So, as you might know, I’ve been working on a big project, away for a bit and am now settling back in at home. And it’s good.
I’ve been thinking about how vacation is a bit like rebooting a computer, setting everything back to its natural state, giving yourself the opportunity to start over again, fresh. And I didn’t realize how much I needed that.
Like many librarians, I like to be helpful. I say yes to almost any favor. If I think I can add something of value I’ll volunteer. And that leads to having a lot on one’s plate. I realized I was pretty productive, but wanted to do more, a year or so ago. That’s when I found Getting Things Done.
I loved it. I rocked out so many projects that I could add more. I had every task I ever thought of in my to do list, and it made me feel like I could do it all. And the system made it so easy to do it all, that I spent all my time trying to get it all done. Which meant that I was doing things that five years ago I would have let fall off my to do list, and I was doing extra projects that I wouldn’t have taken on in the past.
After my rebooting vacation, I realized that I didn’t really need to do most of the things on my gigantic to do list. I had been reading about productivity from some other sources, and realized that though GTD is one, perfectly valid, way of organizing one’s life, it’s not the only way.
So for now I’m trying a new method. I only write something down if I have to do it or if I think it’s likely I’ll still want to do it a week from now. I only read the listservs, RSS feeds, magazines, etc that matter at the moment they come. (If it matters later, I’ll find search for the content). I go to work with the goal of accomplishing one or two Most Important Tasks of the day and being prepared for all my meetings and classes. This reframing is subtle, but is very helpful to me.
What I’m finding, too, is after the meetings, classes, and MITs, I don’t have time for my to do list. I still have 5-10 little tasks to do, but not the time to fit them into my day. This is telling me I should cut out meetings or have fewer MITs if I can’t even find five minutes to do something quick. And I know this is the same sitution I was pre-holiday, but I didn’t even know it because I was just plowing ahead full force from 8am to 11pm.
So, what I’m finding is:
- Added time to reflect: a good thing!
- MITs means actually getting things done
- Working (literally) all day probably isn’t all that healthy
- Vacations, taken at the right time, are extremely healthy
Anyone else a GTDer who is rethinking their system? I know I can’t be alone, but I also know the GTD community is a strong one.
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Comments 8
Lauren, what a great post. I tried hard to adapt GTD for my work. Part of the problem is that I like compartmentalizing work and home, at least in email and to-do lists, and GTD seemed better suited to people who melded work and life together, or who worked from home (though this may be a mis-read on my part).
What I did take from GTD was the concept of having a capture. I now carry around a moleskin that I use for my work/life/errands capture. Before I always felt like I was forgetting something. I would go to the store and have no idea what I really needed. Now I organize these jumbled thoughts as soon as I remember them: my notebook has sections for work to do, life to do, stuff to buy, long term dreams/goals (the someday list), and blog ideas. This way, if I think of a home thing at work, I jot it down. If I think of something I need to buy when I’m commuting, I jot it down. I never take the next step of really organizing this stuff, except that when I get to work I transfer any notes into my work system. This is what has worked for me: having it all in one place instead of maintaining multiple lose-able lists. And I have almost completely lost that feeling that I’ve forgotten something. I think my memory has even improved.
About two weeks ago I started using Remember the Milk, integrated into my gmail. It’s fantastic. Before I was committed to a paper to-do list for work, but I really like how I set priorities and due dates in RTM, and then it’s right in front of my face. I find it harder to ignore my most important tasks with RTM.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 6:32 am ¶I use some combination of systems. I work on keeping down the number of things I expect to do; I usually base it on the week. What do I need to get done this week? I’ve learned to give myself fewer things than I think I can get done, because so many little things (reference questions) tend to come up unplanned.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 10:33 am ¶I just opened Thinking Rock up (GTD software) and created a project called ‘Life’
This is my second look at this software and I realise now that you don’t have to capture every single thought you have, but instead just use it as useful project software, where you can work on projects that you plan to do in the future as well.
Still looking at it but I may use.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 11:27 am ¶I too have been rethinking my “system” lately- though I never fully implemented GTD. Like Joan, I was never quite happy with merging my work and personal to-do’s, and never quite got around to the weekly review. I also found I was adding a lot of tasks that just weren’t important to the to do list.
I have been doing the 3 important tasks thing the last two weeks and It’s been helping a LOT. Not only because it forces me to sit down and take stock of what is important at the start of the day, but because I have a focused reason to give people when they wonder why I can’t do their Very Important Task RIGHT AWAY.
Since I’m done with school in December, I’m also planning to do a major overhaul of my filing and organizational systems to get me in gear for a new job, new responsibilities, and new professional development goals.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 1:21 pm ¶There’s something in the GTD book about “cleaning the garage, but not today.” The point was that you didn’t have to do everything on your list. I like GTD because it enables me to make sure that the little things — like filling out a vacation form — don’t drop through the cracks. I still haven’t gotten to the point where I feel that I’m making a lot of progress on some old projects, but that’s OK. I know the really important stuff is getting done.
Maybe we should have a productivity/GTD rap session at the library some day. (But don’t feel like I’ve just put another thing on your list!)
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 5:57 pm ¶Interesting comments! I think a common theme here is that we all take the aspects of different time management systems that are most useful in our own contexts. Joan & Karin, the combined personal/work tasks is something I feel resistance to, too. But I think in my situation it’s better that way (otherwise, I forget all about the personal tasks that have to be done and just focus on the work list). Derik, I’m with you… I am having a hard time understanding just how much is realistic, but I am realizing that it’s a lot less than I thought it was! & Carol, maybe we do need a rap session! I won’t put it on my list now, but I’ll file it away in my staff development folder for the next committee meeting.
Posted 01 Dec 2008 at 11:48 pm ¶Thanks for this blog Lauren. I also love GTD! I found Outlook Track-It through it. It’s a small toolbar for outlook that reminds you to followup to emails. easy to use! hope you have some info on that.
Posted 12 Feb 2009 at 2:27 am ¶What is Thinking Rock? I feel like I’ve heard of that. It’s for GTD? and Bacarli, I use Outlook Track-It for my ebay business. It’s a great little toolbar for Outlook. The followup reminders are great.
Posted 05 May 2009 at 12:21 pm ¶Post a Comment