Scanning an email and leaving it in “In” because it’s not as important as other emails at the moment creates double reading, double thinking, and double decision-making (not to mention the nagging it creates in the psyche in the meantime.) – David Allen
Tag Archives: Tips and Tricks
When do you call something a project?
Here’s a sneak peak at our new GTD® Managing Projects Audio Set releasing soon. This new set includes 6 CDs chock full of a tips, tricks and education on the GTD models for seamlessly managing your projects. You’ll hear from David Allen and two senior coaches on the best practices and common questions people implementing …
Don't be a stranger to your lists
One of the things that helps me stay current with my GTD system and not have the Weekly Review feel like a major renovation, is that I review my Next Actions lists whenever I feel like it and as often as I can. Whenever I coach people who have slipped out of regular reviews (call …
GTD Nuggets – How to Know if You’re Organized
You are disorganized if you need something somewhere that you don’t have or have something somewhere that you don’t need.
David Allen's 5 Productivity Tips in PC World
PC World asked David Allen to name five tips for productivity. The focus is on productivity within the Windows environment, but several tips apply to Mac as well.
GTD Nuggets – Take 5 minutes to make progress on a project
If you take a pen and blank paper, and just spend the next five minutes capturing ideas on the most important project right now for you to make some progress on, you will likely come up with at least one, if not several, “Oh yeah, I could…” items. – David Allen
What goes on a Someday Maybe list?
David, a college student, asked: I know David Allen says that it’s acceptable to place “pending” projects onto a Someday Maybe list. I have several outcomes that are “one-shot deals.” However, I can’t move on then right now. Can I place them on my Someday Maybe list? Coach Kelly Forrister: My Someday Maybe is mixed …
GTD Nuggets – Your Lists
Everything on my action lists is for getting done as soon as I can—otherwise they wouldn’t be on the list. – David Allen
Organizing your projects list
Dear David Allen: What do you recommend to organize the Projects list in order to quickly find a particular project? David: If you’re using a software application for managing lists, and if it can sort the list alphabetically, then get in the habit of writing the key word about the project first, so you can …
David Allen on why sorting your lists by contexts even matters
There is never a moment at which you could do everything you’ve decided to to, simply because most of those actions require a specific tool or location. Context is also the first criterion that limits your options and keeps you from being reminded of things you simply can’t do. If you’re like me, and find …
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David's coaching advice on tracking actions with due dates
Question: Where do I put deferred tasks that are due, for example, in three days? If I’m processing my Inbox on Monday, and I know the next step to completion is a two hour task, “at Computer” that is due on Thursday, do I make a decision to do it at a specific time, and …
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How to dig out from your backlog
Two of our Senior Coaches, Leslie Harradine and Kelly Forrister, are doing another one-hour Webinar on Digging Out From Backlog. It was such a popular Webinar the first time around (watch the archive on GTD Connect,) that it’s being offered again with more in-depth tips, tricks and strategies. Seems like backlog is a common challenge …
7 tips for dealing with email
A Community Contribution from Erik Hanberg Here’s how I deal with email and keep from getting too overloaded: I have one inbox. Everything goes to the same place (accounts either forward to Gmail or I’ve actually set Gmail up to reply from those accounts). I only check email when I can reply to it easily. …
Back to school: GTD is the solution for parents
A Community Contribution from April Perry The first day of school started out great. My three oldest children dressed in their new clothes, laced up their new shoes, ate a healthy breakfast, and then headed off to school with homemade sack lunches and brightly-colored, fully-stocked pencil cases. I felt like a wonderful mom. They returned …
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New A4 version of the GTD & BlackBerry Guide now available
We just released an A4* size of our new GTD & BlackBerry Guide. For those of you who will print the Guide and prefer this size instead of the *210 MM wide and 297 MM tall (about 8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inch), used in Europe, and rest of the world, except the US and …
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How do you control paper?
Q: I write down everything but I always seem to end up having problems controlling all the pieces of paper and lists; what are your suggestions? GTD Coach: Writing everything down is a great first step. All those “notes” where you’ve captured and collected what’s in your head, need to be put into an “IN” …
GTD & project management software
A GTD implementer asked: Can I use project management software for my GTD lists? Coach Wayne Pepper: From our perspective, project management tools are good for Project Support, not necessarily Next Action lists though. In other words, if I have a project that is so complex and intertwined that it needs to be broken down …
Free Guided Mind Sweep with David Allen
Clear your head with the man himself… This is an GTD Connect, with more added every week. Hook into the most active Getting Things Done community in the world. Check out a free guest pass (no credit card required and we won’t nag you when you’re done!)
Think once a week
Dear David Allen: You mention you only “think once a week”. Does that mean you have a script rule about planning out your weeks as opposed to day-to-day? Could you explain that a little more? David: When I say I only think once a week, I’m making an exaggerated point that doing a thorough GTD Weekly …
The Tickler File–The Key to a Clutter-free Refrigerator
A Community Contribution from April Perry Just about every mother I know has a refrigerator that is completely covered with party invitations, handouts for school assignments, reminders for community events, coupons, and about 50 other things calling out, “Me! Me! Me!” We’re so afraid of the “out of mind, out of sight” rule, that we …
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