Macopinion

Where has Marc been? (Part 2a)

by Marc Zeedar macopinion@designwrite.com

Last time I wrote about the chaos of my life and how I discovered a book, Getting Things Done, by David Allen. Today I will give a brief review of the book. In the subsequent part, I'll cover my own experiences putting GTD into practice.

I will begin by revealing that though I was hopeful the book would help me in some way, I was also skeptical. Like that "really awesome" movie your friends are all talking about that turns out to be a disappointment, I didn't see how Allen's book could live up to the hype. I expected his "system" was some sort of gimmicky thing that would be too convoluted to actually implement or perhaps wouldn't even apply to my life. I wasn't too hopeful. But I figured that if I came out of the book with even one practical concept that would help me get organized and more productive, that would still make it worth reading.

But right off, Allen had me intrigued. In the introduction he writes, "No software, seminar, cool personal planner, or personal mission statement will simplify your workday or make your choices for you as you move through your day, week, and life."

That seemed to diss the whole gimmick idea. So what is Allen proposing? He sums it up with, "I've uncovered simple processes that we can all learn to use that will vastly improve our ability to deal proactively and constructively with the mundane realities of the world."

Now that sounds pretty good. But I still wanted specifics. Just what, exactly, is his system?

"The methods I have uncovered have proved to be highly effective in all types of organizations, at every job level, across cultures, and even at home and school."

Arrgh! More vagueness. Just tell me the methods!

Well, that's the cool part. There are no methods. They are more like strategies or concepts you can adapt to your specific lifestyle. That's why GTD isn't a gimmick and can work for anyone.

The two key concepts of Getting Things Done are:

The methods I present here are all based on two key objectives: (1) capturing all the things that need to get done -- now, later, someday, big, little, or in between -- into a logical and trusted system outside of your head and off your mind; and (2) disciplining yourself to make front-end decisions about all of the "inputs" you let you into your life so that you will always have a plan for "next actions" that you can implement or re-negotiate at any moment.

In other words, have an organizational plan and stick to it. Not exactly an earth-shattering revelation there, but of course there's more to it.

The most important thing I learned early in the book is the benefits of having a physical "to do" system outside of your mind.

I've always kept everything in my head. Though I've tried making paper lists, whiteboards, and software list managers, the process has never worked well for me, and I always end up back to using my brain to remember things.

The problem, of course, is that the brain is not the best tool for this. The brain reminds you at the wrong time. Right after you lock the door and shut it your brain will say, "Hey, your keys are inside!" Nice timing. When you run to the hardware store for particular sized screw you need, I guarantee that when you get home you'll remember you wanted to get weed killer while you were there. That's just how the subconscious operates.

I knew this, though I hadn't really thought it through, but Allen goes even deeper with his analysis, showing that every unfinished task in your head is remembered by the subconscious. The subconscious constantly worries and frets over this. It has no concept of time and thinks you should be working on that task all the time until it's done.

It is this part of the subconscious that generates the guilt, frustration, and despair we feel when we're overwhelmed with "stuff to do." The thoughts are vague, the tasks undefined; all we know is that we feel like crap. I've been feeling like this for years; suddenly I knew why and it made total sense to me.

According to Allen, the key to removing the guilt isn't finishing all the work. There's always more work. In fact, as you become more efficient at work, you'll probably be given increased responsibilities and take on new challenges for even more work! No, the key isn't finishing the work, but removing the burden of the work from your mind.

You remove the burden on your subconscious by putting all your tasks into a trusted management system (either paper, PDA, or computer based). The key is that it must be trusted: it's useless if it's not reliable or actively used. You can't fool your subconscious. That's what I'd been doing. I'd write stuff down, but it was so unreliable my subconscious would try to track it also, filling my mind with guilt and pressure to get the task done.

An important aspect of this is that your subconscious can't tell the difference between tasks. To your subconscious, picking up orange juice on the way home from work is just as important as refilling that drug prescription or that big client meeting or that trip to Italy you'd like to take "someday."

By writing all these tasks down -- every single one no matter how small -- you free your brain from having to manage all these details. The result is freedom, peace of mind, mental creativity, inspiration, motivation, relaxation, and happiness.

Next: Marc finishes his review by revealing some of his favorite productivity tips from the book.

macopinion@designwrite.com