Time Management:“Getting Things Done”

Agenda

“Getting Things Done” Background Premises System Example Implementation

“Getting Things Done” Background

David Allen davidco.com

“GTD”

Premises

Premise: Your Brain

A lot to do: tasks Brain ineffective Worry/Stress

Trusted system “Next Actions”

Premise: “Views” of Life

50,000 ft: Life goals 40,000 ft: 3-5 year goals 30,000 ft: 1-2 year goals 20,000 ft: areas of responsibility 10,000 ft: personal projects Ground-Level: “next actions”

Premise: Inbox Actions

Delete Archive “Action Required” Wait Defer

System

System: Inboxes

E-mail Paper Voicemail Voice recording

System: “Next Actions” List

“Action-oriented” Tells you what to do Complex or Simple

• Context• Due Date• Priority• “Energy Level”

Example: “Next Actions” List

Office: Clean up old pod Office: Label laptop USB cables Office: Quote a new desktop machine Lee: Ask for $100 for books Home: Vacuum kitchen Errands: Pick up dry cleaning …220 tasks …

System: Personal Projects

Projects you need to accomplish Take several “Next Actions”

“Stock the freezer” “Implement GTD”

System: Calendar

Trusted system Only actual deadlines

Example: Calendar

11 AM: Give GTD presentation June 30: Submit FY2005 budget summary

vs.

Next action: Verify I will not lose PTO

Example: Projects List

Work: Create administrator training process Work: Replace desktop computer Home: Go on a backpacking trip Home: Buy Christmas presents Deferred: Plan infrastructure for Banner 7

System: Areas of Responsibility

Job description Personal life

“Perform System Maintenance” “Volunteer”

Implementations

Implementation: “Hipster PDA”

500+ index cards Binder clip

Implementation: Paper Filing

Actual inbox in work area Filing cabinet: project information

Implementation: Mozilla Thunderbird

Labels Views

“Show me ‘Action Required’, ‘Wait’, or unlabeled messages”

Implementation: Mobile Device

Notes: “Recordings” Inbox Tasks: “Next Actions” Notes “Projects” Folders: Projects Notes “Lists” Folders: Other Lists

• Areas of Focus

Summary

Premises• Your Brain, “Views” of Life, Inbox

System• Inboxes, “Next Actions,” Projects

Implementation• Anything! Note cards, E-mail, PDA

Q&A, Comments