Getting started, analog or digital implementation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Monkeyget
  • Start date Start date
M

Monkeyget

Guest
Quick background :
I'm a student meaning that I'm roaming at the campus throughout the day (attending courses, working at the computer lab, the library,...). Nevertheless, I'll work most of the time at my desk on or near my computer.

I have a problem with the analog/digital divide:
On the analog side I have heaps of notes about ideas/todos/idea of articles to write and I wouldn't mind using a low-tech paper system.

On the digital side most of my projects are done on my computer.
I have huge text files with things to do, reference material, project related stuff, ...
I don't use email much (only check about once a day).

Weither I put the gtd system on my computer and I'll still have a small analog part (physical inbox, printing/writing stuff I'll have to do out of my office).

Weither I implement a paper based gtd system and I'll have to dump all the notes that are on my computer and lose the computer convenience (e.g.: this page talks about this project I have, I'll paste the URL in my todo.txt file)

I have no idea what to choose :confused: ! The more I think about it the less clear it becomes :-|
 
I don't think this is a simple either-or decision. Some things (URL's for example) are inherently digital, and are best kept in digital storage. Other things (to-do's, appointments, etc) can be kept wherever you feel most comfortable.

I, for example, am currently operating in a hybrid mode. My to-do's (projects, next actions, someday/maybe, and waiting-for) are kept on paper using a hipster PDA. My calendar is electronic. My project support materials are mostly electronic, but I occasionally need physical storage to keep things like brochures, tickets, snail mail, etc.

Ultimately, it comes down to: what do you trust, and what is going to be easiest for you to stick with.

Whatever you do, don't make it more complicated than it has to be. That way lies madness.

If you're having trouble deciding, then just try something -- even if you think there might be a better option you haven't explored yet. Give it at least 30 days, then evaluate.
 
PS. For your project support materials (eg. your giant text file)...

Consider splitting the giant text file into individual files for each project. Then keep those files close to where you'll be using them.

I use multiple computers. The one I use for work contains text files, bookmarks, MS Word docs, spreadsheets, code, etc. for work-related projects. My home computer contains the files I need to support the things I will only do on my home computer. For stuff that I might want to work on in both places, I either put it on a USB drive, on a shared hosting server, or some other web-based service (eg., I use del.icio.us for URL's that I may want to reference from any computer).

Also, make certain you always carry "capture materials". For me, this some blank 3x5 notecards and a pen. If you think of something you want to do or research, just jot it down and process it later that day -- this might mean transcribing it into your text files.

Finally, be certain that your project support files don't become a dumping ground for both to-do's and reference material. Your to-do's belong on "project" and "next action" lists. It is OK to keep a project plan in your reference file, but that should serve as input to your next actions; not as your to-do list.
 
I agree with jknecht. You don't have to choose. Use paper for some things and digital for others. Whatever works for you.
 
jknecht;59946 said:
Finally, be certain that your project support files don't become a dumping ground for both to-do's and reference material. Your to-do's belong on "project" and "next action" lists. It is OK to keep a project plan in your reference file, but that should serve as input to your next actions; not as your to-do list.
Click to expand...

Can you expound on this? I beleive that as you are thinking about and brainstorming a project you will generate a lot of todo's and reference info and just plain ideas that should all properly go in the file or files (physical and/or electronic) that are related to that project. Sure the specific next actions may not all be listed and at least in my projects a lot of things are actually mini-projects in and of themselves, but still a lot of todo stuff should be in the project file.

Why think of it again if you've already thought of it once?
 
Oogiem;59953 said:
Can you expound on this? I beleive that as you are thinking about and brainstorming a project you will generate a lot of todo's and reference info and just plain ideas that should all properly go in the file or files (physical and/or electronic) that are related to that project. Sure the specific next actions may not all be listed and at least in my projects a lot of things are actually mini-projects in and of themselves, but still a lot of todo stuff should be in the project file.

Why think of it again if you've already thought of it once?
Click to expand...

My point was not to say that you shouldn't do project planning and/or store future todo's in the project support materials. In fact, I agree with you that the project support files should include a project plan if it is in any way complex.

Rather, I was trying to suggest that the next action should not STAY in the support file. The next action belongs on a 'Next Action' list within the correct context so that you don't have to go hunting through all your project support files in order to decide what needs to be done next.

Of course, once you have completed the next action, you may need to consult your project support materials in order to know the next next action; and if you aren't going to do that next action right away, it should be recorded on your 'Next Action' list. The cycle repeats from there.
 
Paper or Digital

Brent;59948 said:
I agree with jknecht. You don't have to choose. Use paper for some things and digital for others. Whatever works for you.
Click to expand...

Actually the system David Allen describes that he uses is very hybrid. He says he collects low tech - paper and pencil - since it is much faster, but that he organizes high tech - palm device - essentially because it is compact and allows him to be productive anywhere (for which he has a high bias).

I sitll get caught up in having everything in one or the other, but I am finally getting away from it...
 
Don't try to set up the "perfect" system

I struggled with this for a while. If you try to be too perfect in setting up your system, you'll never use it. Just get something working and evaluate regularly whether or not you like it.

Paper is easy to start with, but if you want small and compact, go digital with your calendar and lists (that is, if you have a Palm or other PDA to go with it).

I do mostly digital organizing, but I still have a low-tech "Read and Review" bucket for things that take more that two minutes to read. I don't type those on lists. Also, I have support material in both paper and digital form. I manage both in a similar manner; having two mediums causes me no grief at all.
 
Thanks for all the input.
I have been putting off the initial collection because I couldn't decide on a system. I'll just go with txt files on my computer plus a few physical things and see how it goes.

Tomorrow's gonna be fun!
 
Monkeyget;59997 said:
Thanks for all the input.
I have been putting off the initial collection because I couldn't decide on a system. I'll just go with txt files on my computer plus a few physical things and see how it goes.
Click to expand...

If you're referring to putting your action lists in .txt files on your computer, I caution you that your lists will be out of sight and out of mind when you don't have your computer on and with you. So, when you have access to a phone but not your computer, do you have easy access to the list of all the phone calls you need to make? If not, your mind won't trust your system and if that happens, it's almost not worth having one.

If you want to keep your GTD system (calendar, lists, etc) in digital format, I strongly suggest you get yourself a PDA. David Allen uses the Palm, and I do, too.

If that's not an option but you still want to store things digitally and perhaps print them into a paper system for portability, I suggest you use organizing software like Microsoft Outlook (if you use it for e-mail already) or Palm Desktop, which is free. If you chose to get a Palm later, you could simply synch your data and you're in business.

Good luck!
 
One thing you might want to consider. The reason I've based my system on a PDA is that I want to have the basics with me wherever I am e.g. if you are at class, or any place out with your friends you can have a PDA with you and have schedule, all phone numbers, list of homework assignments, etc. with you.

Paper is nicer for some things, and I've dabbled with keeping a paper calendar IN ADDDITION to the calendar in my PDA.
 
Next Actions - On Computer

I'm a very tactile person and have just set up my system to be predominantly paper-based. However, I do a fair amount of emailing (unfortunately have to keep up three systems) and currently have a @Reply folder on each in addition to a paper-based "On Computer" next actions list. I'd prefer to be able to consolidate these 4 lists into one. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to do this? Does anyone separate "email" versus "on computer" (non-email) next action lists?
 
Contextualized system

I've been tinkering with my "system" for years and by now it's sort of contextualized. I keep my calendar on paper; I find PDA's too fiddly and not providing as good an overview. My lists etc are either on the computer or on paper in with my calendar (filofax loose leaf) depending on the context of the lists. The only drawback with a paper calendar is that it won't "ping" me, so when it's critical that I'm reminded of an appointment, I set the alarm on my cell phone.

Given that you don't have much e-mail, if it were me, I'd go predominantly paper and tweak it from there, ie move things to the computer when I got frustrated with the paper stuff.

Best wishes!
Christina
 
E-mail in the e-mail client

sarahnusser;60060 said:
Does anyone separate "email" versus "on computer" (non-email) next action lists?
Click to expand...

Hi Sarah,

I don't have e-mail tasks on lists, I have them in a "write to" folder within the e-mail program. Less to administrate that way. I keep them "unread", which makes the folder name bold face so I know I have things in there that needs attention without having to open the folder. Either I drag e-mails to reply to in there or I create a "draft" and drag it in there. I also keep "waiting for" replies to e-mails in an e-mail folder for the same reason, ie, easy to resend to remind people.

I have two different e-mail systems, one for work and one for personal. Because I don't do personal e-mailing at work and no work e-mail when I don't work, it works well. I actually prefer not to see my work e-mail when I'm not working and vice versa. I don't know how "discrete" your contexts are for the three different e-mail systems, but thought I'd offer that thought in case it applies to you too.

My "@computer" lists is either in Outlook (private) or Lotus Notes (for work) using their task functions. Easier access to look at when at my keyboard. It's also easy to create tasks from e-mails that way, that is, tasks that are different from simply answering the e-mail.

All the best,
Christina
 
sarahnusser;60060 said:
I'm a very tactile person and have just set up my system to be predominantly paper-based. However, I do a fair amount of emailing (unfortunately have to keep up three systems) and currently have a @Reply folder on each in addition to a paper-based "On Computer" next actions list. I'd prefer to be able to consolidate these 4 lists into one. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to do this? Does anyone separate "email" versus "on computer" (non-email) next action lists?
Click to expand...

The only way that I can think to consolidate your lists and actionable e-mail folders together is to put everything on your @Computer list and keep the actionable e-mails in an "Action Support" folder. However, that's not always desirable.

Here's how I manage my e-mail. I have three different e-mail accounts, two of them personal. I don't have access to my personal e-mail from work (access is blocked), so if I want to manage e-mail using my personal accounts I have to do it when I'm at home. Because I don't like to lump all of my home-based computer activities with odd jobs around the house, I've created an @Computer-Home context list.

Within each e-mail system, as David suggested in his article "Getting E-mail Under Control", I have an @Action folder and @Waiting For folder. These folders are really electronic-versions of "low-tech" reminder buckets. If I decide that an e-mail warrants a reply that will take longer than two minutes, or if it's a LONG e-mail that will take me longer than two minutes to figure out what it is and whether or not it's actionable, I move it to @Action. When permitted by the e-mail system, I change the subject line so that the first word is a reminder of my action (Read: [Subject], Reply: [Subject]) before moving it there.

I also have an _Action Support and _Waiting For Support folder in each system too (this was suggested in David's paper on setting up Outlook for GTD) in case I want to manage the reminders of the actions on one of my action lists and keep the e-mails as support material. If an e-mail is actionable but the action is not a > 2 minute reply or read, then I put the appropriate action on a context list and store the e-mail it in _Action Support.

By the way, I never move an e-mail that has a project embedded in it to the @Action folder (unless the first action is a > 2 minute initial reply stating that it's going to take some time to get back to the person) without defining the project and putting it on the Projects list. The @Action folder should only contain reminders of Next Actions that are handled within the e-mail system in which the message resides, not your Projects.

There's really no hard and fast rule for which option you should choose, but I wouldn't limit yourself to just one. Decide case-by-case what will trigger the reminders for each e-mail you get and go from there. You might want to check out David's free article "Getting E-mail Under Control" for more information and insight on this topic. It's available for free on this site.

Best regards!
 
Thanks Christina and ellobogrande. Christina, the simple idea of putting the "At Computer" next action list on the computer makes a lot of sense. I'm going to try that. Ellobogrande, thanks for the insights into your system and for suggesting the "Getting Control of Your Email" article. SPN
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top