Paper System: how do you use it?

[kewms]

I don't re-write the whole list of course. For example I have 15 emails to be written to my collegues. I always put myself in BCC field so when I get this email I know that I should do someting further with this email. In this case to follow-up in a few days. So I put a start date on this task and it appears when I need to see it again in my Action list.

I just can't imagine I have to re-write all those 15 emails in a paper system 15 times from one page to another

In this situation, I write on my (paper) calendar "Heard from J. Smith? Emailed him 5/23." If I need to actually look at the email, I know where to find it.

Just because your system is paper, that doesn't mean you can't use electronic reference materials.

Katherine

 

[pcm128]

I don't know how to post pictures, but I could find out in order to post pictures of my notebook and system if the 1000 words aren't clear enough. When I've got it fully refined I want to post a write-up on it.

Hope this helps,
JohnV474

John-

Can you post photos to Flickr/Picasa for us to see? Your system sounds very interesting, and I'd like to try it out.

 

[Borisoff]

In this situation, I write on my (paper) calendar "Heard from J. Smith? Emailed him 5/23." If I need to actually look at the email, I know where to find it.

Just because your system is paper, that doesn't mean you can't use electronic reference materials.

Katherine

I don't use tickler so my calender would be overwhelmed with "Heard from J. Smith? Emailed him 5/23." items So I'm convinced I'd stay with my super all electro setup.

 

[Trish]

Show us the system....asap. Love to see ppl's systems. Fascinates me.

 

[validatelife]

I use electronic GTD setup (Outlook+Palm 750v) and there's a lot of freedom in it for me. I just can't get how people can use paper based GTD setup. It seems very difficult to write down every email follow-up or move re-write compleated action with a new one. Can someone give an overview of his paper system (pictures would be great as well) and how he uses it on a daily basis?

Just curious.

Read about my hellish saga of cylcling through 3-4 gtd systems here (with various software approaches, or capturing-collection bin approaches from audio to whiteboard to legal pad to google notebooks, to slips of paper, etc.)

In a nutshell, although this may sound tediously arduous, I'd recommend swinging from extremes. Try ALL paper and then try ALL electronic with whatever components of your system is plausible. Then find a happy balance.

The last thing you want is what I had. You spend all your time checking the dozens of hard-copy and soft-copy collection buckets, instead of just getting things done.

One thing i may do just to regain balance is just have a master list of whatever my mind comes to (emails, projects, web updates) and then append an E, P, or W to the specific items. I need to work on priorities to, to avoid, for example, writing extremely lengthy posts on great forums like this, which, while isnightful to myself and possibly others, is relatiely less important than other things I need to do until those other things are done.

Brian Tracy talks about urgent-important A,B,C,D priorities, which is great.

 

[sdann]

Although I do have my NAs and project system electronically, I still will print out an NA list which I use to highlight done items (I learned that here) and to write down the new NAs. I do this daily. I love the ease of the electronic file, but I also need the physical reality of the paper printout, that I can then manually alter. It is the same with note-taking; although I could easily type in notes from webinars or teleseminars or pdf articles or what-have-yous, I still like to take notes manually. They are the same notes, but to me the latter are more real.

 

[JohnV474]

Will post asap

I will get pictures of my system and post it ASAP... it has officially been put into my Next Actions list. ;-)

JohnV474

 

[jknecht]

Forget paper... I'm switching to this: http://www.worldwidefred.com/todotattoo.htm

 

[Day Owl]

Forget paper... I'm switching to this: http://www.worldwidefred.com/todotattoo.htm

And it's eco-friendly, too!

 

[sdann]

and the rest of the to do list can go on your leg.

 

[vatark]

and the rest of the to do list can go on your leg.

And you can't wash until you've completed them :-D

 

[Dawn]

I realize that this is an old thread, but I had some time on my hands today and have been catching up on my reading.

I use electronic GTD setup (Outlook+Palm 750v) and there's a lot of freedom in it for me. I just can't get how people can use paper based GTD setup. It seems very difficult to write down every email follow-up or move re-write compleated action with a new one.

I just can't imagine I have to re-write all those 15 emails in a paper system 15 times from one page to another.

I don't rewrite anything. If I send an e-mail message to someone that requires a response or action on their part, I note it on my Waiting For list: date/time, contact name, what I'm waiting for (a reply, a document, etc.). If I need the reply by a certain date, I put a reminder on my calendar. It takes less than a minute to do this - probably less than 30 seconds. Sure, if I am doing a batch of several e-mail messages at once, it will take a few extra minutes to note them all on my WF list; however, there are things that take a few extra seconds to do in an electronic system. It's six of one, half a dozen of another.

For NA lists, I write the item one time (just as you would type it one time into the computer), and it stays on the page until it is done, just as projects stay on the Projects list until they are completed. I don't make new lists every day; that would defeat the purpose. Maybe I don't understand the question, which is entirely possible, since most of the time I don't understand the "issues" that are highlighted on these forums. I understand that people have preferences about whether to use electronic, paper, or hybrid systems; I just don't understand why there is a general feeling that a paper system is more complicated or requires more work. I think that any system is as simple or as complicated as the user makes it. I confess that I find most of the systems described in the various threads here to be fairly complicated, but hey - as long as they work for the individuals who use them. . .

 

[kewms]

I understand that people have preferences about whether to use electronic, paper, or hybrid systems; I just don't understand why there is a general feeling that a paper system is more complicated or requires more work. I think that any system is as simple or as complicated as the user makes it. I confess that I find most of the systems described in the various threads here to be fairly complicated, but hey - as long as they work for the individuals who use them. . .

I think the people who use electronic systems think paper systems are complicated, while the people who use paper systems think electronic systems are complicated.

In particular, people who depend on electronic reminders, searchability, and linkability believe that there's no simple way to implement these things in a paper system. People who use paper systems either don't find these things important or have some index scheme which seems simple to them, but complex to others.

Katherine

 

[Brent]

I think the people who use electronic systems think paper systems are complicated, while the people who use paper systems think electronic systems are complicated.

Respectfully disagree. I think people use paper because it works for them, or an electronic device because it works for them. Many of us have tried both, and prefer one or the other. Also, some of us use hybrid systems.

 

[kewms]

Respectfully disagree. I think people use paper because it works for them, or an electronic device because it works for them. Many of us have tried both, and prefer one or the other. Also, some of us use hybrid systems.

Well yes, like all generalizations that one has some limits. But it's been my observation that complexity is one of the main reasons people cite for moving from one to the other. Paper works for me *because* it's less complex (to me).

Katherine

 

[sdhill]

Irrespective of whether people are using a paper-based system, an electronic one or a combination of the two there does seem to be a disproportionate number of people who over-complicate their systems in the name of getting things done. If there's one thing about GTD that I understood immediately when I read the book it was that keeping things as simple as possible was key......

 

[sdann]

I have an electronic task program and I use a paper-based calendar. I will often print out my task lists. In the past I had never considered myself as someone who needs paper tools. I have found, though, I thrive in an environment that combines the physical tools with the virtual organization.

I believe the complexity or simplicity of a system varies with each person. Some function best in one format or another, and others in a personalized concoction.

 

[Dawn]

Irrespective of whether people are using a paper-based system, an electronic one or a combination of the two there does seem to be a disproportionate number of people who over-complicate their systems in the name of getting things done.

My point, exactly. Even though my paper-based system doubles as a vehicle for creative expression, I bet I still spend less time fiddling with mine than many here seem to - based on the descriptions of the various systems. I wonder if some of the people who abandon GTD have merely, for one reason or another, made their particular system too complicated?

 

[moosie]

I *heart* OmniFocus

I've noticed that I'm likely to fall off the GTD wagon when my job doesn't easily fit my version of GTD. In my current job, I am handed one task at a time and have nothing else to work on. (BORING!!!!). I started missing GTD, though, and it was the butt kick I needed to get our home life under control.

Currently, I use OmniFocus on both my iPhone and MBP. I've discovered that since OF was released for the iPhone, I've become MUCH more dependent on the phone and less so on the paper. (I do still carry a moleskine, just in case, but I find the phone so much easier to use. !!!! Yes, surprised me too!)

I never thought I'd be so dependent on an electronic GTD system, but I think the ability to run it (perfectly) off of my phone and sync to the MBP when I get home at the end of the night makes it much easier than having to deal with my old paper method.

 

[earthfriend]

My paper-based system

This is how my system goes:

1 box for paper recycling - all paper stuff to toss
1 box for files, sorted into manila folders (a primitive filing cabinet)
1 box for miscellaneous stuff to sort later. Whenever I finish with something but may need it later I chuck it in this box. When it fills up I have a sorting session in which I sort all this stuff into the correct manila folders in the "filing" box

4 desk trays - IN tray, current project/action support material, support material for regular/ongoing projects and actions, support material for someday/maybes

1 big A4 sized diary/calender combined. All events and due dates and day-specific actions are marked in pen. All "maybes" (things that aren't essential) I sketch in pencil. Each evening I go through my action lists and use them to pencil in a rough sketch for a time-specific to-do list for the next day.

I also have a shelf with some other document trays:
-Clean paper and stationary resources
-Current reference material

And next to my bed:
-Reading/review material
-Borrowed items

I've got one binder folder on my desk with lots of spare clean sheets of paper in the front. Inside is a 5-divider system which runs as follows:

1 - "One time" actions and projects:
Agendas sheet (listed as name - issue)
Decisions to make (this one's essential for me as I'm a really slow decision-maker)
Actions lists by context (home, computer, phone, out, anywhere etc)
Projects list
Someday/maybe projects

2 - "Recurring" actions and projects:
Daily action list
Daily "credit" list (another personalised one - things that are good to do as a bonus eg. be assertive, write a diary entry)
Weekly action list

3
"One-time" ideas lists:
Someday/maybes
Books to obtain/read (obtained = "-" on the left; read = "+". Same for similar lists)
Food to buy/use up
Miscellaneous ideas
Music to obtain/listen to
Research topics
Things to attend/enrol in
Websites to visit
Writing ideas

4 "Regular" ideas lists:
Feldenkrais exercises
Meditation techniques
Piano practice methods
Recipes (2 lists - quick and slow)
Quotes
Restaurants
Things to do in leisure time

5 Reference lists:
Address&phone sheet
Tram timetable sheet
Misc personal details

I carry a small notebook and pencil in my pocket all day to take notes; at the end of the day I tear off the top page and put it into the IN box, which I then go through.

Cheers!