GTD + BASB = Better Person

January 27, 2019Leave a comment

Personal productivity and knowledge management are related skill sets required for most of us to perform our best at work. While they are both mostly thought of as functional efficiency tools, did you know their practice can also build virtue?

forte Tiago Forte of Forte Labs recently shared his thoughts on how productivity and knowledge management skills can increase our own potential to do good in the world. By committing to Getting Things Done (GTD) and his own Build a Second Brain (BASB) course, Tiago believes that we will become not only more efficient, but also a better person as a result. He explains how we start the journey this way:

“Often, when we embark on this journey – learning digital fluency, task management (GTD), personal knowledge management (BASB) and beyond – our motivation is primarily one of utility. We want to stop procrastinating, to get more things done, to excel at our work, and have a vibrant, flourishing career. GTD and BASB will absolutely help you meet those goals.

While on this journey, however, we start to realize that GTD and BASB can serve another purpose: sheer pleasure.”

Learn how this eventually leads to mastering higher virtues by reading the rest of the article at Forte Labs.

There is Always Too Much to Do

January 21, 2019Leave a comment

Have you ever felt overwhelmed? You know that feeling that there are too many things to do and not enough time to do them in? This is especially true if you are an “ideas” person whose mind constantly generates new thoughts and insights that eventual lead to a string of projects. How are we supposed to handle this overwhelm and stay sane?

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The first step is to understand that there is always more to do than time allows. If you follow GTD practice, the generation of action lists and a robust project list will quickly demonstrate this fact. Accepting that some things will never be done is a part of good mental health. The trick becomes deciding what is essential to complete in terms of your larger mission and purpose. Spending a lot of time completing small tasks with little payoff becomes exhausting. It is far better to complete fewer tasks well that lead to bigger payoffs.

I was once asked this question in an Efficient Librarian workshop: “How often do you empty your action folder?”

I replied that as a functional folder the point wasn’t to empty it regularly like the inbox, but instead to corral actionable items together into one place. In fact, in the last four years my work email action folder has only been completely empty once. Since I am very active at work, it may never be empty again until I retire!

So, relax and remember that there will always be more to do than can be done. The question you have to consider is what is the most important thing to do in the time you have. That answer will lead you productively and efficiently forward.

Making Meetings Meaningful

December 16, 2018Leave a comment

It is common for people to dread meetings. However, the game of knowledge work is played out not only at your desk but in the many different conversations we have with our colleagues, clients, and collaborators. In that light, a meeting is simply a conversation that is scheduled for a specific time and place. While important to getting work done, meetings can also be a source of confusion and conflict if not done effectively. So, are there best practices to having better meetings?

gtdcover In a recent blog post, David Allen shares his insights about meetings and it starts from the top of the Natural Planning Model, that is defining purpose.

“An essential question to answer at the start of any meeting is, “What do we want to accomplish here, and by what time?” If purpose isn’t clear, no one has sufficient criteria by which to frame and monitor the ensuing conversation, nor the information to know whether he or she should participate in it. So, step one, make sure the purpose of each meeting is clear.”

Read the rest of the blog post at Getting Things Done.

The Strategic Value of Clear Space

November 25, 2018Leave a comment

DA-Small At the end of an Efficient Librarian training seminar or webinar, I like to close with a phrase from David Allen that has stuck with me for a long time. To my mind this phrase encapsulates the power inherent in the GTD mindset. The phrase is “The Strategic Value of Clear Space.”

In a recent blog post on the Getting Things Done web site, David Allen expands on “The Strategic Value of Clear Space” at length. Here is a key takeaway:

“To tackle something most productively you must begin in clear space. Physically you need all your tools in order and an open space for spreading your raw elements and assembling structures. Psychically you need an empty head, clear of distractions and unfinished business holding your attention hostage. From this starting point you will have your best chances for creative thinking, optimal ability to deal with surprise, maximum flexibility to come up with workarounds and innovative solutions. You’ll be able to take advantage of serendipitous, potentially valuable ideas.”

Read the rest at the Getting Things Done web site.

Email and Your Job

November 4, 2018Leave a comment

davidallen It seems like every year the email beast gets larger and hungrier. According to the the web site Templafy, the average person receives 121 emails a day. This sheer volume of electronic correspondence lead to a fascinating question that was posted to the Getting Things Done web site: At what point did answering e-mail become my job?

The answer from David Allen is very insightful:

“Well, at what point did answering anything—your mail, having conversations in your hallway—become your job? It’s all your job. You just have to decide what your work is. As the late, great Peter Drucker said, that’s your biggest job, to define what your work is.”

Read the rest of his response on the Getting Things Done web site.

The Weekly Review

October 21, 2018Leave a comment

Quick question: According to David Allen, what is the “critical success factor” in making your GTD practice stick?

Answer: The Weekly Review

In our fast moving times, it is very important to step away from the daily grind to get perspective on your work, goals, and mission. The Weekly Review is that opportunity. The Review is typically done on the last day of the work week in order to reflect on your calendar, tie up loose ends, and make sure the everything that has your attention is captured for processing. I know from my own personal experience that whenever I miss a Weekly Review, there is a feeling of incompleteness. The Weekly Review is an excellent way to move into a stress free weekend.

Check out this free podcast and guide available on the GTD web site.

GTD For Teens

September 30, 2018Leave a comment

gtdteens Many people say, “I wish I had known GTD when I was in school.” The problem was that Getting Things Done and other productivity books are encountered after they start their career, mostly because these books are primarily aimed at the business community. However, this has changed with the release of the new book GTD for Teens. As noted on the GTD web site:

“The most interconnected generation in history is navigating unimaginable amounts of social pressure, both in personal and online interactions. Very little time, focus, or education is being spent teaching and coaching this generation how to navigate this unprecedented amount of “stuff” entering their lives each day. How do we help the overloaded and distracted next generation deal with increasing complexity and help them not only survive, but thrive?”

GTD for Teens take the system and explains it using language and situations common to teens. Learn more about the book on the GTD for Teens web site.

My GTD Story @ GTD Online!

September 25, 2018Leave a comment

I dcrane-gtd t is an honor and a privilege to announce that I am currently featured on Getting Things Done!

About a month ago, the GTD team reached out to me to ask if I would share my story about how I discovered the system and use it. Without any hesitation I jumped at the chance. Here is an except from the story:

“How long have you been practicing GTD?
I started in 2011. I am one of those excited people who dove in head first and did a total implementation of the GTD process within the first month. One of the best support tools for the early years of practice was the 10 CD set of David Allen’s complete GTD two-day seminar. I pretty much listened to it on repeat in my car. Each time I listened, it took me deeper into the GTD process. I still dive into seminar from time to time for a refresher.”

Read the rest of the story at the Getting Things Done web site.

The Weekly Review – A Time for Perspective

September 10, 2018Leave a comment

Weekly Review

For most people the world of work is fast paced. Between meetings, deadlines, email, interruptions and more meetings, it seems like everything and everyone is vying for our attention. It is like a roller coaster that never stops – leaving its riders dizzy and sick to their stomachs. Thankfully, there is an antidote to this fast pace; one that is within anybody’s grasp. It is called the Weekly Review.

In GTD, the Weekly Review a fundamental practice. It is dedicated time to gain perspective. In order for a knowledge worker to take advantage of the review, they must shut out the world for a few hours. For many of us, this may seem like a tall order. However, there are natural ebbs and flows to the week. Typically, Friday afternoon is when most workplaces slow down and presents an opportunity to claim quiet time.

If you don’t think the Weekly Review is important, here is what David Allen himself says about the practice: “Honestly, this is what I do to keep myself sane and in control. … It is the one factor upon which your success with Mind Like Water technology hinges.”

For the complete steps to the Weekly Review simply download this handy guide.

Efficient Librarian

Exploring the Intersection of Efficiency and Librarianship

Category: GTD