My search for productivity.
I would have posted this in LinkedIn, and Facebook, but this is just too long for that.
Throughout my life, I've spent time and money attempting to integrate some sort of productivity system into my life. Everything from notebooks and to do lists to day planners.
The first thing that ever worked for me, at least in a minor way, was a Sony Telememo Databank" watch. It was a minor upgrade from one of those calculator watches, but being able to set as many alarms as I wanted along with a note as to what it was for was beneficial, but still insufficient for my needs.
Later I tried the Covey system (7 habits, and 8th habit.) His idea of categorizing to do lists into a grid of important and urgent sections to help eliminate distractions was a step up, but again I just couldn't follow any sort of paper system.
About the same time cell phones were advancing, and I moved from the watch, to timers on my cell phone. The biggest result was I quit wearing a watch. My first smartphone was an unlocked Samsung Blackjack I found on eBay, almost a decade ago.
Shortly after that I came across David Allen's Getting Thing Done system, (GTD) and it made quite a bit of sense to me. The idea is to get all the "stuff" out of your head, and into something you will be checking. If you ever think that there is something that needs to be done, then it needs to be written down. The benefit is you quit thinking of all the things that need to be done, because it's written down, and ready to be implemented when the time is right. You quit thinking about having to remember to do something, because it is written down, ready to be implemented when you are able to.
I prepared to built the system, getting plenty of file folders. But once again I just don't seem to fit with a paper system. I never did finish putting it together, but I realize now that if I did, I wouldn't have followed through. It just wasn't a good fit for me.
I understand some people won't connect well with technology, and will never give up their written planners, date books, and to do lists. But I seem to be the opposite where it seems only a technological solution works.
Most recently I began using an app called Evernote. I used a few record keeping systems and apps, and found Evernote to work quite well. (Not perfect, but well.) The idea of using it as a planning system never occurred to me until I was reading up on how to get the best out of Evernote, and there was the suggestion of integrating GTD with Evernote.
What a concept, I was intrigued immediately. The planning system that made the most sense to me connected to an app I was already using. But without all the files, folders, and paper to keep and carry around and sort through. And since I already had Evernote on my computer, phone, and tablet, it was always available to me.
But instead of just using the system I had read about, I did a little research, and found people who had incorporated GTD into Evernote fairly successfully. That's when I came across this website:
http://www.thesecretweapon.org (TSW)
Here is another video that gives an overview of the system:
This last video is one of those lectures connected to a person drawing cartoons. There are a few too many of them out there, but this is one worth watching.
Unfortunately, last I knew, the person running it seems to have vanished, at least from managing this website. But it does have a big following.
I have integrated the system into my life, and so far it seems to be making an impact. But I still don't think it's perfect. But it's a big step forward.
I had to go through and completely change all my Evernote notebooks, and started using their tagging system. It makes a lot of sense to simply use a few notebooks, and lots of tags, and then use the search function to find what you need.
One issue is this works greater on the computer, at least for now, then on a mobile device. But you are able to create pre-defined searches on the computer, and then use them on the mobile devices, so that is exactly what I did.
I have modified it though, for example Evernote has reminders, and while I use them, mostly to remind me to move something up the list, but if anything has a specific time, it's in Google calendar, which is connected with my iPhone, and my tablet. I may have an alarm set on my phone too.
Next I didn't see a way they dealt with projects. (I may have missed it, so I will go through the videos again.) I created another notebook for projects. I can then use that notebook to define, and "chunk", or break up the project into more manageable, bit size steps. Once defined, the steps can be moved into the planning system.
I make sure to have an extra note in the system reminding me of the planning I need to do on the project.
Currently I am putting the done tasks into my completed folder, but I am thinking of adding a recently completed folder so I can review the previous week before moving them to the completed folder.
I'm still looking for ways to improve this system, or for an even better system if and when one exists. But for now this seems to be working for me.
My recommendations for people to read, or listen to David Allen's book Getting things done. The Kindle version is only $8.34 as I write this, or $8.80 for paperback at Amazon. $4.65 used with shipping. Local used book stores, and libraries should have it too.
There are hundreds (Or is it thousands?) of sites, and videos out there teaching the GTD method. But I still think going to the source is the best option.
But before you even read the book, start watching the videos at TSW, and start setting up Evernote. Then go through the book as you are implementing the system into your life. You will get a deeper understanding of the system as you are using it, and make it into a more powerful organizational system.
Another useful app/website I found is:
This is an app automating system that connects with Evernote, gmail, Google Calendar, Dropbox, Google Drive, and a few others. Right now any email receipt I receive from Amazon, or PayPal is sent to my Evernote app.
Any attachment I receive is downloaded to my Dropbox account, and any starred email is saved to Evernote.
I'm still learning to "create recipes" to automate even more tasks in my life.
I am still working on making the process a habit in my life, but this system is even helping with that. Anything I wish to make a habit, I put a !Daily tag on, and that is the first thing I look at each day. This reminds me to do these, at least until they become habit.
Integrating what I have learned from Dr. John Berardi, I have set up an alarm on my phone to go off every other week. Now Dr. Berardi specializes in nutrition, and exercise, but he does it in a very unique way, adding one simple to follow habit every other week. But before integrating this habit, you must decide if there is a 90% chance you will follow this habit for the next 2 weeks. If not you make is simpler, or easier until you know there is a 90% chance you will follow it. The point here is to make it too easy to follow. It might even seem so easy you wouldn't think it would work, but it's surprising how a few simple changes can built into a big change in direction, and a new, improved life.
At the end of 2 weeks If the next step is to modify that habit, then I do just that, otherwise it stays on my list for another 2 weeks, making sure it has become a normal part of my life before deleting it. This keeps the list extremely small, in fact I should never have more then 2 habits on the list.
If I haven't integrated that habit into my life, it might be a sign that I need to modify it down so it is simpler and/or easier to do. Never be afraid to take a step back. If I can't erase a habit, I will modify it instead of adding a new one.
These habits can cover everything. Your work, diet, exercise, relationships, health...
Imagine, adding as many as 26 positive habits into your life every year.
Comments