Article
Getting things done the simple way
Here is a written version of what I presented at SXSW Interactive last weekend. My session was a Core Conversation, so I only spoke solo for the first 10 minutes or so — but a lot of people asked to see that, and I am happy to share it! Please let me know if you have questions or comments.
Over the past few years, we have seen a surge of interest in productivity tools and techniques. David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, is a phenomenon that has sold millions of copies since it was first published in 2002.
As Getting Things Done (GTD) caught on with geeks, they naturally turned to software to help implement Allen’s techniques. But until recently, there were not many software tools well adapted to GTD. Now there are lots of great apps that are more or less tailored for capital-GTD — including OmniFocus, Things and The Hit List on Mac OS X alone.
The excitement, discussion and product development around productivity is great. It reflects that we are all dealing with more information every day; we are managing many different projects; we have lots of open threads; we are doing more than we used to, and we are coming up with clever tools and techniques to help.
We use all these productivity helpers, whether tools or techniques, to help us with two very important goals:
- Get things done
- Don’t freak out
But I think the GTD culture that we have created — the tips, the life hacks, the shiny Mac applications, the million ways to manage a to-do list — may help us get more done, but it also kind of stresses us out. That is not right.
So I want to talk about how we can use these tools and techniques, but do so in a way that is as simple and as lightweight as possible, so we can get back to that original idea of being productive and reducing stress.
A lot of friends and colleagues have said to me: “I am feeling really overwhelmed… I have too much going on… I can’t keep track of everything… So what software should I buy?” I think that’s the wrong question. If you answer that question, you are focusing on the details of the solution and not the fundamentals of the solution. You need to start with the fundamentals.
I always give people this advice: First, read the first couple chapters of David Allen’s book; then we can talk about which techniques might help; and then we can figure out which tools they need to implement these techniques. (Notice David Allen doesn’t really talk about tools very much in his book.)
So to kick off the discussion, here are five productivity techniques that are critical to me. These techniques keep me sane, and help me get things done:
Routine inbox processing
I get my inbox to zero every day (typically right after lunch), and process my paper inbox once or twice a week.
Ubiquitous capture
I never know when inspiration will strike (or when I will think of something I need from the store, or someone I need to email, or…) so I always keep my iPhone with me, and almost always have a pad of paper. This way I can email myself, or make a note, wherever and whenever I need to.
Task list filtering and sorting
I use DNZO, which allows me to filter and sort my task list by project, context, due date or completion status. This is critical for my ability to focus while maintaining a 30-50-item task list.
Weekly-ish review and prioritization
I complete a weekly review of projects, tasks, events and whatever else is on my mind — pretty much “by the book.” During this review I measure everything on my plate against written goals, and re-prioritize if necessary.
Remind myself
I use Google Calendar to send myself email and SMS reminders of things I need to do at certain times. “Next actions” go on my task list; other things go on my calendar.
Which of these techniques do you use? What are your critical productivity techniques?
From this point, I opened discussion to the 100 or so enthusiastic folks in the room. Thanks to those of you who came to the session at SXSW! For everyone else, feel free to drop me a line if you want to chat about these ideas.