My computer is a mess

G

Galen Nagen

0
Can I use GTD to declutter my computer and other things? Each object could go through the workflow of 1. what is this, etc.

Can I use it to get rid of the clutter in my basement?

Hope this isn't a real dumb question.

GN
 
Yes!

Short answer: Yes! of course! and GTD will do it better than any other system you've tried, or probably ever will try. Beyond that only GTD (if you follow it correctly) will keep your system maintained.

Note: It's is often surprising how much stuff there really is on a computer, so this will almost certainly take longer than an afternoon. I'm pretty busy and it took me about 8 months of a few hours here and a few hours there to get it the way I like it.
 
It will pay off!

I took a couple of hours a few weeks ago to better organize my IE favorites at work. They were REALLY out of control! Now I have a nice alphabetical set of cascading menus that are a joy to use. I did a long overdue review and deleted many dead links.
 
Galen Nagen;81680 said:
Can I use GTD to declutter my computer and other things? Each object could go through the workflow of 1. what is this, etc.

Can I use it to get rid of the clutter in my basement?

Hope this isn't a real dumb question.

GN
Click to expand...

There are no dumb questions!

I was listening to the Road to Black Belt Webinars and Meg said she was going through rooms and anything that wasn't Reference, Equipment, Decoration or Supplies was something that needed to be collected and processed.

That really resonated with me as I've been struggling with how to use GTD to assist in house decluttering.

So yes, I think that GTD will certainly help solve that problem/project.
 
Of course!

you can use GTD to any aspect of your life. It is more a psychological thing that helps you organize yourself and your surrounding and increase your productivity.
 
Galen Nagen;81680 said:
Can I use GTD to declutter my computer and other things? Each object could go through the workflow of 1. what is this, etc.

Can I use it to get rid of the clutter in my basement?

Hope this isn't a real dumb question.

GN
Click to expand...

Hi Galen,

I use Todd V's Ready-Set-Do! scripts to unclutter and process all my files on my Mac; even when I'm not using the scripts directly I find that the initial order RSD imposed on my system, which is pretty rigidly GTD, is really helpful to me as it mirrors all of the other (non-electronic) elements of my system.
Whether or not you have a Mac, I'd suggest looking into a cloud-based sync solution if you think that would be useful for you. I'm using Dropbox for that effect, and with the automatic syncing of all changes across devices etc., I find that I don't have to deal with as much clutter as I can access my original file hierarchy on the go (e.g. project support and reference material).

Best,

F
 
to the op

Yes, you can use GTD to de-clutter those items.

Actually, you must. Otherwise they will get more (or less) of your attention than they deserve.

I'd recommend setting aside areas to organize instead of doing it all at once. It may be more important to get your desk and workspace cleaned off than to sort music on your computer, for instance.

I use GTD to clean my car or anything else. Anything that is not where I want it, how I want it, forever, goes onto a list as I notice it. This includes everything from "polish old shoes" to "clean out trunk" to "waiting for cell phone to charge".
 
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