Trusted system - best practices

[wbc]

Hi there!

I have some difficulties with choosing my trusted system. What do you use as your trusted system? Do I have to carry my trusted system everywhere I go?
I have a paperbased system right now and it is kind of bulky so I tend to leave it at home. Any recommendations / best practices?

Wolfgang

 

[arthur]

Here is my post from another thread. It seems applicable here wbc. Pretty basic. This is my trusted system. I carry mine around becuase I collect things that may be important. You never know?

Make things simpler. I would get rid of them all except for your Treo, computer and some basic notepads. (But this is just me!) Here is my setup in order of importance,

1. Treo – The main app I use on my Treo 700p is Bonsai. It synchronizes beautifully with my home computer. And if I’m on my computer, I put stuff into Bonsai. If I’m on the road I put things into Bonsai from my Treo. All things easily synched up through Bonsai. Plus I get my outlook calendar and contacts on my Treo! An awesome setup! The best smartphone, Period.

2. 4 x 6 notepads – Mainly for home use when I have a thought, I write them down and put them in my inbox, sort later.

3. Straight Line Files –Just my filing cabinet. Very organized.

Those 3 are what I use, with the exception of a few notebooks for school but they have their place. My decks are completely clear. You might want to weed out the things you don’t use. Make it as SIMPLE as possible. You may be too attached to certain things. I also went through a period where I tried a bazillion different things where I came to my final setup. I love throwing things out that don’t work. Haha, it’s true. I threw out my Palm T3 when I got my new Treo 700p. To me, my Palm T3 was taking up precious psychic ram.

Remember, everything in your space is taking up psychic ram too. Prioritize, what do you really need to make it work -and only use that. Make it as simple as possible and your life will get easier. Remember David Allen, "you can do anything in your life but not everything". I'm off the soapbox now.

-art

P.S. It’s amazing what a good nights sleep can cure.

 

[ScottL]

Do I have to carry my trusted system everywhere I go?

Wolfgang

If I didn't, it would not work for me. Thus I use a PDA which I keep in my pants pocket.

My software is probably overcomplicated for many, so I'll leave it at that recommendation.

 

[GTDWorks]

My trusted system has gone through a few iterations before coming to rest on this simple but very efficient system:

1. I use iCal as my personal information system (MacBook Pro laptop). It is the core of my system and everything goes there for calendar and task storage.

2. I use an HP iPAQ 2795 PDA that I either clip on my belt or most often store in my briefcase. It mirrors my Mac desktop (www.markspace.com) and is used for reference (calendar, task review, contacts) while on the road or away from the MacBook.

3. My capture tool most often used out of office is the Notetaker wallet from Davidco. I capture so much in this little thing, which I process when I return to the office. I couldn't do without this part of my system for simple elegance and efficiency in capture.

4. I use a simple A-Z filing system at the office with printed labels - so neat and easy to find things. No more hanging files!

5. I keep a Day-Timer 2-page per day binder on my desk so that I can keep a running journal of my daily activities. It helps for recording my activities when I develop my monthly report to the board and is a note pad of sorts while on the phone or during a meeting with a direct report. All Projects and Next Actions recorded here during the day are added to iCAL at day's end or during the Weekly Review.

The only change I'll be making soon is in the cell phone I use. I hope to transition to a Treo 700 wx in the next month or so so that my administrative assistant can respond to appointments that come in during the day or make changes while I'm out of the office.

 

[Trish]

oh lordy

GTDworks,
I just checked out the ical on my Mac, and wow, it is awesome. Can you sync that thing to a TREO? Is that what that link was about? I can't believe I could figure all that out.

Can you categorize your NA's somehow? Mine just shows home and work. That would never do. Love the color coding though.

I hate to admit it, esp after my last post about 5 minutes ago, but this is very tempting. It's all right here.....hmmm.

I don't like the addition of the DayTimer two page thing, but I can sure see why you use it.

---Trish

 

[wbc]

Wow... thank you for all your replies!

I think there is no single tool for my trusted system that I can afford. I wanted to have just one thing to carry arround which includes my calendar, my NA lists and my thoughts capturing tool.
But if you combine these things in one paperbased organizer this gets bulky and I resist to carry this bulky thing arround. That is the reason why my system is most of the time not current enough to work with it.

If you know a system consisting of a calendar (2 pages per week view) and room for lots of lists (NA,project,waiting for,someday/maybe,...), which is not bulky and can be carried arround in the pocket of a jacket, please let me know.

Wolfgang

 

[GTDWorks]

Trish,

You can sync your Treo to it - Missing Sync by Markspace.

Go to File and choose "New Calendar. it will give you what you need to create any calendar you wish for your tasks and/or calendar. You can even choose the colors!

No, the Day-Timer is not a perfect solution but it helps me do what I need to do until I find another solution.

 

[Trish]

Up all night but I did it!

Now have Treo outfitted with Markspace and synced to my ical.

This could be very simple and cool. Everything looks so neat it makes me almost want to start busting through my lists.

But hey:

Here's one of my first questions for you: Is there a way to attach a phone number and info from my address book to my call task list without copying the thing all over and switching back and forth between screens (that disappear when you go from one to another?) :-|

Learning curve increasing---

Trish

 

[Trish]

WBC you need a palm or a treo

---and you should buy one off of eBay to save money.

Trish

 

[kewms]

If you want a paper solution, you might look at the DayTimer wirebound styles, such as this one: http://day-planner.daytimer.com/Pla.../193F7BBE9874412194A63163AAFD6BB8/False/98015

They give you a month of pages in one wirebound booklet (3.5" x 6.5"), with accompanying notepads the same size. I'm sure Franklin Covey and DayRunner have similar stuff.

Fitting a complete paper-based system into something that will fit in a jacket pocket is inherently difficult. Depending on how complex your life is, you may find that it just isn't possible to carry *everything.* Only you can decide what you're willing to leave behind.

Katherine

 

[Cpu_Modern]

Hi there!

I have some difficulties with choosing my trusted system. What do you use as your trusted system? Do I have to carry my trusted system everywhere I go?
I have a paperbased system right now and it is kind of bulky so I tend to leave it at home. Any recommendations / best practices?

Wolfgang

three balls to play:
1. Is it necessary for you to carry your system everywhere you go?

2. Maybe all you need is a tool to capture new stuff? The UCD.

3. I found what they call the Hipster-PDA a usefull tool.

 

[Max]

Defining Trustd System

I view my trusted system as:

• slimline 5.5"x8.5" binder / planner
• project support folders
• reference filing cabinet
• PC desktop applications
• moleskine
• Hipster PDA
• tickler files
• G2 pen
• space pen

Hmmm, I am not going to carry around all that. But all those things are part of my trusted system. The thing is, your system is not one item (a planner, TREO, etc). It is a collection of things.
What you really need to decide is 1) where are you going, and B) what do you need to take?

Even though your system is paper-based that does not mean you have to lug a heavy binder with you everywhere. Just take the parts you need.

 

[WebR0ver]

three balls to play:
1. Is it necessary for you to carry your system everywhere you go?

2. Maybe all you need is a tool to capture new stuff? .

Parts of the system you may need to carry:
Calendar
Contacts - what you need 99% of the time, may already be in your cell phone.
@Errands (including lists such as "Books I want to read", "Items I want to buy at ___", It's frustrating to find yourself in the library or bookstore without your list.)

Capture tool (something small)

Consider splitting your system into two parts- a small one that goes everywhere with you (and fits in a pocket) and the rest of it.

 

[eeckberg]

The Portable and The Bulky

In my line of work, my most important contacts are on my cell phone and I very seldom need anything other than their phone number. I do have a Palm LifeDrive, but I don't find myself using for much other than music and audio books.

No matter where I go, I always have a capture tool with me. It might be just a few 3x5 cards in a pocket, a small notebook, or a letter-sized pad holder. It just depends on where I'm headed. Out to dinner with family only requires some index cards, but a meeting with a client means a full letter pad for notes. I may also need to take the apporpriate project folders if it's a client meeting. I sometimes have to do that for dinner out if we need to talk about some household projects.

My main GTD system is a letter-sized binder with tabs set up as David Allen describes in the paper planner whitepaper. This also goes with me everywhere, but usually just stays in the car if I'm somewherr other than the office or home. This binder can hold some file folders in the inside pocket which usually means I have my family Agenda folders along with "IN", "To Home" and "To Office".

 

[wbc]

Too bulky to take it everywhere I go

My main GTD system is a letter-sized binder with tabs set up as David Allen describes in the paper planner whitepaper. This also goes with me everywhere, but usually just stays in the car if I'm somewherr other than the office or home.

Now here we have my problem again
I think it would be much better to have a calendar + NA lists in one system which you can carry arround in the pocket of your jacket. But I think there is no paper based system which can fullfill my needs, because if I have a binder/organizer/planner which holds a calandar and my lists it gets to bulky.

Any idea... or product you can recomend?

Wolfgang

 

[AdamMiller81]

It has been mentioned in this thread previously, but have you looked at the Hipster PDA? Seems like this is set up to be a lot of what you're looking for.

 

[wbc]

It has been mentioned in this thread previously, but have you looked at the Hipster PDA? Seems like this is set up to be a lot of what you're looking for.

I have looked at the Hipster PDA and this in not realy what I am looking for.
I am more looking for something like this:
http://www.filofaxusa.com/slim7x4witsi.html

I've already tried it and this is a little bit to small to handle not only the calendar but also various NA lists.

Ok maybe I have to accept a compromise and use either seperate things for calendar and lists or use a bulky organizer...

 

[kewms]

I've already tried it and this is a little bit to small to handle not only the calendar but also various NA lists.

Ok maybe I have to accept a compromise and use either seperate things for calendar and lists or use a bulky organizer...

Well, if a slimline pocket organizer is too small and a standard desk organizer is too big, you aren't leaving yourself a whole lot of choices....

* You can attempt to roll your own solution in some way, for instance by combining the DIY Planner cardstock templates with something like a Levenger 3x5 card wallet. (Essentially making an upscale Hipster PDA.) This may work, or may just delay the inevitable.

* You can compromise, decide that you don't need to carry everything, and figure out the best way to split your system into portable and non-portable components. (This is my solution, FWIW.)

* You can decide that carrying everything is important enough to justify the bulk an organizer entails.

* You can decide that you really need to carry everything, but can't tolerate the bulk of an organizer, and go electronic.

* You can try whatever solution is the closest to what you want for three months and see if maybe it will work after all. For example, you might find *not* carrying your NA lists around to be liberating, rather than limiting.

Katherine

 

[eeckberg]

Pocket Calendar

wbc,

For me, it all depended on what I most often needed with me. I very seldom needed to look at a calendar if I was away from my desk. If that wasn't the case, then I would use a pocket calendar like you mentioned. It all comes down to what do you need with you most often? Do you make appointments on the run? Do you really need your entire collection of NAs with you out of the office, or just the Anywhere & Out Of Office context lists? It's okay to split them up into different sizes, if necessary. My Errands and Shopping Lists are on pocket index cards, but everything else is Letter-Sized pages in a binder.

I don't think there is always a one tool answer for every aspect of GTD. As has been mentioned in this forum plenty of times, it's the process, not the tool(s).

Eric