David Allen's Blog, page 38

Episode #44: GTD for Creative People

Musician Evan Taubenfeld and entertainment lawyer Danny Passman join David Allen and Coach Kelly Forrister in an inspiring conversation about GTD for creative people. Lots of wonderful nuggets in this episode about finding the creative spark within the structure of a GTD system.

 

Listen Now—GTD for Creative People


 

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GTD & Nirvana Setup Guide

We’re excited to release a guide that many people have requested over the years–GTD & Nirvana. This elegant app, built with GTD in mind, is a great option for managing your lists.

This new GTD & Nirvana Guide will show you how to:

– Understand the fundamental GTD best practices

– Optimally configure Nirvana in the way we have found works best for GTD

– Integrate your actionable email

– Create project, next actions, waiting for, and someday/maybe lists in Nirvana

– Manage useful reference lists

– Use tags effectively

… and much more

Available as a PDF download from the GTD Shop.

Not a Nirvana user? We also have GTD guides for many other popular tools we have found to work well for implementing GTD.

 

 

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Doug’s GTD Story

Tell us a little about you and your work

My name is Doug Crane and I am a librarian by profession for over 22 years. I currently have the honor to serve as Director of the Palm Beach County Library System in southeast Florida where I oversee the major executive functions of a busy seventeen-branch public library system.

 

 

How did you hear about GTD?

Not surprisingly, I found it at the library as an audiobook version on CD! I was looking for a better way to stay organized and keep on top of my work, so the title caught my eye. As I listened to David Allen’s voice reading his book on my commute home, I connected with the material very quickly. At that point, I knew that GTD was for me.

How long have you been practicing GTD?

I started in 2011. I am one of those excited people who dove in head first and did a total implementation of the GTD process within the first month. One of the best support tools for the early years of practice was the 10 CD set of David Allen’s complete GTD two-day seminar. I pretty much listened to it on repeat in my car. Each time I listened, it took me deeper into the GTD process. I still dive into seminar from time to time for a refresher.

How has GTD made a difference in your work and life?

Within three years of implementing GTD, I promoted from a Branch Manager to Director of the entire library system. GTD provided me with a level of clarity and focus to my work that was not possible without it. The understanding on how to function effectively as an executive completely transformed my approach to knowledge work. The practice of capturing what has my attention and putting reminders into a trusted system for work and life is an essential skill in this busy age.

On a deeper professional level, I am exploring how productivity and efficiency practices intersect with the values and principles of librarianship. I recently wrote an article on the topic called “Efficient Librarianship: A New Path for the Profession” that was published in Public Libraries magazine, a major trade publication. I believe that GTD practices map on to the core principles of librarianship as my profession transforms to meet the needs of our members in the digital age.

What areas of GTD are you doing really well (or at least better than you used to)?

I have run with Inbox Zero (paper and electronic) for seven years. It was one of the first parts of GTD that I implemented and found to be a huge game changer. Processing the inbox every 24-48 is an easy win and huge stress reducer. I love it.

What areas of GTD would you like to get even better at doing?

Like most people, keeping an up-to-date project list is my Achilles Heel. I have tried several different approaches, but unfortunately found it easy to let the project list slide when I am busy. Of all the areas of GTD it is the one that I need to keep working on.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out with GTD?

I have been sharing GTD and related productivity practices with my colleagues in Florida and across the country through book talks and seminars for many years. I love communicating this information and getting people hooked on the process. For those who are reluctant or skeptical, I challenge them to try out the Two Minute Rule. It is simple to implement and provides immediate positive feedback. For anyone starting out, it is an easy path to quick wins at work.

For more GTD stories like this, visit GTDConnect.com.

 

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What are the Best Apps for GTD?

A question we often get from the GTD community is, “What are the best apps for GTD?” While we would love to give you a simple

answer that tells you exactly what to use, it’s not as simple as that.

 

GTD is tool neutral

One of the first things to understand is that GTD is tool neutral. That’s the good news! As long as you understand the methodology, you have many options for which tools to use for your implementation. You won’t be restricted with using a single tool that David Allen has deemed the one and only way to successfully implement this methodology. In reality, your GTD setup will very likely include a variety of tools, such as a list manager, a calendar, your email, and tools for storing reference.

 

Start with a list manager

One of the primary tools you will need for your GTD implementation is a list manager. This is a place to store your lists and is most often what people mean when they ask what the best app is for GTD. In the Getting Things Done book, David Allen recommends starting off with 10 lists:

Projects
Next Actions sorted by context: Agendas, Anywhere, Calls, Computer, Errands, Home, Office
Waiting For
Someday/Maybe

If you’ve been searching for a GTD app or done a search for “GTD software,” you know your choices for list managers are seemingly endless. To see the ones we have extensively tested to know they will work for GTD, check out our official GTD Setup Guides. Some of the more popular list managers include Outlook®, Nirvana®, Todoist®, Trello®, OmniFocus®, Wunderlist®, Google Tasks®, iOS Reminders®, Evernote®, OneNote®, and Things®.

 

Questions to help you choose a list manager for GTD




Are there any tools already in place that you plan/need to still use?
Where is your email? Not required, but certainly helps to have your email and lists near each other.
Who else needs to see your data? Will you want sharing/collaboration features?
What do you tend to be drawn to—paper or digital? Many very tech-savvy people use paper list managers.
Is security a concern? Does your company require your data to be stored in certain places?
Do you want cloud access or local?
What are you willing to carry around?
What tools are you already familiar with?
Would you trust putting almost anything into it?
Is it scalable?
Can you easily learn how to use it?
What are you willing to pay for it?
What does it need to sync to?

 

Resources for setting up apps for GTD

The official GTD Setup Guides

Coaching by our Global Partners

Webinars & videos on GTD Connect

Is there a perfect GTD system out there? Yes, it’s the one you trust and use so your mind is free.

 

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What is GTD?

Keys to the GTD® Methodology

People often ask us, “So, what is GTD?” If you’re new to GTD or have been looking for a succinct way to explain it to others, check out this short video where David Allen shares the keys to the Getting Things Done® methodology. Hear why GTD can help you feel more in control and give you greater perspective, personally and professionally.

 

Learning GTD

There are a number of ways to learn GTD, including reading the Getting Things Done book, the courses and individual coaching offered by our global partners, and our online learning center GTD Connect®. 

 

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20 Things GTD is Not

GTD is not about managing time better

It’s about managing your attention

GTD is not about having better control over the world

It’s about being in control on where you put your focus

GTD is not about setting plans and achieving fixed goals

It’s about having the freedom to explore options

GTD is not about playing safe

It’s about being ready for surprises

GTD is not doing more hard work

It’s about doing the right thing at the right time

GTD is not about being busier

It’s about making trusted choices at any given moment

GTD is not about creating a perfect plan

It’s about having the speed to maneuver to seize opportunities

GTD is not about reaching a perfect state

It’s about giving you maximum flexibility

GTD is not about doing things early

It’s about doing things just in time

GTD is not about changing the world

It’s about how you engage with the world

GTD is not about being more disciplined

It’s about going in the direction to your desired outcomes

GTD is not about always being in your zone

It’s about the speed to get back on when you fall off.

GTD is not about not being messy

It’s about giving you the freedom to make a mess

GTD is not just about Getting Things Done

It’s about being fully present with what you’re doing

GTD is not about being smart all the time

It’s about making smart choices when you’re feeling dumb and lazy

GTD is not about doing everything on your list

It’s about feeling good about the things that you’re not doing

GTD does not feed you solutions to your problems

It puts you in the driver’s seat to find your own solutions

GTD is not about setting priorities

It’s about getting clarity what your priorities are

GTD is not about giving your life a purpose

It’s about discovering your life’s purpose

GTD Mastery is not a destination

It’s a lifelong path of Mastery

 

Thanks to Mohammed Ali Vakil, one of our Certified Trainers in India, for this wonderful list.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Resistance to To-Do Lists

The main reason people resist to-do lists

I understand the resistance to to-do lists, and the complaints about keeping them. I’ve noticed a couple of reasons for this. The main one is that most to-do lists are incomplete lists of still un-clarified “stuff.” Looking at them creates as much stress as they might have relieved in the first place. Typically what people have on their lists (if they have them at all) are things like “Mom,” and “bank,” and “marketing VP.” It’s great that they have captured something that has their attention, but there are still critical decisions to make with some critical thinking about that content. Why “Mom?” Well, her birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. What are you going to do about Mom’s birthday? Well, I’m not sure yet. So, looking at “Mom” on a list reminds you of thinking and decision-making you haven’t done yet. And, at the moment, you don’t have the energy or mental bandwidth to think or make that decision. So, some part of you says, “Stop reminding me that I’m overwhelmed!”

So, it’s not to-do lists per se that are uncomfortable—it’s just that the content of them is still unclear. If you have determined a specific next action about “Mom,” such as “Call sister” to get her input on how to celebrate mom’s birthday, that item on a “Calls” list will be a lot more attractive and easy to engage with. I doubt anyone would say that a grocery list is a bad thing when you go to the market to shop for Mom’s birthday dinner, no matter how big the list.

 

If your list are incomplete, you’ll resist them

A second reason there may be a resistance to to-do lists is that they are often incomplete, so you really won’t trust either your lists or your brain to give you the full story. There are things on your lists, but there are still many things in your head you’re trying to track and be reminded about. (And your head is a terrible office!) So, you don’t trust that the contents of your “external brain” have really captured it all, and then you can’t trust either your system or your head. This is a major source of mental fatigue and stress for most people.

 

So, what are your options?

So, what are your options? Simply put, keep track of all your commitments out of your head, on lists, or none of them! I would be fascinated if someone could intellectually justify halfway in-between. Either your head is the place to hold your reminders, or it isn’t. (You can guess my answer.) I find it somewhat amusing that people in our courses get upset with us because of the size of their lists. Look—those are their lists, not ours!

And the problem with having any reminders of commitments you’ve made kept in your head, is that the place that holds them in your psyche seems to have no sense of past or future. They are all “Do now!” messages in that place. So you’ll be awakened at 3am with the thought about Mom’s birthday, when you can’t do anything about it. Stress.

That said, if you already have, can, or would like to simplify your life such that you keep track of nothing in an external system, and you simply follow your internal hunches and inclinations, with the appropriate things showing up spontaneously for you to focus on, in the moment—yay! I love doing nothing, planning nothing, and doing what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it. But I still need to keep track of the things I need to do, to justify the money I’m asking my clients to pay me for what I may be doing for them. That requires that I keep track of appointments, phone numbers, projects to complete, and actions I need to take, to produce the value I’m asked to be producing for them.

 

The Solution

Gravitating away from to-do lists? Either keep them or don’t.

–David Allen

 

This essay appeared in David Allen’s Productive Living Newsletter. Subscribe for free here.

 

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What to know about GTD Setup Guides

About GTD Setup Guides 

The GTD methodology is software neutral. Some software will certainly work better than others, but it means that the apps you use for your GTD implementation are up to you. Over the past 15 years, we’ve built up a library of GTD setup guides for the most common software apps. Each guide goes through a rigorous vetting process by the David Allen Company team to ensure it will work well for a wide range of people. For us to write a guide, it also needs to be an app that has good traction in the GTD community, given the considerable investment of time, expense, and effort we put into each guide.

 

GTD & Outlook

The first GTD guide we ever created was Outlook® 2003 for Windows. We had some corporate clients using it and we needed to give them a good summary of our best practices for Outlook, so they could implement GTD throughout their organizations. By the way, that first guide was 10x the price we offer them these days, as we have streamlined how we produce the guides and can make them more affordable for more people. Since that first guide, we’ve created guides for Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. The 2013/2016 versions have minimal differences (mostly cosmetic), so those are a combined guide.

Throughout all of those versions of the Outlook guide, we have recommended setting up Tasks using the master category list. That’s been a good, reliable solution for sorting Tasks and Notes. Until now. A big hole in the Outlook space for users has been syncing to a mobile device. Some third-party apps tried to fill the gap, but there’s never been a native solution from Microsoft. That changed this summer with the release of Microsoft To-Do for iPhone, Android, and Windows mobile devices. Finally! However, we quickly learned that our method of using the master category list wouldn’t work anymore, because the To-Do app doesn’t support the master category list (nor does Outlook online/365).

We’re excited to announce a new GTD & Outlook Setup Guide for 2013/2016 that configures Tasks in a totally different way than our previous Outlook guides. Goodbye mastery category list. Hello Task folders. But it’s not just Tasks that changed, but also what we’re recommending for Notes, shortcut keys, and more. If you have any interest at all in seeing Tasks in Outlook online/365 or your mobile device through To-Do, the new guide is definitely worth getting.

 

GTD Guides for Other Software

Not an Outlook user? We also have GTD setup guides for Things 3®, OmniFocus®, Nirvana® (coming soon!), OmniFocus®, Outlook® for Mac, iPhone®/iPad®, Trello®, Wunderlist®, Todoist®, Evernote® for Mac, Evernote® for Windows, OneNote®, Google Apps® for Android, Google Apps for Desktop, IBM Lotus Notes®, and BlackBerry®. See all of the GTD setup guides here.

 

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Natasha’s GTD Story

What do you do for work?

I am a certified GTD Master Trainer and GTD Trainer for Level 1. I also work as an origami creator.

Where do you live?

My home country is Slovenia, Europe. Recently I moved from the capital to the Slovenian coast (Adriatic sea).

How did you hear about GTD?

I noticed the Getting Things Done book at the London airport not long after the first release. I was immediately pulled towards it. I bought it and read it and started to use it.

How long have you been practicing GTD?

Since I have read the book I practiced the GTD steps. Of course, when I look back with the GTD trainer’s eyes I would say that maybe the last seven years are the very serious GTD practitioner years.

How has GTD made a difference in your work and life?

It is no exaggeration if I say that the Getting Things Done methodology really changed my life. In the first stage of implementation, GTD helped me to better survive in a very busy and challenging work and personal period of my life. Later the methodology helped me to better balance work and life and helped me to be calmer even in very stressful situations.

And in recent years GTD has helped me to find courage and confidence to follow my heart and to be able to structure my life in line with what I always longed and hoped for. I actually believe that the following would very likely not happen without me practicing GTD, including:

• I resigned from my daily work as manager in a corporation and started the GTD franchise in Slovenia.

• I also had the courage to explore my artistic side. As a child I wanted to become a painter. In addition to the GTD franchise I have a little company that makes origami creations and organizes origami workshops.

• And also thanks to GTD I found ways that helped me bring my running (long-term hobby) to a higher level. I am a streak runner for two years. That means that I run every single day since 30th of May 2016.

What areas of GTD are you doing really well (or at least better than you used to)?

It’s a lifelong learning process and endeavor so probably it is fair to say that I am better than I used to be on all of the areas of GTD since I constantly look for ways to improve even more. If I had to pick one area, I would pick the clarifying step. Of course all the GTD steps are important, but I would say that clarification can really change the game. So I make sure that:

• I put enough effort to define the desired outcome as well as possible. A well-defined outcome is a source of motivation.

• And I also invest enough time and creativity in defining the next step(s). For complex projects I always make a “x-mind file” which reflects steps and elements from the Natural Planning Model.

• Last but not least, very well defined next steps can be the secret ingredient of GTD success. I am talking about next steps formulated in a “be kind to your future self” way.

What areas of GTD would you like to get even better at doing?

At the moment I put additional effort into simplifying all areas of my life. I am trying to minimize and simplify everything, which also includes the tools and practices I use. At the same time, Getting Things Done is the essential element that helps me implement minimalism in my work and life.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out with GTD?

I believe that starting with a simple structure of a GTD system is the key to success. It is very easy to fall into the trap of adding too much complexity too soon. It is a real challenge to explain this to new users, as these days it seems everybody is searching for the perfect app that will solve all areas of their work and life. A perfect, magical app sounds much more appealing than, “be diligent at capturing and your GTD Weekly Review.”

Learn more about Training & Coaching with Natasha Brunec’s company and our other partners around the world on our Global Partners page.

 

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Episode #43: The Power of the GTD Weekly Review®

David Allen shares his thoughts on what a good Weekly Review is and isn’t, as well as some valuable tips and tricks from his years in the trenches. Download a free Weekly Review Checklist.

Listen Now

 

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