The Getting Things Done (GTD) FAQ | zen habits

25 Dec 09

leslie joy

gtd productivity faq zenhabits ztd

The Getting Things Done (GTD) FAQ
Overview

What is GTD?
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- GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed , productive state. It includes:
  
  Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
  Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
  Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on
  
  how and when you need to access them
  Keeping current and “on your game” with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your
  
  commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)
  
  Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of overwhelm, instills confidence, and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint, managing details with maximum flexibility.
- How do I start?
  
  Well, the book gives you a step-by-step approach, but the most important steps for starting out are:
  
  Processing all the papers in your desk and inbox to empty.
  Processing your email and other inboxes to empty.
  Capturing all tasks and ideas on a notebook or mobile device.
  Setting up an easy reference filing system.
  Creating context lists for all of your actions, along with a project list, a Waiting For list and a Someday/Maybe list.
  Using a calendar or tickler file to remind you of future tasks or appointments.
  Doing a Weekly Review to keep the system together.
- Now, although this sounds like a big commitment (and it is), I have to say that it is worth it. This step alone is worth the price of the GTD book — getting everything cleared and organized is a huge accomplishment and an amazing feeling
- Is there an easier way to start?
- Just start with capture. All you need is a notebook and a pen, and start writing everything down, so you never forget stuff again, and you get it out of your head
- Clear out your inbox. The next step, if you’re ready, would be to process all your papers. Gather them in one pile, and work from top to bottom, disposing of each one until you’re done. This is an amazing feeling
- Filing. A simple start could also include a simple filing system
- a drawer dedicated to your filing needs if that’s all you need),
- labels
- I’m overwhelmed by my inbox and all the stuff I need to sort through!
- But it’s doable. First of all, gather them all up and put them in one pile. If it’s too huge to put in one pile, make two, but don’t start creating a whole bunch of piles. The key is to start at the top of the pile and work your way down, one document at a time, so if you have two piles, consider the second pile just a continuation of the first.
- Is GTD a cult? Why is it so popular on the Internet?
- it just inspires a lot of passion. Why? First of all, because of the feeling of getting your desk cleared and your inboxes to empty. Seriously, as I said above, this is an amazing, awesome feeling. Second, because of the simple power of concepts like next actions, context lists and the weekly review — they are not anything complicated, but they work extremely well, and people love that.
  
  Third, because of the open-source nature of the tools — this is what gets so many geeks.
- Hi-tech vs. lo-tech?
- Usually it takes a little bit of experimentation to find the right tools — however, I would caution against obsessing over tools, as this is the biggest waste of time for most GTDers — pick your tools, and go with them. Focus more on actually doing your tasks than what cool tools you’re going to use.
- Is it OK to have multiple setups on my computer, PDA, and planner?
  
  Again, what works best for you is what you should go with. But my recommendation? Simplify. It’s hard to continually check and update different lists and calendars on a computer, a PDA and a paper planner. You are more likely to use and stick with the system if you just have one place to check and update
- Projects

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- Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
- Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
- Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on
  
  how and when you need to access them
- Keeping current and “on your game” with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your
  
  commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)
Processing all the papers in your desk and inbox to empty.
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- Processing your email and other inboxes to empty.
- Capturing all tasks and ideas on a notebook or mobile device.
- etting up an easy reference filing system.
- Creating context lists for all of your actions, along with a project list, a Waiting For list and a Someday/Maybe list.
- Using a calendar or tickler file to remind you of future tasks or appointments.
- Doing a Weekly Review to keep the system together.
- David Allen recommends you set aside a big chunk of your time for a day or two to clear everything off and get it set up.
- Just start with capture. All you need is a notebook and a pen, and start writing everything down, so you never forget stuff again, and you get it out of your head.
- context lists
- Clear out your inbox. The next step, if you’re ready, would be to process all your papers.
- If you’re feeling ambitious, take the next step and do the same with your email inbox.
- Filing
- a minimal setup would include a notebook, pen, inbox, filing drawer, folders and labels
- What is a tickler file or 43 folders, and do I need it?
- pick your tools, and go with them. Focus more on actually doing your tasks than what cool tools you’re going to use.
- you need to ask yourself, “What is the very next physical action necessary to move this project forward
- and a project is anything that takes more than 1 action
- It is this “next action” that you put on your to-do list
- Realize that you don’t need to do all of these next actions today or even over the next few days. It’s just good to know all of your commitments, instead of having them pop into your brain over and over at the wrong times.
- If this list cannot be accomplished this week, move the less urgent ones to your Someday/Maybe list and just leave the ones you intend to accomplish this week. Then, in your Weekly Review, move those tasks you can accomplish next week back up to the current context lists.
- Simplify — eliminate or delegate those tasks that aren’t really essential, or that no longer need to be done.
- Perhaps they aren’t really next actions. Often there are projects on our list that are disguised as actions. See if the task actually involves more than one step (for example, “Call Larry” might actually be, “Call Nina to get Larry’s number”), and then put the real next action on your list instead.
- every active project should have at least one next action on an active context list
- When you’ve completed a project’s next action, don’t just check it off. Be sure to write the project’s next “next action” on your list, so the project continues to move forward. If you forget, that’s OK — during your Weekly Review, one of the most important parts of the process is making sure that each project on your projects list has a next action listed on your context lists.
- If you start to notice that there are next actions on your context list that you cannot actually do right now, that is either because 1) your contexts need to be re-examined; 2) the task is not actually a next action but a dependent task or project; or 3) the next action belongs on your Someday/Maybe list.
- The key to sticking with GTD is the Weekly Review. Keep it short and simple, but be committed to it.
- Instead of doing the whole system at once, try a minimal version (see the top of this FAQ for more).

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GTD Productivity

GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed , productive state. It includes:

* Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
* Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
* Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on
how and when you need to access them
* Keeping current and “on your game” with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your
commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)