What's the next action

How do you start with GTD?

30 09 07 - 11:19 - Bookmark this post

Recently I got a lot of the same question: I read the book, got my folders, got my labeller, the works. Now HOW do I start? Where do I start? Somehow I seem to get stuck, not get going very good with being GTD.

Interesting question. Especially because there is not one answer I think. Because everybody has their own specific problems. For instance, maybe your actionlist is not made up of individual actions, but little projects. Maybe you are afraid to really get everything out of your head and into an objective system (I know I am sometimes). So I turn to my valued readers. If you are already into GTD, what was the one thing that got you started? And if you are still struggling to get started, what is it your struggling with? Let me be the first to give an answer: How did I start with GTD?

Once I read the book I had the same problem. Where do I start? I found myself trying to get everything into one system, trying every sort of software. But still, little projects and actions fell through the cracks of an incomplete system. So I tried it step by step. At work, I started using the GTD addin for Outlook and committed myself to try to get an empty inbox every week. I also tried to do a Weekly Review at set times. This is still the hardest part for me (as described in this article) and I found out by doing mini-reviews, you also cover 90% of your work. I do a big review once every 2-3 weeks. I do want to go back to the weekly review since it feels better. But workload and other priorities almost leave me no choice than to do otherwise.

I don't use the GTD Outlook Addin anymore. We have a companywide system now called eSynergy and it has some GTD-like capabilities. It's basically a big projectmanagement system with lots of bells and whistles. I can track my current projects, tasks and I can organize my files in it, like email correspondence and Word files. We are still working on this system to really make it our own but we're getting there.

At home, I just made sure I had every open loop in some sort of system. I have a plastic inbox on a shelf (Thanks to Pascal Venier for the picture) at home where everything gets thrown in. Mail, bills, loose papers, receipts. That's how I started. And once a week, every mondaynight, I process that Inbox. Most of the times it's all financial and administrative work so after processing I go directly into doing our budgetplanning and administrative work. All the other "stuff" in this Inbox just gets processed and organized accordingly into my system. I tried different systems and all stopped using them. You can read why I stopped in this article.

The last couple of months I used ThinkingRock as my system. Great application if you are on 1 computer. But lately I see myself switching more and more between my own laptop and the Macbook Pro we have at home. For instance, I have some Next Actions where I want to learn more on the Mac with programs like Quicksilver. I also found out I do miss the mobile access to my actions and Inbox. I don't use it everyday but every once in a while it would have been handy to have my lists with me. Ofcourse ThinkingRock offers a printversion but trying this for a couple of weeks really didn't get me going. I am becoming more and more a digital nomad and paper is just a means to get from thought to action. I use paper to jot down ideas and URL's I see around me. I put them in my system and the paper is gone. So at this moment I am switching to Nozbe. I will try it for at least one month and see how it works and feels for me. I will keep you posted on the developments ofcourse!

Now don't think this plastic Inbox is my only Inbox. I have two more which are my Gmail-account and my Autohotkey-textfile. I use this one to get thoughts, ideas and other stuff out of my head into 1 (ONE!) system as fast as possible. You can read more about this ubiquitous capturetool in an earlier article.

These are the first steps I took to get started with GTD. A plastic Intray, an appointment on every mondaynight with myself and some spare time at work to get things going.

If I should give one tip: Get an empty head and Inbox as fast as possible. Get everything out of your head on loose paper or in a textfile. Start at the bottom of your email Inbox and keep thinking at every mail: Is it actionable? Yes or No?

Please, share your tips and stories with the rest of us. How did YOU get started with GTD after reading the book or listening the CD's?

(Photo: by Kogakure with Creative Commons License)

Thanks for the summary and good tips.
Matthew Cornell - 30 09 07 - 13:51

Frank is indeed pulling my legs when thanking me for the photo. For it is he, who very kindly took it for me, as I had forgotten my camera at home when I visited with him and his family in Utrecht. ;-)
Pascal Venier - 30 09 07 - 14:53

@Pascal that is correct. Would you believe I actually forgot I took the picture myself :-)
Frank Meeuwsen - 30 09 07 - 15:21

1) Put any CURRRENT lists into your own inbox.
2) Gather up all the miscellaneous paper and stuff and put THAT into your inbox. That includes emails.
3) Do a Mindsweep – full on. The book has a list of triggers to help you get everything out of your head and onto a piece of paper that you can put into your inbox.

Then process, process, process until that inbox is empty.
Delete – Delegate – Do (under 2 minutes) – Defer (identify the next action and place on the appropriate context list)

If this seems too big, pick a room or a part of your life (home or work or a hobby) and do that. However David recommends integrating everything in your life, so I would avoid that if you can. Just take the time.

Finally, I am the queen of getting caught up in the system but David recommends focusing less on that and more on actually getting it all out of your head. Start with paper and pen if need be and get it all out. Then you will see what your needs are (such as what types of lists you have, how many projects, etc) and can pick the right tool for implementing it.
Rebecca - 30 09 07 - 21:27

btw, I would be happy to write this up in more detail (with some trigger lists) as a guest post – I am using GTD as an academic but have used the system for years and am happy to write for you if it would help.
Rebecca - 30 09 07 - 21:29

For me, instead of faffing about with all the available software tools, pda’s, and other bits that can paralyze your starting process, I just put everything on paper. From paper, I can try out other systems and or remove components from the system, and still have useful lists. After moving around and trying out various things, I am back to paper for my actions and projects lists. It stops just short of being fun to use.
Jamie Phelps - 30 09 07 - 21:45

I use thinkingRock on multiple computers by placing the data file on a memory stick. I run the program from each computer as it seems to creates a separate config file—so when I open at home I see the home info and when at work I see the work info, all from the same data file. So far works Ok for me.

I keep backups on at least two computers by using the SaveTo function in thinkingRock.
Dick - 02 10 07 - 07:52

Dick – just to clarify – do you see your home stuff at work and vice versa? For me I would need to see it all where-ever I am….
Rebecca - 02 10 07 - 19:10

Rebecca,

like Dick, I use TR on two computers (PC at work and Mac at home). I keep all of my data on my memory stick. When I open TR in either location I see everything. This is why I use TR.

I was reminded the other day why I chose TR over a Web-based GTD system when our network went down at work. I could still access my TR stuff even though I couldn’t get into anything else.
Heather - 04 10 07 - 20:44

@Dick and Heather: Do you also keep the data on your machines as well? Because, the network can go down, but you could also forget, corrupt or loose your memorystick. Just wondering.
With the Nozbe API, perhaps there are possibilities to mke the data also available offline.
Frank Meeuwsen - 04 10 07 - 22:32

@Frank: I do a regular back-up of everything from my key. TR also lets me do a printout in PocketMod format which fits nicely into my pocket-size calendar.
Heather - 04 10 07 - 22:59