Once my journey was started, I began to see results almost immediately.
Yet, this is truly a journey of a thousand miles. In my initial exhilaration to implement GTD, I read every blog I could find referencing the methodology, tried every tool I stumbled across, and grew frustrated when some of these tools didn’t seem to offer the productivity promised.
I hung on to every word I stumbled upon that came from the guru himself, David Allen, and I grew frustrated if some of his implementations didn’t seem to work for me. Then one day, as I was listening to the abridged version of GTD on tape, in between David’s words I caught hold of a remarkable insight: Simpler is better.
I began to realize that what David was offering was a simple method that I could adapt to the demands of my life, the way I processed things, and yet at the same time a method that was flexible enough to help me work from my strengths. David was offering me the chance to learn new skills, while at the same time complementing what I’d already learned.
So I quit following every new idea that aligned itself with GTD, I unsubscribed to some of the blogs that offered GTD solutions that weren’t working for me, and I removed some of the tools from my laptop that worked for others, but that weren’t working for me.
And I developed some guiding principles that I believe stay true to the intent of the GTD methodology by keeping everything in context:
First, Know Yourself. Know how you work, when you do your best work, what works for you, and what doesn’t work as well. Experiment occasionally, but stick rigorously to what works. Even if others comment that your methodology seems a little outdated.
Second, Know Your Tools. Know what they do, why you use them (or are considering using them), and when you should use them. It is essential to place your tools in the appropriate context. Some tools are more useful (web-based tools for example) in some contexts, but aren’t flexible enough to be the primary tools you use in your work.
For example, one of my favorite tools is MindManager Pro 7, incredibly effective when I’m at my computer, and one of my primary GTD tools. However, equally effective is my unlined Moleskine Reporter’s Notebook which can be used anywhere, doesn’t require waiting for my laptop to start, and is easily accessible because I always carry it with me. I can draw in it, mindmap in it, write in it vertically, or lay it out and write horizontally across two pages. Yet almost everything I put in that Moleskine ends up somewhere in a MindManager Map.
Simple. Productive. Purposeful.
The essence of GTD.
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