Appreciating Some Wisdom of the World

We’ve just finished developing a video and a graphic to introduce people to a famous productivity system called Getting Things Done® (GTD®). Having just finished Purim and with Pesach right around the corner, we all have many more tasks than time. While GTD® won’t kasher your oven, it will help you schedule that task at the right time.

We’d love your feedback on two questions in particular:
1) After looking at the graphic, watching the video, and reading the text, do you feel that you have a decent understanding of GTD®?
2) Which of the three formats (graphic, video, text) did you find most helpful?

We recommend that you
1. Download the graphic here.
2. Watch the video
3. Read the text
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to help install the concepts in your long term memory.


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Here is the graphic:
The_Concepts_Of_GTD
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Here is the text description:
The Concepts of GTD®

GTD® is a 5 step system for collecting, processing, organizing, reviewing and doing your tasks and projects.

a_cpord

These 5 steps will get all your files, papers, projects, tasks & ideas into an organized set of lists and files.

a_b_Files

This process gets your stuff off your mind and into a system that promotes effective and efficient task/project execution.

Here are the five steps of GTD:

1. Collect all of your files, papers, projects, tasks and ideas.

2. Process each inbox item and determine if it is actionable in the short term or not.

3. Organize each list and file in a manner that will facilitate performing the items they contain.

4. Review your lists and files regularly and keep them up to date.

5. Do your actions using your lists and files.

The lists and files of GTD® fall into two major categories:

Those containing items that are actionable in the short term.

Those containing items that are not actionable in the short term.

“Short Term Actionable” Items

a_b_Files_Actionable

Waiting For items require somebody else to work on them.

Next Actions are single action items to be done as soon as possible.

Calendar items are single action items due on specific dates.

Projects are items with multiple actions.

Project Plans are the key ideas, vision and outcomes of your projects

“Not Short Term Actionable” Items

a_b_Files_Not_Actionable

Trash items are not needed at all.

Tickler items are filed and will be used or re-examined at a specific future date.

Someday/Maybe items might be needed for a future action.

Reference items might be useful for a future purpose.

Now let’s discuss the steps.

Step 1: Collect

a_b_CollectAll

Step 2: Process

a_b_Process_4

Step 3: Organize

a_b_Organize

Step 4: Review

a_b_Review

Step 5: Do

a_b_Do

Let’s Review the 5 steps:

a_cpord

1. Collect all of your files, papers, projects, tasks and ideas.

2. Process each inbox item and determine if it is actionable in the short term or not.

3. Organize each list and file in a manner that will facilitate performing the items they contain.

4. Review your lists and files regularly and keep them up to date.

5. Do your actions using your lists and files.

a_b_Files

If you want to learn more, read the book, visit gettingthingsdone.com and join the Linked In GTD® group.

2 comments on “Appreciating Some Wisdom of the World

  1. Thanks for the feedback Yael. There’s a lot of good stuff in them thar GTD hills and we tried to distill the basic concepts to a one page graphic. Hatzlacha at your conference.

  2. Haven’t had time to watch the video (got a lot on my plate!), but have looked over the graphics and I think you have distilled the essence of GTD. I read the book for the first time last year and loved it! I implemented many of the ideas and knew I would use it in planning our homeschool conference this year. Very helpful now that I am pulling out GTD again to review…

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