Time Management:
“Getting Things Done”
Agenda
“Getting Things Done” Background
Premises
System
Example
Implementation
“Getting Things Done” Background
David Allen
davidco.com
“GTD”
Premises
Premise: Your Brain
A lot to do: tasks
Brain ineffective
Worry/Stress
Trusted system
“Next Actions”
Premise: “Views” of Life
50,000 ft: Life goals
40,000 ft: 3-5 year goals
30,000 ft: 1-2 year goals
20,000 ft: areas of responsibility
10,000 ft: personal projects
Ground-Level: “next actions”
Premise: Inbox Actions
Delete
Archive
“Action Required”
Wait
Defer
System
System: Inboxes
E-mail
Paper
Voicemail
Voice recording
System: “Next Actions” List
“Action-oriented”
Tells you what to do
Complex or Simple
• Context
• Due Date
• Priority
• “Energy Level”
Example: “Next Actions” List
Office: Clean up old pod
Office: Label laptop USB cables
Office: Quote a new desktop machine
Lee: Ask for $100 for books
Home: Vacuum kitchen
Errands: Pick up dry cleaning
…220 tasks …
System: Personal Projects
Projects you need to accomplish
Take several “Next Actions”
“Stock the freezer”
“Implement GTD”
System: Calendar
Trusted system
Only actual deadlines
Example: Calendar
11 AM: Give GTD presentation
June 30: Submit FY2005 budget summary
vs.
Next action: Verify I will not lose PTO
Example: Projects List
Work: Create administrator training process
Work: Replace desktop computer
Home: Go on a backpacking trip
Home: Buy Christmas presents
Deferred: Plan infrastructure for Banner 7
System: Areas of Responsibility
Job description
Personal life
“Perform System Maintenance”
“Volunteer”
Implementations
Implementation: “Hipster PDA”
500+ index cards
Binder clip
Implementation: Paper Filing
Actual inbox in work area
Filing cabinet: project information
Implementation: Mozilla Thunderbird
Labels
Views
“Show me „Action Required‟, „Wait‟, or
unlabeled messages”
Implementation: Mobile Device
Notes: “Recordings” Inbox
Tasks: “Next Actions”
Notes “Projects” Folders: Projects
Notes “Lists” Folders: Other Lists
• Areas of Focus
Summary
Premises
• Your Brain, “Views” of Life, Inbox
System
• Inboxes, “Next Actions,” Projects
Implementation
• Anything! Note cards, E-mail, PDA
Q&A, Comments