Getting Things Done

1
Getting Things Done

• A quick look at time management,
• drawing on the David Allen book
• Getting Things Done
• Put together by Jennifer L. Bowie

2
Why Mind Like Water

• Insufficient time for the vast demands
• Boundary issues work not clearly bound, issues
  with life beyond work
• Keeping track of the big picture and day to day
• Promises mind like water Always in an efficient
  and effective ready state. Clear mind ready to
  work with no nagging thoughts of what you should
  be doing.

3
Why Things are on Your Mind

• Mind doesnt have a mind of its own Doesnt only
  worry about things when you can do them, worries
  all the time
• Things on your mind because
• Youve not clarified the intended outcome yet
• You havent decide what the next step is
• You haven't put reminders into a system
• Major Challenge get it out of your head!

4
What is GTD?

• A workflow process
• A framework with 6 levels of focus
• A natural planning method
• Often more bottom up
• Combines all aspects of life work, home,
  relationships, relaxation, hobbies. Thus good for
  us academics with out clear separations

5
The Process

• Check out the Workflow Diagram
• Collect
• Process
• Organize
• Review
• Do

6
Collect

• Important to capture everything to get mind like
  water state (MLWS)
• Gather 100 of open loops/incompletes everything
  that should, needs to , or ought to get done
• Tools
• Physical in-box
• Paper-based note taking supplies
• Electronic noted-taking supplies
• Voice-recording devices
• E-mail
• Collect every open loop by one of these methods
• Have as few collection devices as possible
• Empty collection devices regularly

7
Process

• Go through each collected item and decide
• What is it?
• Is it Actionable?
• No
• Trash
• Incubate
• Reference
• Yes
• Is it a project? Capture it on a projects list,
  which you review weekly
• What is the next action?
• Do it if less than two minutes
• Delegate it
• Defer it make sure you track next actions and
  capture it on a list or calander

8
Organize

• Create Projects lists A Project is anything with
  more than one action step.
• May want multiple lists or one general list
• Some ideas
• A list of publication projects
• The Diss list
• Class work list
• Teaching list
• But dont subdivide too much
• Likely have at least 50 projects at any one time
• Collect support materials, but store out of site
  (you dont need the reminders now!)

9
Next Actions

• Calendar Use to collect all
• Time-specific action
• Day-specific actions
• Day-specific information info need on a certain
  date
• Do not put on things you would like to do that
  day
• Next Actions list where all the action reminders
  go, kind of a to-do list, but better
• If 20-30 fine to have one Next Actions list
• If More divide the lists into context and action
  based lists
• Calls
• At school
• At home
• Errands
• People SO, colleagues, boss, teachers,
  chair..
• Read/Review Love this!!!
• Waiting for

10
Nonactionable Items

• Trash
• Incubate Things you might want to do and need to
  be reminded of
• Someday/Maybe Wish list of possible future
  projects and ideas such as a book you cant write
  now, a dream vacation, house remodel for next
  year, things you may want to buy (books, cds,),
  things to do with SOs,
• Tickler file a file of things you need to be
  remind of at a certain time, such as a bill to
  pay, a CFP deadline, and so on. Create a hard
  copy 43 folder file.
• Reference valuable info you must keep. File it
  out of the way

11
Review

• Weekly review for runway and 10,000 levels
• Gather and process in-boxes
• Review system
• Projects lists ?
• Calendar
• Next Actions
• Update Lists
• Clean, clear, complete
• Higher levels as appropriate monthly? Yearly?
  (marriage book)

12
Sadly this is where my saved slides end

• Ill try to find the rest and get it up.