Introduction / Operating System for Individual Use

aladdyn · Mar 1, 2015

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Hey!

My name is jon blondyn and I recently read an article about David Allen and the GTD methodology. After some research, I discovered this forum and wanted to share this / interact.

Following is my OS - essentially - a 'to-do list template'.

Each day, I copy this template into a word processor document and run through the process.

It has different 'elements', partitioned - if you will - into three levels, or areas of focus that pertain to one's life -

Future | Presence | Reflection

And a fairly simple interface for establishing metrics.

Always working to improve it - to make it more clean / orderly / efficient. Maybe David Allen or you already have/use something like this, too. Have only read that one article on him and the GTD protocol, but since most of you (i imagine) are familiar with his / your own work @ productivity, maybe you would like to help improve the OS.

Are these sort of projects done in this forum?

If anyone has questions just ask.

_______

[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]timeline(MARCH 2015);[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | Your Epic Story | Σ(0)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | Your Rome Voyage | Σ(0)[/FONT]
+/- | Your Aurora Remodel | Σ(0)

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]

_______[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace][/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace] xyz [/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace][/FONT]

+/- | in(xxyyzz) | out(xxyyzz) | Σ(x H, y M, z S)

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | in(xxyyzz) | out(xxyyzz) | Σ(x H, y M, z S)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace] +/- | NOW [/FONT]

+/- | practice

+/- | motivation

+/- | goal | iMetrics()

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | routine | iMetrics()[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | iFuture | iMetrics()[/FONT]

+/- | work

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]

_______[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace][/FONT]

+/- | idea(ponder) | /*properties*/

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | memory(capture) | /*properties*/[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | link(transfer protocol://) | /*properties*/[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | lesson(learning) | /*properties*/[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | reaction(catalyst) | /*properties*/[/FONT]

+/- | goal | iMetrics()
+/- | routine | iMetrics()

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | iFuture | iMetrics()[/FONT]

+/- | iFuture()

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | index()[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | os()[/FONT]

+/- | (0)

aladdyn · Mar 4, 2015

Is no one responding to this because -

1. Nobody likes 'the idea'

2. Nobody has any thoughts on 'the idea'

3. 'The idea' is old news

Or is somebody already working to turn this into an app?

cfoley · Mar 4, 2015

I'm afraid I don't know what most of the categories mean or what the whole thing is for. Examples:

Future | Presence | Reflection -- are these tasks with no deadline | tasks due today | overdue tasks?

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]timeline(MARCH 2015);[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | Your Epic Story | Σ(0)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]+/- | Your Rome Voyage | Σ(0)[/FONT]
+/- | Your Aurora Remodel | Σ(0)

Are these areas of focus, key parts of your system or examples specific to you?

What do clock, mantra, discipline, orientation, do and frame mean in your system? Are they related to the natural planning model somehow?

What's the system for? You posted on a GTD forum so I would usually expect to see ways of organising projects and actions with maybe some of the higher levels thrown in. But the language suggests it might be a more formulaic version of journalling tied to the upper levels.

Folke · Mar 4, 2015

For me, the reason why I have not commented is that I do not understand it.

But I might be able to pick out a few words here and there and comment on those. For example, you mention "metrics". I do not use any form of performance statistics. I judge my own achievement using my gut, and I do not keep track of how many minutes each task took or how many tasks I have checked off etc.

You also mention using the terms present, future and reflection as three "areas of focus". This does not ring a bell with me. My areas of focus I have defined more literally in terms of areas of responsibility. I have ten of those, grouped into three "spheres" of AoRs, namely Business, Non-Profit and Private.

The distinction I make between present and future comes only indirectly. Calendar actions typically belong in the future (until the day arrives). Ticklers typically also belong in the future. And so do subsequent project actions that cannot be started until other things have been completed. And in fact most next actions and waiting for actions, although perfectly completable (by me or someone else) any second now, usually will not be dealt with all at once and hence could be said to belong mainly in the future. Someday is also a kind of future. The most "present" tasks that I have to do or consider today I usually collect onto a focus list.

As for Reflection, this is something I actually find useful as a "context" - the contextual requirement of being clearheaded enough and in quiet enough surroundings etc. I also have contexts for Person (requiring the presence of some specific individual) and Out (errands), Base (home or one of the offices I typically work from) or Info (~ "anywhere").

TesTeq · Mar 4, 2015

aladdyn said:
Is no one responding to this because -

tl;dr
[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]?[/FONT]

aladdyn · Mar 5, 2015

Thanks guys...

it is now clear to me that i am counting on the comprehension of this 'mentalese' to translate as 'intuitive'...

translation: i must do a better job explaining.

Going to work on a coherent template tonight and will plan on having something for tomorrow.

jon

Oogiem · Mar 5, 2015

I didn't respond because it doesn't make any sense to me at all. Doesn't use GTD terms, not a programming language I know, doesn't seem to have anything for tracking actions, projects, areas of focus or anything related to GTD. So the whole post was meaningless to me.

Dave Edwards · Mar 5, 2015

I'd love to get a simpler explanation. I like to keep things simple. In my early days of GTD, I over designed my system. It got so complex that it imploded and I lost interest. Now, every time I tweak things it is to simplify. At this rate, I will be back on paper in the future.

kanwal · Mar 5, 2015

Because I'm an inveterate DIYer and the bulk of my for-profit activities involve designing and building something (whether a one-off prototype or a production quantity), there's a lot of actual inventory to keep track of.

GTD has helped me do better at identifying the temporal proximity of a project. This may be too fine-grained to really be GTD, and I admit to having yet to really understand contexts, but here is my set of sub-divisions for projects, and the computer filename prefixes I use...I've created some sample projects

_____________________

braindumps 352-001

TesTeq · Mar 6, 2015

Problems with electronic assets synchronization, cloud services unexpected unavailability and battery life were always biting me seriously in the worst moments. My paper lists are always synchronized, available and readable.

aladdyn · Mar 6, 2015

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]In the post to follow, an updated model of the original template.[/FONT]

Idea: This Operating System for Individual Use is a To-Do List that 'partitions' one's life into three parts:

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Future - (iFuture)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Present - (iPresence)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Past - (iReflect)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]It is structured via tags in a way that i find extremely straightforward to understand. [/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]For example:[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace] - begins here[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace] - ends here – (note the '/', which signifies the 'closing' or 'end' of an html tag)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Everything that takes place within these three levels of 'Spacetime' is designed to feature the various elements of your life.[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]As you read through this / discover whether or not this is worth your time, keep in mind that this template is to be copied / pasted into a Word Processor Document, and edited throughout the day as you take care of the routine tasks.[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]As your read through this, keep in mind – that for the time being – (for reasons of comprehension) - you are only to modify/change the values / elements that located within the (parenthesis)[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]The idea behind all of this is to establish a long-term track record of your efficiency / productivity, and improve.[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]This is good practice.[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]If you complete the line-item task by midnight, you modify the left column value of (+/-) to (+).[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]If you do not complete the line-item task by midnight, you modify the left column value of (+/-) to (-). [/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]If you have questions, or need a particular part clarified, please let me know.[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]Thanks[/FONT]

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]jon[/FONT]

aladdyn · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn · Mar 6, 2015

the thing is this:

there's way too much information to keep track of.

if you want to be on top of your game,

day by day by day

you need ORDER

you need METRICS

you need an APPROACH for gauging metrics on your productivity via an elementary, yet systematic formula.

whether or not you can benefit from this is directly correlated with how orderly you like to keep a day in the life.

as most of you, i like being organized,

and while there are a couple to-do list apps out there that look pretty cute,

i have yet to come across one that offers the level of structure that a Word-Processor can so simply accomplish.

(and if you have, please share)

if you work most of the day on your computer, partake in this experiment sometime over the weekend if you like:

1. on your desktop, create two folders - 0 and 1.

2. open word-processor document.

3. copy this template / paste template, save document as 'index' in folder '0'

4. open new document / paste template, save document as 'os362015' in folder '0'

You have just created the 'index' file - or clean template that you will copy / paste into the 'os362015' document - or Operating System that you will work through each day.

[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace]In my practice, i [/FONT]always saving the OS file with the corresponding date.

ie. today's OS is saved as os362015 - tomorrow's will be saved as os372015. Each day you 'load' (copy / paste) the clean index file at the top of the OS.

Thus, you have created a day by day by day track record (log) of your routine progress.

I wanted to share this so as to demonstrate how the process works, in correlation with the template I have posted.

For the time being, I am going to stop here and take time to answer any questions, comments, constructive critique.

Thanks,

jon

Oogiem · Mar 6, 2015

Still seems both overly complicated, confusing and not really related to GTD at all. There still is nothing related to next actions, contexts or projects.

If this is how you are implementing GTD then I think you need to go back and read the books all again as I think you've missed some really critical elements of the system.

What it does seem to do is track how much time you are spending on certain tasks but in a very convoluted and complex way. If you are in a job that requires that level of time tracking of projects then you should use a standard time tracking system.

If you are just using this to track goals IMO you need to rethink your whole approach. Why is it necessary to build such a system? What do you gain? What are you losing or ignoring by spending time updating and keeping this current? Does that really move you closer to your ideals?

IMO it looks like you are avoiding really thinking and progressing on your goals and projects by making busy work for yourself and thinking that you are really accomplishing something.

And I reiterate, there is nothing in here a that strikes me as related to GTD at all.

TesTeq · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn said:
[FONT=Nimbus Mono L, monospace][/FONT]

(+/-) | (Project#1) | Σ(+/- Sum Total of Days Worked On Project)

(+/-) | (Project#2) | Σ(+/- Sum Total of Days Worked On Project)

(+/-) | (Project#3) | Σ(+/- Sum Total of Days Worked On Project)

This is your future. Can you mark Project completed in the future?

Is this " | Σ(+/- Sum Total of Days Worked On Project)" an estimation of time needed to complete the Project?

TesTeq · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn said:
(+/-) | idea | (ponder)
(+/-) | memory | (capture)
(+/-) | learning | (lesson)

(+/-) | (goal) | (iMetrics)
(+/-) | (errand) | (iMetrics)
(+/-) | (iFuture) | (iMetrics)

(+/-) | (folder / file)

[/LEFT]

(iReflect) is Past. Why does it contain and (iFuture) to be marked "done" by midnight?

TesTeq · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn said:
ie. today's OS is saved as os362015 - tomorrow's will be saved as os372015. Each day you 'load' (copy / paste) the clean index file at the top of the OS.

os362015 and os372015 are file names. Why the "file number" increases by 10000 for two consecutive files?

bcmyers2112 · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn said:
My name is jon blondyn and I recently read an article about David Allen and the GTD methodology. After some research, I discovered this forum and wanted to share this / interact.

What you've posted here has nothing to do with GTD. Have you read Getting Things Done by David Allen? I'd recommend starting there for a better understanding of what it's all about.

While there are many powerful software tools designed to help you practice GTD, and more popping up each day, they are not necessary (and in some cases so complex as to be undesirable IMHO). The key to GTD is getting everything out of your head and into a system so easy to use that you won't resist using it. Paper or flat digital lists can serve just fine. If you read the book and think it might be useful, I'd focus on the techniques and principles rather than worrying about creating yet another tool at this stage of the game.

Oogiem · Mar 6, 2015

aladdyn said:
there's way too much information to keep track of.[/FONT]

if you want to be on top of your game,

day by day by day

you need ORDER

you need METRICS

you need an APPROACH for gauging metrics on your productivity via an elementary, yet systematic formula.

Why?

I don't see a need for any of that.

Instead:
If you want to be on top of your game, day by day you need to know what you need to do, you need to know what you can do right now with the time, tools and place available to you at this instant in time, you need to know what you can't do right now because you are missing some critical component (time, tool or location), you need to know what can wait till sometime in the future (if ever) and you need to make sure you've verified your assumptions about what goes into which bucket on a regular basis.

There really is no need to have any sort of specific order to your day or life, and you most definitely do not need to measure anything unless you are required to by your job or by law.

So again, this has nothing to do with practicing GTD methods to manage your life and projects.

aladdyn · Mar 7, 2015

Oogiem said:
Still seems both overly complicated, confusing and not really related to GTD at all. There still is nothing related to next actions, contexts or projects.

If this is how you are implementing GTD then I think you need to go back and read the books all again as I think you've missed some really critical elements of the system.

What it does seem to do is track how much time you are spending on certain tasks but in a very convoluted and complex way. If you are in a job that requires that level of time tracking of projects then you should use a standard time tracking system.

If you are just using this to track goals IMO you need to rethink your whole approach. Why is it necessary to build such a system? What do you gain? What are you losing or ignoring by spending time updating and keeping this current? Does that really move you closer to your ideals?

IMO it looks like you are avoiding really thinking and progressing on your goals and projects by making busy work for yourself and thinking that you are really accomplishing something.

And I reiterate, there is nothing in here a that strikes me as related to GTD at all.

You posted this exactly three minutes after my post - how long did it take you to type your response?

How much time did you spend thinking about anything that was actually posted?

Do you actually expect me to even read what you wrote in something akin to a serious context?

Introduction / Operating System for Individual Use

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