- I Spy a Filofax - Paper r u s h blog
- Filofax set up amendment - Sharon
- Notebook Addict of the Week - Notebook Stories
- I added USB to my Filofax - Saraccino
- A5 Domino with QV Timer 21 insert - Plannerisms
- Is Pink The New Power Dressing? - Birds on the Blog
- If only I had a Filofax - Foodie Mummy
- The Premiere - Montague Warner
- Fine Tuning the Filofax - Typecast
- My GTD System 2011 - Parker Quality Consultants also see the page on GTD
I'm always on the look out for meaningful life planning methods but GTD seems ambiguous and too complicated. Does anyone else feel this way? Is there any way to break it down to it's essentials? Can it be implemented simply for ordinary people? What is it's basic concept or purpose in relation to your life other than just getting things done and process? That doesn't sound like much of a life! I think I'm missing something here.
ReplyDeleteSavanah, hi. Fantastic questions? May I challenge them?
ReplyDeleteHow ambiguous and complex is your life? Have you found yet a way to break your dreams, aspirations, fears, wants, and challenges down to their "essentials"?
Do you have a system to deal with the complexities of your life (and the people around you ...) that can be implemented "simply"?
My guess is that if your system is "simpler" than your life requires, your life ends up more complex - not simpler ...
Hi Savannah, there are loads of people who feel, like you do, that GTD is too complicated. There are loads of alternatives like Getting Sh-t Done (http://www.utilware.com/gsd3.html) and Zen To Done.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Gilkey writes a website called Productive Flourishing (http://www.productiveflourishing.com/) that is really great for creative people. (Click on New Here? To get started) He also makes planners that you can download for free at the beginning of each month, or buy the whole year for a very small price. The planners are designed to help you figure out your most productive time of day, track billable hours for freelancers, and plan your annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly goals. You can see the free planners here: http://www.productiveflourishing.com/free-planners/
Thank you Laurie, I am about to look up this site. Actually I think the concept of Get Things Done in using long term and short term goals and objectives is a sound one. It has certainly made me focus on my own personal long term goals and projects far more than before I read about GTD. However, to me the point is to look at various systems out there and to cherry pick from those systems which actually work for you and your life. Your system has to be smooth running,simplistic to implement and something which will actually be used by you daily and at regular intervals, making all aspects of life, home, family, career manageable and run more smoothly.This takes review, trial and error.... what is one persons organisational bliss system simply may not work for you. For example, I do not get along with Dodo pads.... tried....or a diary system without the hours of the day written in, again tried and didn't like. A week on 2 pages with a vertical hourly diary, for me is perfect. Another person may just not get along with that and adore Dodo pads and a blank diary system. It is trial and error and we are all different. That is what is great about Philofaxy.It is a creative site,in that we can design our own planner set ups and inserts, and such a sharing community. New ideas and things to try out I always find so very exciting.
ReplyDeleteSteve, something is off with that Notebook-link: it lets my Browser crash each time I try to open it. ????
ReplyDeleteThis one?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.notebookstories.com/2011/03/11/notebook-addict-of-the-week-sheapup/
Hi Phil.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking to my post!
@Savannah: I think GTD is unique in namely it´s simplicity. At first glance it may seem very complex and rather complicated, but I found that when I first got into it, it became more and more simple.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I would state that it took me about 9 months to get the system really implemented in my everyday life. I started out reading the book and made the lists (I followed the advices in the book to the numbers...) and started using them.
After a few weeks I really only used the next actions and the errands list plus a little bit of someday/maybe. But it worked on the, using the David Allan term, runway-level and 10K.
After six months I reread the book (audiobook this time) and found it to be hugely helpful. There was a lot of stuff I didn´t do get the first time around but the second time I tweaked my system and it became even better.
Now I´m about to re-read it once again and really get into the high-levels of thinking and planning.
I´ll post some of this on my blog soon...
What I´m trying to say is "give it another shot!" Start at the ground level and follow the book by the numbers. Make the list of ALL the stuff thats on your mind and continue to do it.
Once you get a "Mind like water" - when there is nothing on your mind and you sit down with a cup of tea/coffee and a book for three hours and think of nothing else (if you do, you just jot it down and put it in your system), you´ll never want to go back...
@Savannah, may I suggest the 'original' 'Key Areas' philosophy propounded by Time Manager International? I have used this for many years, and it has *always* served me well. Details virtually unobtainable online now, but I have some paper-based materials and could tell you more by email if that helps.
ReplyDelete@David - I'd be interested in hearing about this also - would it be suitable for a blog topic on Philofaxy do you think? That's if you are willing of course!
ReplyDelete@Laurie - that website looks really interesting. I've had a quick look around but will be looking at it in more detail. Thanks for posting it up!
ReplyDeleteThankyou everyone for your wonderful input concerning GTD and it's alternatives. It's nice to see the Philofaxy time management guru's come out of the wood work. I hope this discussion will be helpful to others who are interested in implementing or changing their time management.
ReplyDeletegdigesu-Yes, these questions where meant to be challenged. I am not for or against GTD I would just like to hear feedback. In the 1990's I used Franklin Covey so I have some experience with defining values, setting objectives etc. Although I have learned valuable lessons on task management the system never fit. Right now my sysem has been stripped and is perhaps too simple, perhaps not. Need to think more about this.
Laurie- Thanks for affirming that GTD may not be for everyone and giving us other options (sighs). I hope you are settled and familiar with you new location soon so you can explore and enjoy.
Thomas- loved your story about the rewards of GTD. I have limited knowledge of GTD and only know what I know from links on this blog. You may have inspired me to read the book!
David-Hope you will share your Time Manager International System via Philofaxy.
For those of you that like to read about Filofax fun and products, thanks for your patience!
@alison I'd be happy to discuss doing a post on the TMI concept - I guess some of the form designs are in copyright, but the concept is transferrable. If you could email me at davidpopely (at) googlemail (dot) com maybe we can take this further?
ReplyDelete