Haven't blogged about GTD for a while. Here's five things that I continue to appreciate about this organisational approach:
- The habit of taking note of everything. Keeping concrete notes of everything I'm worrying about, need to do, want to remember, have to get around to. This is strengthened by my confidence that I will actually deal with the things I note down.
- The conviction that getting the Inbox to empty is a non-negotiable. My email inbox is rarely over ten and only after a week off is it over 25. Most of the time it is zero. Actually sorting through all the 'pending' piles in your concrete and electronic life is very valuable.
- The perspective of a unified system. I can see everything I have to deal with in home and work life and with the multiple organisations I am involved in all at a glance. The ability to make decisions in the light of the whole, and the sense of control over the madness is great.
- A system to get any new project humming. Whether I need to raise money for my mission work next year, or organise a soup giveaway, or learn to catch squid, I have a way to actually work-up a project plan from scratch.
- The resolve (and preference) to always make decisions in the light of the outcome. It is very painful to sit in on committee meetings where we stumble from task to task, worry to worry. It is so much better to be constantly driven forward by the desired outcome.
