Comments on: The Evolution of a GTD Workspace

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:53:24 +0000

Well, Stephen, have you ever considered placing your desk to face a spot just offset from the door? I find this more settling than facing a wall or window.

By: Martin Lindeskog

Martin Lindeskog — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:35:44 +0000

Stephen,

I look forward to see your office in the “Live or Free” state of New Hampshire! I have two desks that are cluttered with stuff, but I am getting through the piles. As a symbolic gesture, Morris the cat jumped on the computer keyboard a moment ago and took over the workspace! ;)

In my post, Organize Desktop with Fences, I describe how I cleaned my computer desktop with a program called Fences. I saw on your laptop screen that you had several icons on the desktop. I have been totally lost regarding email messages and my inbox has been full with messages, >22,500! I have now archived them and started from scratch. I have installed the latest alpha version of GTDinbox. I will also start working with the Gtdagenda application.

Regarding journal entries, I am taking notes with my Pulse Smartpen on a regular basis. It has a recording device so you could click on the text and listen to a specific passage that is linked to your handwritten notes. I will use this digital pen and “dotted” paper for my brainstorming sessions and weekly reviews.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:05:56 +0000

Hi Russell, I sure can. “Make a journal entry … part of your daily routine” means just that.
If you have a notebook, journal, or computer application that you can write in, I suggest that you do.

Every day.

You can capture your thoughts, feelings, today’s weather, current events, whatever is happening or is on your mind. This makes periodic reviews easier, since you can look at your journal entries rather than relying on your memory.

In my case, we were so busy driving and having fun that I didn’t bother with too much journaling on our road-trip. Now I wish that I had, in order to go back and beef it up into a sort of travelogue for my family.

By: Russell

Russell — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:41:15 +0000

Hi,
Can you expand a bit on the “Make a journal entry of some sort part of your daily routine, no matter what” – What do you mean here?

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:03:55 +0000

Thanks Jared, you know I think about getting an “office” like a “real business” sometimes, and then I think about the story of the businessman and the fisherman: http://boards.bootsnall.com/are-you-the-business-man-or-the-fisherman-t974.html

I wanna be the fisherman.

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:34:40 +0000

That’s a pretty cool evolution, Steve! It’s great to see the physical manifestation of what you’ve been preaching. And I’m glad you’ve moved up to getting your own dedicated bedroom, no less!

This summer I’m working away from home and actually have a *real* office outside of where I’m living for the first time since I started working for myself 7 years ago. It’s weird, and I see a lot of value in that. I wonder if that’ll ever be part of your evolution or even if this’ll turn into a permanent thing for me.

Either way, thanks for sharing and it’s fun to look back on these sorts of things and improve each time.

By: Ben LeGaspe

Ben LeGaspe — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:16:04 +0000

I am glad I found your site I am retired but still have much Paper Work to keep tract of the Golden Years requires you to be on your toes RE: Mailings from Pension Administraters.It seems they are just looking for any reason to drop you from Health Insurance and other Benefits we are entitled to as a retiree.
One thing they do often is send a Pkg marked in Big Letters “Action Required” i.e. Health Ins coverage once a year you have to respond and in some cases you will be droped from whatever insurance you have if you do not respond within a certain time.I worry what will happen to me and my fellow retirees when you start to slow down Mentally and there is no family to read your important mail-so I need to get organized and I think your site and recommendations can help me and other retirees will share this info with my fellow retirees via Email instead of the Cartoons and Retiree Gossip we usually get. Thanks.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:44:22 +0000

Hi Jef, thanks for your comment, I have to agree that since I started using a larger space it is easier to keep clean and organized.
The wooden desk that you see in the early pictures belonged to my late grandfather and I just cannot part with it.
Now it sits under a window and I use it daily for writing, journaling, and creative activities.

By: Jef Martens

Jef Martens — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:06:31 +0000

Nice one Stephen, it really looks neat over there. I like the second picture, although it looks like a factory inventory system…

Right now, I’m at my almost clean desk, with only 2 to-do items on it. It really helps me focus at all times, having a clean desk.

I’ve got a drawer next to my desk with all utensils in it and the top drawer is A4 sized (squared) which is my inbox. And it is empty ;). This allows my desk to be clutter free at all times.

Thanks for sharing!