Ask Readers: How to get started on Getting Things Done?

July 8 by | 28 comments | Lifehack |

Arnout asked: “I’ve just implemented the concept of a Tickler file and starting to work with Action lists etc. and still am finding my best way…. (and must honestly say; it is not yet working for me) :-( ”

“How to get started on David Allen’s Getting things done? Any quick tips? Can anyone share your story on a GTD start-up (for my personal reassurance)?”

Implementing Getting things doneGet Started with GTDGetting Started on Getting things doneImplementing GTDImplementing GTD


Related:
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – [Audible AudioBook]
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – [Amazon Book]

  • http://www.slackah.com ryan

    I too would be interested in hearing this. I’m already wrinting every task up in tasktoy (http://www.tasktoy.com).

    I’m already planning on buying the book, but would love to hear comments before hand.

  • http://www.shoe-store.net Shoe-Girl

    When I come into my store in the morning (little shoe store in NY), I need some motivation, so I usually look for something new or fun to do first. Once I get into the work mood – sorting pairs of boots, putting away the fur Uggs until next year, etc. I find I can just keep going. It’s that first bit that’s so hard. When you’re in the swing of things, I find that momentum carries me along.

  • http://www.MetroZing.com Organizer

    I am a professional organizer! MetropolitanOrganizing.com

    1. Are looking for “time shavers” (daily things that need to be done quickly)or do you have a huge project that you need help with?

    2. Do you need help managing your time or things?

    3. Are your bills paid on time?

    4. Do you lose things (keys, glasses, documents) on a regular basis?

    5. Is your calendar (assuming you keep one) electronic or paper?

    6. Do you have filing system?

    7. Have you ever been diagnosed with a reading/learning/behavior problem?

    8. Are you a visual, kinesthetic, or audio learner?

    9. What is the earliest time of the day that you can function well?

    10. What is the latest time of the day that you can function well?

  • Tim

    Read this Getting Things Done Lunch & Learn. The whole GTD methodology is summarized there.

    You do not have to focus too much on tools initially for Getting Things Done. If you can apply the method correctly, all you need is a piece of paper and some paper folders.

  • Arnout

    Well, that was my question in the post….
    At the moment I’m mostly struggling to get my Outlook and iPAQ set up to be used. I guess having all notes/lists etc. digital makes it easier to search and archive (etc.). And since I have the d*rn thing, I would like to use it… :-)

    But when searching the internet all I can find are applications for either Mac OS or for use with a Palm organizer (as it appears to can categorize notes….). No tools for Windows machines and/or PocketPCs. I just found Pocket Informant and that seems to be doing the (best) trick so far, but I am still struggling to find an optimal way of using it.
    Any ideas (or experiences) on how to implement GTD digitally on a Windows based system?

    Also I am still trying to develop a good list of daily and weekly routines (like a ‘cleaning the house’-list, a ‘get up and what to do next’-list), but that’s getting along quite well.

  • http://www.slackah.com ryan

    Arnout ,

    Check out http://www.tasktoy.com and this post (has two web-based applications): http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/next-action-a-web-based-getting-things-done-todo-list.html

    Or are you looking for offline application? I prefer to keep my things online. This way I can access them everywhere. Well.. almost everywhere.

  • Usara Howden

    I did a lot of struggling too, but found that a set of nextactioncards(www.nextactioncards.com) got me right into the system, and more importantly keeps me into the system since it has made it very easy to add new tasks, organize them, and to do reviews.

    Usara H.

  • Tim

    Arnout,

    Have you look at the screenshots on how to setup GTD for Pocket Informant 2005?

    For free paper template for GTD, try Hipster index card setup or D*I*Y Planner Hipster PDA.

    Tim

  • Pingback: Slacker Manager

  • Pingback: Slacker Manager

  • Pingback: lifehack.org » Brendon’s Answer on How to get started on GTD

  • http://www.terzijde.com Arnout

    Hi Tim,
    Thanks! I had seen this a while ago. I guess before I tried Pocket Informant in all. But having another look really helps me understand the potential of the tool. I guess I can configure it totally ‘GTD’!

  • Ruth

    Has anyone tried the Audiobook version rather than paper one? I see it’s available at the iTunes store and it would certainly save time to listen to it on my iPod while in transit rather than have to read the book.

  • Keith in Tokyo

    Ruth, I have both the GTD audiobook and the Ready for Anything audiobook. I think they’re great, but the GTD audiobook is abridged and therefore necessarily misses some of the stuff in the book. (I bought the book too, after listening to the audiobook.) If I had it to do over again, I’d just buy the GTD paper book and then get the Ready for Anything audiobook, because Ready for Anything has bite-sized bits of advice which you can listen to in any order.

  • Bruce

    Amout,

    I found what looks like an excellent piece of software for Windows here:

    http://www.dogmelon.com.au/ns/GTD_google.shtml

  • http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/ Matthew Cornell

    I found that I needed the 100% capture (buy-in) to get the stress relief benefits. If you’re interested, I wrote up my implementation story (http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/2005/08/actually-getting-things-done-with.html), in case you want to take a look.

    mattt

  • Pingback: Slacker Manager » Blog Archive » GTD jumpstart

  • Pingback: lifehack.org » Blog Archive » Review on The Best Life Hacks of 2005

  • Pingback: English Education Professor

  • Pingback: Iesācēja ceļvedis uz GTD (Getting Things Done – Kā sakārtot savas lietas)

  • http://enjoyparenting.blogspot.com Michael@ Awareness * Connection

    I think the combo of capturing all your ideas in places you can collect them easily, and carry with you, and identifying “next actions” the next physical action that anything you have to do entails is enough to get almost anyone off and running. The beauty of the system is freeing up your psychic RAM from all the swirling minutia to make room for creativity and flexible thinking. Just experimenting with this is can make a tremendous difference. It can be adopted on its own—all GTD skills can be used separately—or you may wish to continue building your skills set to really get close to the ideal of “effortless productivity”,

    Good luck on your journey.

  • Pingback: 关于GTD的一些国外网站收藏 « FrankyXu’s Blog

  • Pingback: Beginner’s Guide to GTD | Zen Habits

  • Pingback: Beginner’s Guide to GTD | Online Masai :: The Digital Nomad

  • Pingback: Braindump met Getting Things Done Fast (David Allen) | Erik van der Wal - Business- & Lifestyle Mindset 2.0: Locatie Onafhankelijk Ondernemen

  • Pingback: Beginner’s Guide to Getting Things Done (GTD) « Freelance Writer

  • Pingback: How do I get GTD to stick? | Bert Plat Coaching and Training

  • Pingback: Hoe kun je GTD volhouden? | Bert Plat Advies & Actie