implement GTD

I’ve started processing this morning. It took me about 1,5 hour to get through my inbox (although there is a big basket I haven’t touched yet, mostly containing stuff to read, but I just had to get started). I sorted through every item and made several lists. So far I’ve got some basic lists, on paper, all together in a small binder:

-Actions
-Projects
-Waiting for
-Someday/Maybe
-To buy/Gift ideas (for the ever bugging family/friends)

I’ve also started a few project-lists with actions I have to take for those projects. Some are in order already, others are still just a pile of stuff I have to do. Deciding what to do is quite difficult sometimes.

Then I went through my email inbox. Because I’ve done some cleaning up over the past year, it wasn’t that much work to empty it. In my mailbox I’ve created the folders @Actions, @Projects, @Waiting, @Reference and @Fun. This is a work in progress, and I still have to sort through the subfolders I had until now, but I think it might work well.

Overall I’m very pleased. I haven’t made separate Action lists per context, and I don’t now if I will. What I did do, on impulse, was made little icons next to my actions, representing the context. I dont’ have icons for everything yet, but I do have something for:

-Computer (general, including internet, though I might split that up, for days when my internet doesn’t work)
-Online banking
-Email
-Phone
-Conversation (need to talk to someone in person)
-Errand (where I can walk to, in the city somewhere)
-Something to read

The icons stand on the far right of the actions, neatly beneath each other, so they’re easy to scan. I’ll monitor if this works for me instead of the context lists.

Result so far: after all the processing I sent several emails I had been procrastinating about (and put them in my mail @Waiting afterwards, to wait for a response…), paid some bills, returned a borrowed book and several other small things. So, I’m pleased so far. Now on to the chapter about maintaining this system…

Well, that wasn’t so hard. It took me a little over an hour, but I did it, I emptied my head onto the paper…

Only thing I did differently than Mr Allen had in mind: I didn’t use a new piece of paper for each item. That might be handy during the processing stage, but I had so many things to write down (two blank A4 papers, written on both sides), that it would have cost a silly amount of paper. Especially when most of these things will probably be 2-minute actions or things to put in my agenda. It felt wasteful to use separate pieces of paper for each.

Anyway, after collecting I’ve read chapter 6. I’ve taken a small break now, and next up is chapter 7 before I’m allowed to start processing. Now that I’m pretty sure that everything is written down somewhere and that I’m actually going to do something with it soon, I’m already feeling more relaxed!

After I read the first part on March 1, I started off really well. I bought supplies and started collecting that same afternoon. The first stage, collecting the physical stuff, wasn’t so hard, but after that I stopped. I can feel that it is fear that is holding me back, but I don’t really understand what it is that I’m afraid of. Am I afraid that I’ll find things that I should have done long ago? I don’t even have to doubt that, I already found some while collecting the physical stuff. So why don’t I just continue…?

I know that the book says that you have to collect everything before you start processing, but I have the distinct feeling that I shouldn’t do the “brainstorm” now. Maybe I’m afraid that too much will come out? If there is too much in there, it has to come out.

Okay, no more talking. I’m just going to do the brainstorm thing, and we’ll see what happens.

Well, that was a good start. I spent most of my morning reading part 1 of the GTD book. I’m off to class now, but on my way back I’ll run by the store for some (simple) archiving supplies and something to use as a physical inbox.

I’m hoping to get rid of most of the current stress by finally implementing Getting Things Done. The book has been sitting on the shelf for quite a while now, and it’s time to finally do something with it. I know most of the principles, since I follow several personal development related blogs, but haven’t given it a try yet myself.

Subgoals:
- RTFB ;)
- GTD :)