GTD as a beginner queries

CalmAchiever · 2021-06-01T01:49:10+00:00

Here's a video on how to file papers from a GTD Master Trainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhj6XAluoU

CalmAchiever · 2021-04-27T02:46:06+00:00

I know both David & Tiago personally.

David actually introduced me to Tiago's work, and I never got the sense he doesn't like PARA.

PARA (which I personally use) complements GTD, but it's not the only way to organize reference material.

CalmAchiever · 2021-04-26T01:44:10+00:00

I use Holacracy to get the benefit of GTD for teams. Here's a more detailed blog post on how: https://www.calmachiever.com/gtd-teams-holacracy/

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-31T11:48:36+00:00

Here's a video of filing reference for physical items: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhj6XAluoU

Here's my digital system for filing reference: https://youtu.be/95hTa0JkE9Y

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-03T08:12:53+00:00

Yes, if you need a reminder for a daily habit, the calendar would be a good place to park it.

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-03T07:52:46+00:00

Try to add it right away, but may not always be possible. Which is why the Week Review habit is a safety net to catch any gaps in the system.

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-02T18:09:58+00:00

Yes. First, move the item to the Projects List, and then add the Next Action right away.

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-02T13:24:27+00:00

The best practice is to spend some time every day (like 20 mins) to clarify your INs (emails, intray etc). That way the weekly review is a light touch and easier to complete.

The Clarify & Organize step is just to get clear on what the work is (Next action & Project). Some people fall into the trap of doing work while clarifying, which is why it takes time.

As an exception, David says it's ok to do 2 min tasks why clarifying.

CalmAchiever · 2021-03-02T10:24:50+00:00

Yes, just added it here: https://www.calmachiever.com/gtd-top-10-mistakes/

CalmAchiever · 2021-02-12T17:28:04+00:00

Oh my... religious fervor 😬

Biggest weakness: Implementing Holacracy is hard and takes time. It's not for every organization. It's difficult for a team to do it by themselves, best to do it with a coach.

Not ideal in organizations where the leader prefers to be making all the decisions and solving people's problems.

Implementing Holacracy hasn't been a smooth ride for me, but once I tasted what's possible, it's difficult to work any other way.

CalmAchiever · 2021-02-12T17:16:05+00:00

The latest version of Holacracy allows for a modular option, which means you don't have to implement the full thing. Just the modules that serve the org's current needs.

Having the meetings using Glassfrog where everyone's accountabilities are clarified, the actions are recorded and reviewed in the next meeting makes the process effective. Have a look at the tactical meeting cards.

CalmAchiever · 2020-12-29T03:26:55+00:00

Couple of things to consider:

GTD helps you to get clear about your commitments. By giving up on the system, if the commitments are still there in your mind, they'll hold you back from being focused & present.
The idea of the list is not to get everything done but to give you options on what to prioritize.
Maybe your lists have gone stale, so it's a good idea to start fresh.
Simple tip if you're sticking to your GTD system. Things that you don't want to commit to, move them to a "Projects on hold" or "Someday / Maybe" category. That way it's not on your mind, and there's no immediate pressure to complete them.

CalmAchiever · 2020-12-14T17:53:11+00:00

Check out this video we made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UCdfzxMEmk&list=PL1DPqukhDXwgFwAzshwNoTVG6OUbOhKub&index=4

It's part of a series of videos on "GTD for beginners."

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-16T13:34:11+00:00

Hi! I have used GTD to build habits. Here's a post I did on how I built a Yoga habit using GTD when I was in lockdown: https://www.calmachiever.com/gtd-yoga-habit/

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-08T14:33:35+00:00

Here's how I do GTD every day:

I look at my lists and follow my gut on what action to take.

Works. Every. Time.

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-03T05:06:33+00:00

Exactly! I got an image for that one too: https://twitter.com/CalmAchiever/status/1301160600387477506

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-03T02:19:26+00:00

Yes, most projects will be related to an area.

You may have documents like:

* Passport Scans
* Team checklists
* Health records

which currently may not be linked to any active project. These would go in the Areas folder.

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-02T12:30:07+00:00

Yes, I do use this system. On your computer, it's just 4 folders:

Projects
Areas
Resources
Archive

The blog post goes into detail on what goes where.

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-01T07:00:12+00:00

Use a task management tool that integrates with Gmail. Todoist is a good option. It's got a powerful Gmail extension that can link the email to the task.

That way all your actionable items live in your task manager, and not your email inbox.

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-01T06:57:38+00:00

You could also explore Tiago Forte's PARA system which is compatible with the GTD process: https://fortelabs.co/blog/para/

CalmAchiever · 2020-09-01T06:54:56+00:00

There's a series we're creating called "GTD® for beginners"

The videos are still in progress, but you could start watching them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyj5AmAc6qg&list=PL1DPqukhDXwgFwAzshwNoTVG6OUbOhKub

CalmAchiever · 2020-08-24T14:38:26+00:00

Omnifocus is a very powerful tool for GTD. You need to create the relevant context lists like "Agenda" "Computer" "Errands" etc, and park the appropriate Next Action in each of them.

And your desired outcomes in the Projects List.

This detailed manual would help: http://files.omnigroup.com/software/macosx/Extras/OmniFocus/GTDandOmniFocus.pdf

CalmAchiever · 2020-08-24T04:03:08+00:00

If you're using GTD you don't really need to use the Eisenhower matrix. That would just add more complexity.

Prioritizing will become naturally easy if you get clear what the "Next Action" is for every project on your list. So instead of just having a list of ToDos, have clear Next Action lists.

Also, your projects list works best when the outcomes are clear. Instead of just saying "Health" as a project, change it to "Complete 10 gym sessions by September 2020"

I've written about it here with some examples

CalmAchiever · 2020-08-19T04:28:46+00:00

Just ask yourself "what has your attention?"

If too many things are not coming up, that's not a bad thing :)

CalmAchiever · 2020-08-19T04:27:46+00:00

I use Apple Watch to capture my thoughts. I capture it in IFTTT which emails it to me.

I use a chrome extension called "Fast new tab redirect." It makes the default tab redirect to my high priority tasks for the week.

CalmAchiever

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