]

gtd includes drawing

my gtd system is mostly paper based.

my tickler file is a shoebox in which i have created 32 slots ......for a7 sized paper slips.

i have to deal with two kinds of ideas......matured ideas and evolving ideas.

for evolving ideas
i write these down .......or draw these down -specially the evolving ideas-on a7............
and tickle them as long as they have reached a state of evolution where i am satisfied that i can use them...........since its paper........i can add more drawings or words to the paper....any time they come up in my inbox.

i dont think i would enjoy gtding as much FUN if i couldnt draw out my ideas..
which is why i dont prefer a virtual-digital system.

Attached files

 

[vic_lh]

I helped my mother to set her reference file --basically by 'pushing' her a bit to take a decision whenever she got stuck with some item, and typing the labels for her because I do it faster--.

To my surprise, next time I saw her, she had also organized alphabetically the spices in her kitchen. She says it improves a lot her cooking workflow. It struck me as a funny example of VERY specialized reference file. I'd never had thought of it.

 

[radioman]

To my surprise, next time I saw her, she had also organized alphabetically the spices in her kitchen. She says it improves a lot her cooking workflow. It struck me as a funny example of VERY specialized reference file. I'd never had thought of it.

How else *would* you arrange the spices in your kitchen?!?

Joe

 

[vic_lh]

How else *would* you arrange the spices in your kitchen?!?

Yeah, sorry if my comment sounded too obvious. Maybe I didn't pay much attention because I am usually on the other side of the 'food chain', i.e. eating what she prepares!

 

[TesTeq]

A-Z - not for the kitchen.

How else *would* you arrange the spices in your kitchen?!?

Interestingly in one of the latest episodes of "Mac Power Users" podcast - the MPU 091: Workflows with Merlin Mann III episode - Merlin Mann says that the A-Z reference filing is not always the best approach and gives the kitchen example. You do not store things in kitchen in the A-Z order. Pepper is not near plates or pizza, salt is not near spoons or spaghetti.

Similarily people often use prefixes to categorize their reference files and override A-Z filing order. For example I use "Bank" prefix for all my bank document folders (eg. "Bank: City Bank", "Bank: ING" etc.).

 

[cfoley]

How else *would* you arrange the spices in your kitchen?!?

Joe

I put all the jars in a tub. When I need some, I pull the tub out and rifle through for the spice I want. Differences in brand labels, bottle shapes, lid colours make it very fast to pick out the right one, and it's even faster to put a jar away once I'm done.

Something I've learned through programming computers is that different collections need different organisations. You need to take into account the size of the collection how often you will be storing and how often you will be retrieving items.

For a small collection (I have less than 10 spices), preorganising it can often be counter-productive. You have to find the right spot when you are locating the item and have to think about where it might be in sequence when you retrieve one. That all adds mental overhead. In a small tub, I can store and retrieve items without taking my mind off what I was doing.

If I had a hundred spices, that would be different! They would be stored alphabetically with the four or five I used most often somewhere easy to grab. Now I think about it, I do that to some extent already. Spices in a tub with salt and pepper close to hand.

I have one large collection where the main operation is to store. I file all my receipts in a box. It's roughly in chronological order but only because I only ever put receipts in at the top. At the end of the year, I archive it and get a new box for the coming year. It's actually a pain to find a receipt but that's OK because I have to do it so rarely. The important thing is that they are all together so I can find them when I have to.

 

[jennytg3]

I had the same issue with my spices - my husband wants them alphabetical but the spice I use most (cayenne) was way up in the back of the cupboard. So I just renamed the spice "Zee Cayenne" and now it's right up in front by the Zs.

 

[cwoodgold]

How else *would* you arrange the spices in your kitchen?!?

Here are some possible ways:

By how "hot" they are.

On a spectrum from "pretty much for main courses only" (savoury) at
one end to "pretty much for desserts only" (sweet) at the other end.

By recipes they're most commonly used in: all the spices for the
most common recipe that uses several spices together, and spices
for other commonly-used recipes together as much as possible
given that constraint, etc.

By the part of the world whose dishes (commonly cooked
by the family) tend to use them.

By date they were bought (to encourage using up the older ones first).

By size and shape of container, so that they fit onto the little shelves
(our current method).

By the brand that sold them.

By the size of the particles (whole leaves, bits of leaves, powder.)

By how long before the end of the cooking time you need to add them. (!)

I listed above all the methods I thought of, and then (after Edward de Bono)
I challenged myself to come up with three more, even if they might be
silly. That's the last three; and I was quite pleased with the last one,
even if I might never use it for spices.

One more comes to mind: By how often they're used.

You can also label them with large, clear letters, maybe pictures
or symbols, and colours, to make them easier to find regardless
of how they're ordered. We have a set of tiny shelves designed
for spices, so all the ones that fit there are visible at once.

Reading books by Edward de Bono (e.g. "A five-day course in thinking")
made me much more open to the idea that there are
normally lots of possibilities in any situation, even if it
seems as if there aren't before you do any serious creative thinking
about it!

 

[Oogiem]

I like the possibilities cwoodgold came up with but for me with our huge number (currently at over 120 different ones) they are alphabetical within 2 main groups, with blended spices first then single spices second on carousels that rotate so I can find them easily.

 

[cwoodgold]

... -- by colour, (suggested for this list by my husband)

-- by part of the plant (leaves, roots etc.) and/or type of plant,

-- by time of year it's harvested

-- by medicinal effect (stimulating, calming etc.)

-- by potency (roughly inversely proportional to amounts usually used at a time) ...

 

[vic_lh]

Amazing stuff!

I never thought of it before, but my mum probably has a very verbally-driven intelligence: she thinks what she needs, and then she translates it into what's it's name; that's why the alphabetical system works for her. I think I'm more visual, I'd probably set a system with different 'layers' according to frequency of using, as proposed somewhere above...

But don't worry, there is little risk that I cook anything!

 

[cfoley]

By how long before the end of the cooking time you need to add them. (!)

I love this one! I don't think I'd use it for my spices but I might use it for my ingredients as a whole while I'm cooking a meal!

 

[cwoodgold]

I love this one! I don't think I'd use it for my spices but I might use it for my ingredients as a whole while I'm cooking a meal!

Yes, I was thinking that too! I may have actually done that sometimes, when doing stir-frying.

And how about generalizing it to other areas ... could I line up some papers on my desk in the order in which I'm going to need to do things with them, for example? Not really how the GTD system works, and maybe not doable realistically, but something to think about.