The concepts of GTD are relatively simple; it's in the
implementation where the complexity lies. GTD relies on having a trusted system
were you capture information, thoughts, and next actions etc. The system needs
to be trusted, because if you are getting all of your commitments and to-dos
out of your head, your head really needs to trust that it can stop thinking or
worrying about them.
Without a trusted system, it doesn't work. I would say that for the majority of
geeks the road to finding a trusted system is full of obstacles. I would be
prepared to go out on a limb and say that most people who have been caught up
with the cult of GTD don't actually practice GTD.
Where is the resistance?
And does there have to be that much resistance, for a target
market of people who most probably have a hefty workload and/or a problem with
procrastination?
The problem.
First of all the problem. Let’s take a look at a fictional geek called Geoff,
who just happens to be a software developer. His setup is the following:-
He uses Outlook for email, he also has a gmail account, and he is restricted to
what websites he can use at work.
Geoff has decided he is getting snowed under and could do with a better way of
managing his time (his stuff to do). He has done some research and has decided
to give GTD ago. It seems pretty simple and effective, and is completely sold
on the idea.
First step - finding the trusted system.
Geoff loves web surfing, he loves finding tools, and his attention span is
similar to that of a goldfish. He hops about the internet finding GTD solution
after solution, soon learning that finding the perfect GTD solution is like a procrastinator’s
wet dream. He continues to put all of his urgent work to one side, and signs up
for several of the web applications like Remember the Milk, Backpack and
Vitalist and gives them a go. At first they all seems pretty good, they make
great use of Ajax
and look pretty good too. However not one application is perfect, not one is
the right fit for him. Being a geek and a software developer, Geoff knows GTD
is pretty simple, he doesn't want to compromise, and there are still dozens of
apps he hasn't yet tried.
Two weeks later, all of the web GTD accounts are starting to become stale. All
the articles on 43folders and lifehacker have been read. Geoff has decided that
web GTD apps aren't for him. He needs the power of a windows application,
something that isn't hidden in the tab of his web browser.
He installs My life Organised and ThinkingRock. Again they both seem pretty
good, he decides ThinkingRock is the best fit and decides this time he best
give this GTD app a proper try, and to stop procrastinating. He spends the
weekend emptying his brain into the application. Monday morning he bungs the
application onto a USB stick and goes to work. He gets into the habit of using
the app to manage his workload at work, and all is going swimmingly. Until
Thursday. Thursday he has left his USB Stick at home. Geoff finds this really
frustrating, because his USB stick has his brain on it (and it was only a 1GB
stick).
Thursday becomes a bit messy due to not having his brain, and Friday and the
weekend are consumed by looking for a more reliable option.
By Monday Geoff realises he has wasted days and days, just surfing for a
perfect GTD solution. His boss isn't happy because he has missed a deadline,
and Geoff decides he best knuckle down and stop wasting any more time chasing
rainbows.
The End.
The moral of the story? We live in a complicated world, with masses of
information thrown at us from all angles. We rely on many devices, from PCs,
laptops to PDAs and mobile phones. Not all of them speak the same
language. In the end, there is no perfect GTD solution out there, and
there never will be. There are however, plenty of 'good enough' solutions that
are right for you. It’s more important to find a solution, commit to it and
make it work. Once you have a reliable system and are on top of your workload,
then there is nothing stopping you from making some time available for looking
for smarter solutions, but at least it wont be at the cost of 'Getting things
done'.
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