In the past, I have been accused of being flighty and not always sticking to task. Today, I might be diagnosed with ADHD, which would be incorrect. I do have quite the attention span, it’s just I am so excited by all that the world has to offer I want to take it all in. As time has gone on, I have forced myself to be disciplined and seeing tasks through to completion. I struggle with things I don’t particularly care for the most. In most cases, I’d rather be doing a craft project or reading or time sucking on facebook than cleaning or other less favorite activities.
Alas, I can’t always get what I want, and I have to do these things.
Enter, the GTD system. GTD stands for get things done, and it’s a time management philosophy. For people like me, it’s a phenomenal system. The crux of it is taking things from your mind, and recording them on paper/online/whatever and then break into manageable tasks or segments. Basically, I don’t have to keep trying to recall things and I can focus on what’s truly important.
There are 5 basic steps: capture, clarify, organize, reflect and engage.
Capturing includes making my lists. Each week, I start off with “in” list. It’s all the tasks that I have going on for the next week. Its everything from going grocery shopping to wanting to polish my French skills to a recipe I want to try. It’s an ongoing to do list. I review it and start delegating those tasks. Is it something that requires action (right away or someday) or does it need to be “incubated” (go to the ticker file). If it requires an action step, I think about what needs to be done and add it to my next action list or deciding if it needs to be delegated.
From the next action step, I move onto contexts-how I tag my to do list. I break it down by the following:
@calls-phone calls I need to make/respond
@emails-emails I need to send/respond
@home-things that need to get done at home
@errands-errands that need to be run
@work-tasks that need to be done at work
@ school-stuff for school & activities
@ scouts
@ gym
It helps me delegate and see the big picture. It’s pretty rewarding to check things off my list.
I also have a projects list, for things that require multiple steps or a longer range. I title the list with the project (ex: vacation) and then break it down into action steps. It makes it more manageable for me and its actually how my “logical” brain works.
Another list I have is my agendas, which I use quite differently than how the system designed it. I use it mostly for the little man’s therapy sessions, since we don’t meet on a weekly basis. It’s a running list of accomplishments, and sometimes, epic fails. It allows me to not have everything in my head and instead I can spend the session working on improving skills. I also use it for recurring events-some meetings, book group, etc.
I also have my someday list, which is my long range planning. Its everything that I would love to do, when I had the time/unlimited funds/whatever. I do look at it on a weekly basis, and sometimes I can move those projects or ideas to my action plan. Some of them have been on there forever, but that’s ok. Someday hasn’t gotten here yet!
My other primary tool is the calendar. I have lots of things to do on my calendar. If there is a deadline, it goes on my calendar. Everything else stays on my lists. This way I can focus on deadlines. I also schedule certain times to do recurring tasks (like return phone calls)-that way the caller can expect a response and I can block out the time.
Each week I do a weekly review of my lists. I make sure things that needed to get done, got done and if not, reschedule. I also add things to my calendar for the upcoming week, and can plan meals, etc around that.
My other part of the system that really works for me are my folders. Yes, folders. In fact, 45 of them. (the actual system calls for 43, but I’ve added a few more to customize). There are 12 folders for each month, and 31 folders for each day. I file everything-bills, correspondence, paperwork for school, etc as stuff comes in. If it’s not due until the next month (or longer), it goes into that month’s folder. Each month, I go through that month’s folder and then put the paperwork in the proper day’s folder. For example, Little Man has to bring in an egg carton on a specific day the next month. I will put it on my action plan, and a reminder in the folder. Every morning I check the folder for that day and it helps me to remember what needs to be done. I don’t have a gazillion things bouncing around in my head, and I am more efficient.
I have also added a to read folder, so I can grab it when I know I am going to have waiting time or down time. Its articles, listing of websites I wanted to visit and others. Sometimes I have an actual book or magazine in there, other times it’s a sticky note. I also added a to write folder-so I don’t miss people’s birthdays, special occasions or anything else I wanted to send a card for. I also keep stationary in there to write letters or notes. I keep this is my tote bag, so when I have down time I can be productive.
