Getting Things Done

or how I learned to love the cult

by Nancy Willoughby

My life before Getting Things Done

My stuff

Me

My life after Getting Things Done

The gear

Step 1: Collect

Empty your brain

Write everything down.• things you want to do• things you should do• big or small

Write a page an idea.

Put them all in your inbox.

What to put in your inbox

• All those little ideas • Training classes• Project ideas• Expense reports• Articles you should read• Reports you should read• Ideas you get from articles• Ideas you get from reports• Corporate emails • Corporate voicemails • Dev plans• Business cards• Mail• Corporate credit card bills• Software installation

Anything you can’t face now

Step 2: Process

Once a week

Decide • Do it now, or• Throw it away, or• File it, or

• Put it on your calendar

Step 3: Do

Schedule everything you’ve put offAnything you don’t feel

like doing now.

Then just follow your calendar.

Everything gets done.

Stress free.

The key

Don’t overschedule.

Schedule only one or two small items a day.

When the day comes, it’s almost a pleasant surprise.

OMG! All I have to do today is look at the new UX sharepoint site and read my IA

newsletter!

What can you schedule?tasks completeddid ethics trainingdid UX surveylooked at ignite slidesharelooked at le meridien hotelslooked at open IDlooked at design sitesresearched new macsgave denise my laptop serial numberresearched IA mentorscatch up on fast companyread presentation zendid signature debit 3 dev plandid signature debit 3 wireframesscheduled meeting with signature debit teamask joe about cooper uread sales 2.0 presentationread borneo presentationbrainstormed contest idea for home pagelooked at new UX sharepoint sitereview updated ID standardscreated GTD presentationget headset fixed….

etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc..

everything

small tasks

bigger projects

anything that crosses your mind

When the day comes

What about email?

The goal: Inbox Zero

Stop laughing

Two folders that will change your life

Next actions

Waiting for

Next actions

Waiting for

Your life after Getting Things Done

But remember, balance is all(lest you think I’m anal)

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.

- Lin Yutang

AppendixGetting Things Done, by David Allen

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212106920&sr=8-1