19 comments

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  Mrs. Micah

  1 year ago

  I do the notebook thing, but I'm not as good about transferring it. Still, that's the biggest thing I got out of GTD. The only thing I've put into long-term use.
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  bsen

  1 year ago

  I completely agree -- although, I use a weekly planner Moleskine that gives me space to scribble on one side, and place to slot in "to-dos" by day on the other side. I've found this works well. Right now, I'm in graduate school, so the repeated reminders aren't really necessary, because the important things are not urgent and the urgent things, quite often, may not be important! On the other hand, I'll experiment with Google Calendar to see if it's helpful.... Thanks for the post!
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  George

  1 year ago

  Years ago, (late 1980's), I purchased one of the first, primitive, PDA's at the sharper image. It was nothing more than a glorified, electronic phone book. After I spent the better part of 2 hours trying to tediously enter data into the thing I grew disgusted with it and tossed that $100 piece of junk into a desk drawer where it lived, unused, for the next 15 years before I finally tossed it.
  
  Based on that experience, I concluded that PDA's will not be truly useful until they are equipped with voice command software that actually works without having to spend months and months "training" it to understand what you are saying.
  
  Clearly, we still are not there yet, which is why I did not bother with buying a Palm Pilot when they were all the rage a few years ago.
  
  A very wise former supervisor of mine taught me that if an electronic device takes more time to utilize than the analog method it is supposed to replace, then it is not worth owning or using. He was right.
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  FFB

  1 year ago

  Nice way to strip everything down! I like to use Google Notebooks for any ideas I have for blogging. I have a notebook I carry too and transfer post ideas to Google when I get to a computer.
  
  I actually have a PDA/Smartphone on the way. I hope it's not as bad as you say. I'd like to see if I could incorporate Google Reader on the go.
  
  We also have a few pocket notebooks around the house and in the car to put lists together.
  
  I started using Google Calendar but it didn't quite stick. I think I'll try it again using your ideas for reminders.
  
  Thanks!
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  jay

  1 year ago

  Thought provoking! Especially, for me, as others are mentioning, using the PDA vs a moleskine "device". I've tried to get enthused about GTD, but like you have concluded it's major overkill for me. I use the PDA now only for grocery lists (HandyShopper) and referencing bank balances (Pocket Quicken). I could thin down my pocket book to practically nothing if I could wean off the PDA! Of course, unlike most of your readers, I am cruising into retirement, so my schedule when out and about is pretty light --YEA!!
  -Cell phones could also substitute for alarms, notes (voice mail to yourself), new contact info, etc.
  -I use Yahoo calendar/email notifications as you are using Google...
  
  Thanks for starting the conversation!
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  Bouncing Betty

  1 year ago

  I don't "do" PDA's, just one more electronic device I have to keep track of. I do use a notebook (not a moleskin, but similar. At the end of my day I sit down and write our my to do list for the next day and I star or highlight the really important items. I cross out the items done, tasks accomplished and every few days, I redo the list so something does not get lost in the "done" pile. Like you said, the best thing to do is be specific with your tasks. I also keep a list of things I might need or want (ya never know when someone is going to offer you a freebie), measurements for furniture or window treatments, etc.
  
  I like the tactile sensation of opening the book,writing in it and then crossing off the completed items.
  
  I get a lot of satisfaction from crossing off the items to be done. I also use decent notebook, a decent pen and a decent highlighter. My current notebook was a freebie for attending a seminar. Sturdy cover, heavy weight paper, acceptable pen. Can't complain about that!
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  David

  1 year ago

  I couldn't agree more - GTD makes getting things done more time consuming! There are so many easier ways to maintain your life - I have a small notebook and an iPhone..that's my entire system!
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  7million7years

  1 year ago

  Note to Self: remember to thank BrBl for yet another great (and innovative) post!
  
  AJC.
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  Writer's Coin

  1 year ago

  Nice to hear others not folding into the PDA temptation. I use a similar system to yours only with Yahoo. Has only failed me once. It's just such a nice "writerly" feeling with the Moleskine.
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  Steve (Brip Blap)

  1 year ago

  Hey, thanks everyone! I should point out that you can substitute "spiral notebook" for Moleskine and "any online calendar system" for Google Calendar. I think at it's heart there are only two components to a to-do system: date-related stuff that should go in a calendar and non-date-related stuff that goes in a list. Whatever the tools are, fine. Just don't complicate it with categories and projects and contexts and blah blah because - at least for me - that's not how my mind works, and I suspect nobody else's mind does either! I think "crap, need eggs and I need to check my brokerage account when I get home!"
  
  As a side note, Moleskines are a very pleasant addiction :)
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  Glblguy

  1 year ago

  Steve, excellent article. I found GTD a bit complicated too, but I think the concepts are dead on, you just have to adapt the process to what works for you. It's a framework that requires customization for each individual.
  
  I love Moleskines, but am concerned about the impact of our use of paper these days on the environment. I've been trying to go more electronic.
  
  Instead, I use the voice recorder on my cell phone to make notes, add to-dos, etc. Then when I am in front of my computer I replay those and jot them down in a simple text file to-do list. I then pick up where you do and move them to a calendar, or text file, etc. For longer notations, i use a voice recorder I bought on amazon. This works great for article ideas or if I hear something on the news I'd like to write about, i can just record it.
  
  While the use of paper is often simpler, I would encourage everyone to consider the impact of everyone reading this article using a paper notebook. That's a lot of trees.
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  Steve (Brip Blap)

  1 year ago

  @Glblguy: Hmm, that's a thought I hadn't considered before, but I have to disagree. I guess my counterargument would be that the use of rapidly changing technology, which uses even-more-rapidly deplenishing natural resources (various precious metals used in chips, petroleum made into plastics, etc.) which are non-biodegradable could be much more harmful. They require energy, too - each time you recharge one you are contributing to greenhouse gases (depending on where your power source originates). And the batteries, especially for cell phones, are toxic to the environment and require recycling. There are companies that do this, so as long as you are diligent about recycling consumer electronics you'd be OK (although we all know recycling does not truly recycle 100% of the material). And unless you are disciplined about using your gadget until it breaks you're on a constant cycle of consumption and discarding. No-one is good about using consumer electronics until the bitter end - people want the "new free phone" when their phone contract needs to be re-upped every two years. I just got a "new free phone," for example. My old phone was dying but not dead yet.
  
  I believe Moleskines are non-recycled paper based, so granted, they are not so great. My "best" solution would be to use notebooks made of post-consumer recycled paper, and recycle them once I'm done with them.
  
  I disagree about trees being cut down, though. The problem is not how many trees are cut down, it's that new ones aren't being planted to replace them. If a responsible logging company "farms" trees - plants 3 new ones for every one they cut down - it can become a sustainable activity, which cannot be said of ore extraction or plastic manufacture. The trouble is that too many companies don't practice sustainable logging.
  
  I bet Torbjorn would have something to say about this...
  
  (as a side note, if you do like leaving voice notes with your phone and you have a plan with plenty of minutes, you can also set up Jott which is a very cool voice-to-text app - I love it for times when I forget my notebook!)
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  bubelah

  1 year ago

  My Palm Pilot broke a few years ago, couldn't recover it. I didn't get a new one and found that I am actually ok without it. I realized that it was more time consuming for me to figure out what is what and where, and how time consuming it was to type in simple to-do tasks. So much faster and easier it is to just write it down.
  Surprisingly enough, I was most organized in College when I used my daily planner, where at a glance I could see everything I needed to do or any appt. to keep, I felt more in control than when I used my Palm Trio.
  I am glad to hear that I am not the only one out in this technological age who doesn't care about PDAs. I guess, I am not cool, but I don't care.
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  deepali

  1 year ago

  I got a notebook made from recycled paper on my recent travels. I carry it with me everywhere, and it houses my master to-do list. It also serves as a reminder of some of the more important things in life (proceeds from that purchase went to helping street children). Every day, I star a few items in the list - those become my daily to-do list. Then as I take care of them, I cross them out.
  I tried transferring to Google calendar, but as it stands, I already have about 6 different calendars to keep track of activities and major reminders (ie, paying tuition today!), and it just gets too cluttered (and then useless). I find that just keeping it all in one place in my notebook works just as well.
  
  The *real* problem though, is when I look at the list and decide I don't feel like actually doing anything. :)
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  deepali

  1 year ago

  Oh, and to address the paper vs technology issue - I cover every square inch of the notebook. :) E-waste is a potentially bigger problem than paper waste. And there's the issue of labor rights of miners (which is worse for electronic components than it is for diamonds and gold).
  
  Solution? Buy recycled paper, and recycle it when you are done. :)
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  Jaime @ LMW

  1 year ago

  Umm...What about the whole 43 folders concept in GTD. That's the biggest thing that helps me clear my head and achieve "mind like water." All those miscellaneous papers (are you pasting stuff into your moleskin?) have an immediate home.
  
  Event on the 19th, file it in the 19th. Notes for a meeting on the 20th, file them in the 20th. Stuff I need to discuss with hubby versus stuff I need to take care of on my own - files for it. Stuff I absolutely need to do versus stuff I might get around to - separate files!
  
  My desk is pure, uncluttered, creativity-boosting bliss since I started GTD.
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  Glblguy

  1 year ago

  @BripBlap - I agree, but only if my choice was between my laptop or a notebook. I use the notebook and the cell phone anyway, so conserves resources to stop using the notebook and just use the laptop and phone.
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  guinness416

  1 year ago

  GTD seems to be like Rich Dad Poor Dad ... everyone's read it and it gets them thinking, nobody uses the actual advice. The hyper-organization blogs inspired by the system seem really odd and obsessive to me, but they'd probably say the same about the moneyblogs I read daily. I'm happy to report that I'm back to the cheapy notebooks after a brief moleskine addiction.
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  Q

  1 year ago

  Why not JOTT? I carry my phone with me when I'm away from the computer and I just JOTT to send myself or coworkers a short email or text message. The voice recognition is good enough - only drawback is trying to call from a noisy restaurant but even that wouldn't be a problem if you have a smart phone you could send yourself an email... then everything is already in Google and easier to transfer to Google calendar...
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