David Allen's Blog, page 62

GTD Times: Start your new year with GTD

Here is how our 2011 GTD® Mastering Workflow public seminar schedule is lining up so far:

Atlanta - Jan 25, 2011

St. Louis - Jan 27, 2011

Chicago - Feb 22, 2011

Seattle - Feb 24, 2011

London - Mar 3, 2011

Washington DC - Mar 11, 2011

Los Angeles - Mar 15, 2011

Washington DC - Jun 24, 2011

This is a very tactically oriented, hands-on seminar on how to get your GTD system up and running. You will learn the fundamental GTD thinking process and start to build a trusted workflow system. Led by our senior presenters, who have extensive experience working with a wide range of people and organizations around the world. This one-day presentation is packed with practical recommendations and suggestions about how to put GTD to work for you—at work, at home and in everything you do.

We're adding new locations all of the time, so be sure to check the schedule often, or subscribe to Productive Living, for a city near you!

We are always happy for your suggestions too.  Please leave a comment letting us know where you'd like to attend a GTD seminar.

Member Exclusive: David Allen On Twitter

Wonderful group of folks in my seminar in DC, right now doing a mind sweep for themselves!

Podcast: David Allen - The Do Lectures

David Allen shared at The Do Lectures in Wales. Listen in as David shares the value of GTD and "doing" in this inspiring and thought-provoking presentation. Click here to listen now or click here to download. (mp3, 32:24). For access to all previous podcasts, check out our complete podcast feed.




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Learn more about The Do Lectures

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GTD Times: Some Key GTD definitions

What is a Project?

A project is any outcome that will take more than one action step to complete. As a list, the Projects list will represent an index of the current outcomes on your plate.

What is Someday Maybe?

Someday/Maybe means you are not currently committed to complete it, but you are committed to track it as an item to periodically review for future action.

What is a Next Action?

A Next Action is your physical, visible next step. Some of these are project related, some are not.  The recommendation is to sort these by context.

What goes on a Waiting For list?

Waiting For holds those items that you are waiting on from someone or something else. For example, call backs, responses to an email you sent, orders placed, etc.

Member Exclusive: Blocking Out Time Versus A Project

So I'm still behind, way behind where I need to be at work. I'm not blocking out time, I've been using my lists, but I think I really need to. Colleagues at work are getting through document reviews by blocking out a day to review one report. Which I haven't been doing. So they're doing better than ...

Member Exclusive: David Allen On Twitter

Died. Heaven. Appetizer at Bourbon, Four Seasons DC - fries w/ 3 dipping sauces. (& access for my iPad to say this.) Gauche or cool.

Member Exclusive: David Allen On Twitter

Great mtgs today in DC w/ our internal GTD champs at World Bank & SEC. Our pilot prgms are making a real difference.

GTD Times: What are the best tools for GTD?

GTD is an approach that is not tool-specific.  So while it's important to land on gear (paper or digital) that will stand up to the complexity of your work and personal life, it's more important that it clearly serves the purpose of reflecting the reminders and information in the most appropriate way for you. The tool won't decide what something means—you have to do that, and the GTD process is the key.

If anyone is telling you a specific piece of software is required for GTD--good chance they don't understand GTD.

We do have a few key tools that we personally use and recommend that have gone through David Allen's extensive vetting process. You can find a link to those in our online store.  If you don't see your software listed here, it means we do not have a recommendation at this time, but a search on GTD Times and our public Forums should give you quite a few helpful suggestions about what other GTDers are using.

GTD Times: What goes on a Someday Maybe list?

David, a college student, asked: I know David Allen says that it's acceptable to place "pending" projects onto a Someday Maybe list. I have several outcomes that are "one-shot deals." However, I can't move on then right now. Can I place them on my Someday Maybe list?

Coach Kelly Forrister: My Someday Maybe is mixed with possible actions and possible projects.  Anything from writing to an old friend to hiking Machu Pichu.  So feel free to put anything on Someday Maybe as a place to capture it.  Just be sure to review it in your Weekly Reviews (or regularly) to trust you're seeing what's in there.

Member Exclusive: OmniFocus For IPad Now Available In App Store

It took a little longer than most of us wanted, but OmniFocus for iPad is now available in the iTunes app store. Cost is $40. Link to app in iTunes is below:

OmniFocus for iPad iTunes app