My high tech version of getting things done (GTD) - Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2 – Why I started Getting Things Done

Three months ago I read David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD). It’s a cliche, but I can honestly say that it has changed my life. I’m more productive than ever. I’m more motivated than ever. I’m making more money. I’m spending more quality time with loved ones.

For a long time, my version of organization was lists. Lists worked well enough, but when they got to be 100 items long, and needed to be re-written every day to keep current, it took too much to maintain it. They got neglected, and were useless. The key to a successful organization method is to reliably put everything you need to do in a place that you review consistently. In order to reliably enter your tasks into one place, it needs to be easy and maintainable. In order to review it consistently, it needs to be organized.

I used to have a little bit to do, and I’d keep my to-do list in my head. Then I took on a little more responsibility, and forgot a few things. I started writing to-do lists on a sheet of paper, and it was a nice way to keep my tasks in front of me. I added a little more responsibility and I relied greatly on my to-do lists. Lapses in maintaining the list were met by painful reprocussions, so I learned to keep them pretty reliably.

Another chunk of responsibility, and my lists grew large. I needed to re-write them every day to check off old items and add new items and keep them current. If I didn’t, some tasks would fall by the wayside. Also, the most ‘in my face’ task would always get accomplished first, but not necessarily the most important.

A list is not a good way to keep a calendar. Ask my wife. I kept my calendar via proxy through my wife – ok, she kept my calendar.

A bit more responsiblity, and lists are not practical. The items cannot be grouped together, you can’t get an idea of priority, it’s impossible to keep up.

I also decided about this time that I hated carrying around a big 3 ring binder notebook to keep my lists with me. So I started experimenting with digital versions of my lists. I bought a Microsoft SmartPhone – the Audiovox SMT5600 to be exact. I purchased Papyrus calendar software by SBSH to go on it in hopes of keeping my tasks and calendar synced with Outlook. I really liked the software, but I couldn’t use it reliably. Data entry on the phone is slow. Data entry into Outlook sucks. Plus I use more than one computer (and no exchange server). So, I never really had a reliable method of entering everything into the program.

Being stuck in this netherworld between paper and software, I got very disorganized. I forgot tasks, appointments, deadlines, phone calls, etc… The more I fell behind, the more the stress built.

Then I read a couple of posts about GTD, and decided I needed to give it a shot. After all, how many people are trained in organization? I know my parents didn’t show me how to file, organize bills, keep appointments, stay efficient. I know my college didn’t offer it as an elective – not that I would have taken it anyway.

I’ve been getting things done for about 3 months now, and I can say that it’s changed my life. I customized it to my own needs, and I’m more productive than ever. It's easy for me to maintain, and I can rely on it no matter where I am. I don’t miss appointments or deadlines. My wife doesn’t have to nag me about responsibilities because I’m all over it. I have a sneaking suspicion that my credit score is rising. Plus, to top it off, I’m making more money, my stress levels are lower, and somehow my motivation has stayed at a consistently high level.

I’ve always been a motivated person, but it tended to go through peaks and valleys – diving into a valley after a high period. Like I used up all my emotional energy, and needed to recharge before doing it again. Being completely organized and efficient has kept it at a higher level for a longer period of time than I’ve ever experienced before. An example would be that I wake up at approximately 5am every day without an alarm clock with only 6 hours of sleep. Every morning I roll over, look at the clock, stretch and roll out of bed – ready to attack the day.

I’ve added David Allen as a man that I’d to thank one day. And yes, that is in my “someday” folder. If you’re feeling like there are not enough hours in the day, feeling stress because you’ve got too much to do, or feeling like your professional responsibilities are interfering with your social needs, then I can empathize with you. I know what you’re going through. The answer is not to sleep less, work more, or try harder. The answer is to get completely organized – start Getting Things Done.