I have an increasing amount of things to do. Right now, I’m starting a boutique for small projects, running LOST, running a campaign, and still messing a little bit with loans at FOHF. I need to streamline my commitments and prioritize them. And, it starts with tracking tasks.
GTD is one of my–if not my–favorite business/personal development books. The real strength is focus on tactics. The reason I write or want to write in the morning is to get some control of your day. Right now I have too many things hanging over my head, and the reason that they are hanging is because I don’t currently have a quick action plan to bang ‘em out. I fell off the wagon and stopped carrying my moleskine around a lot. This was when I got my blackberry, and I think that they are related. I need to stop checking email because it creates the illusion of production when in reality it adds a layer of stress. It’s nice to have, but it’s created for my pleasure, not I for it.
In addition to starting with blogging, it’s important to be able to review some lists and figure out what 2-4 things you’re going to accomplish. And it is important to be hyperspecific. I need to say, in leu of ‘finish website’:
- Make header.
- make footer
- get opt in box working.
I’m not doing the ‘task break down,’ so I can’t exactly see what the ‘next actions’ are. And that creates paralysis, and guilt and all the shit that goes along with procrastination. Luckily, it’s a reasonably easy fix, and I can add task management to my morning routine.
My thinking of a morning routine is this:
- Wake up ~5:30-6am
- Morning pages/blogging/gratitude stuff.
- Pick up/clean up.
- Get to the gym.
- Come back, review lists and tasks, and centralize lists.
- Decide what I’m doing that day, or finishing. Go from there.
I’ve created massively complicated things that put into fine detail what I’m supposed to be doing and precisely when. I rebel naturally against that sorta GTD system, because I hate being told what to do (even if it’s by me).
Time to grind out some websites.
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HAHA! Do you know the Enneagram? Are you type 6??
I can SOOO relate… that’s EXACTLY me.
For implementing GTD you might try out this web-based application:
http://www.gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version and iCal are available too.
Hope you like it.
This was the statement I was referring to: I rebel naturally against that sorta GTD system, because I hate being told what to do (even if it’s by me).