I finished reading GTD all the way through for the third time, while on a business trip this week. To date, over the past couple of years I have taken some of David's ideas and applied them in my own work flow system - ideas such as 'trying' to keep my inbox empty, setting up action folders in email, the 2 minute rule etc. I even make lists that are contextual at times, but I haven't gone the whole hog and followed right through.
At the same time, I have also been partially using the Time of Your Life ideas (RPM/OPA) for those that are aware of the program by Anthony Robbins. This is more a covey-esque values based, roles based planning tool.
I have decided this week that I don't need to have one or the other. I can have both.
For me the strengths of GTD is in the day to day work-flow environment, keeping on top of stuff as it comes in, and keeping track of it all. And better utilization of those snippets of time where we can get things done. The shortfalls of Covey, Robbins etc are more along the lines of, you can plan your perfect day and then a big wave comes over at 8:30 in the morning and knocks you off your boat and your swimming with the sharks for the rest of the day.
The strengths though of RPM/OPA are more in the 20,000 ft up and larger project plans - especially in the areas where you can have multiple threads going through a project to achieve the larger outcome.
In my current role - newly appointed as President of a company, but also the only employee right now (this is a start up of a subsidiary with the aim of recruiting more people once we get cash flow going and sustainable growth) I am finding that I have to switch roles quickly from sales, to delivery, to strategic review, to accounts, to ordering stationary etc etc. I need to be able to be consistently aware of whats on my plate horizontally, but think vertically as needed as well.
Several months into this role I am finding some of my weaknesses are leading me to have to work harder to compensate and ultimately could limit the growth that I would otherwise achieve. In the past I was able to just work through these weaknesses, now I have so much, I don't have the luxury.
One of these weaknesses is in organization and filing. So the insights of David in this area, and record/note keeping etc, capturing everything was really useful. AND the idea of checklist is something I really like right now. I have been in this role long enough now, to review my main routine tasks and indentify an order to these processes in order that I can optimize them in terms of the workflow - a simple example here is that I frequently send to prospects both sales brochures but also technical manuals. Now, these are both located in separate folders and in fact file structures on my PC, so it always take a minute or so to switch between one and the other - now I have made a copy of these files into one folder where I can access them all immediately - it will work for 80% of the time - 80/20 rule!
In addition to re-reading GTD, and already being versant in OPA/RPM, I supplemented my reading with Managing Multiple Projects by Irene and Michale Tobis and also Taming the Paper Tiger at Work by Barbara Hemphill. Additionally, I am going to read the new Brian Tracy book on Time Management and I may get the Personal Efficiency Program by Kerry Gleeson. I had a look at this at the store today and liked some of the insights she had too.
I am learning that simlplicity is important but also adapting the systems so that they work for you is essential too.
I had tried in the past to make GTD fit into RPM/OPA. This doesn't work. Neither does OPA/RPM fit into GTD. But the too I believe can be operated together and supplementary with the main tools of GTD focused on the runway and 10,000 ft and OPA/RPM being more valuable as a system at 20,000 ft and upwards. So this is my core system. Then I am adding in additional insights from managing multiple projects and taming the paper tiger at work as I go along. It was really interesting reading all of these in a massive immersion - seeing so many similarities - Hemphill for example also talks about a two minute rule, and Tobis focus a lot on next actions. But there are differences and insights too. And they spark some questions - which I will ask in separate threads to facilitate the discussion.
So here I go. I am just starting the collection process at home this weekend. No small feat - moved home at the beginning of the year and started a new job too. Got a garage full of boxes that need processing. Maybe 100+ in total. So I don't think I'll be doing that this weekend, but I am starting on current first and doing a mind dump.
Paul
At the same time, I have also been partially using the Time of Your Life ideas (RPM/OPA) for those that are aware of the program by Anthony Robbins. This is more a covey-esque values based, roles based planning tool.
I have decided this week that I don't need to have one or the other. I can have both.
For me the strengths of GTD is in the day to day work-flow environment, keeping on top of stuff as it comes in, and keeping track of it all. And better utilization of those snippets of time where we can get things done. The shortfalls of Covey, Robbins etc are more along the lines of, you can plan your perfect day and then a big wave comes over at 8:30 in the morning and knocks you off your boat and your swimming with the sharks for the rest of the day.
The strengths though of RPM/OPA are more in the 20,000 ft up and larger project plans - especially in the areas where you can have multiple threads going through a project to achieve the larger outcome.
In my current role - newly appointed as President of a company, but also the only employee right now (this is a start up of a subsidiary with the aim of recruiting more people once we get cash flow going and sustainable growth) I am finding that I have to switch roles quickly from sales, to delivery, to strategic review, to accounts, to ordering stationary etc etc. I need to be able to be consistently aware of whats on my plate horizontally, but think vertically as needed as well.
Several months into this role I am finding some of my weaknesses are leading me to have to work harder to compensate and ultimately could limit the growth that I would otherwise achieve. In the past I was able to just work through these weaknesses, now I have so much, I don't have the luxury.
One of these weaknesses is in organization and filing. So the insights of David in this area, and record/note keeping etc, capturing everything was really useful. AND the idea of checklist is something I really like right now. I have been in this role long enough now, to review my main routine tasks and indentify an order to these processes in order that I can optimize them in terms of the workflow - a simple example here is that I frequently send to prospects both sales brochures but also technical manuals. Now, these are both located in separate folders and in fact file structures on my PC, so it always take a minute or so to switch between one and the other - now I have made a copy of these files into one folder where I can access them all immediately - it will work for 80% of the time - 80/20 rule!
In addition to re-reading GTD, and already being versant in OPA/RPM, I supplemented my reading with Managing Multiple Projects by Irene and Michale Tobis and also Taming the Paper Tiger at Work by Barbara Hemphill. Additionally, I am going to read the new Brian Tracy book on Time Management and I may get the Personal Efficiency Program by Kerry Gleeson. I had a look at this at the store today and liked some of the insights she had too.
I am learning that simlplicity is important but also adapting the systems so that they work for you is essential too.
I had tried in the past to make GTD fit into RPM/OPA. This doesn't work. Neither does OPA/RPM fit into GTD. But the too I believe can be operated together and supplementary with the main tools of GTD focused on the runway and 10,000 ft and OPA/RPM being more valuable as a system at 20,000 ft and upwards. So this is my core system. Then I am adding in additional insights from managing multiple projects and taming the paper tiger at work as I go along. It was really interesting reading all of these in a massive immersion - seeing so many similarities - Hemphill for example also talks about a two minute rule, and Tobis focus a lot on next actions. But there are differences and insights too. And they spark some questions - which I will ask in separate threads to facilitate the discussion.
So here I go. I am just starting the collection process at home this weekend. No small feat - moved home at the beginning of the year and started a new job too. Got a garage full of boxes that need processing. Maybe 100+ in total. So I don't think I'll be doing that this weekend, but I am starting on current first and doing a mind dump.
Paul
