I’ve been going through my inbox for a while now, with some major interruptions. I chatted with a couple friends, played on the web a bit (looking for a couple of decent GTD solutions, of course), and did a couple of minor things around the house as they occurred to me. Just now, in fact, I went on a spider scan and took care of 4 of them. 3 of those spiders, sadly, were my first kills. They were a type I’m not used to seeing around the house, and were particularly resistant to being taken outside.
This is about GTD, though, and if you’re reading this, you want (for some reason) to know my process. Cool.
The first few things I went through, not surprisingly, were old lists. Lists are a bit more time-consuming, as they can contain dozens of items, while a business card, menu, document, or receipt usually represents just one project, action, or reference item. Once I hit the regular things, it went much quicker, but the first several items took so long it was midnight before I knew it.
I’m going to run down the Receptacles I have set up and what went into them. Given how little I’ve gotten through, this is going to be fairly incomplete, but is the format I will continue to use as I go on.
Baskets
I have three letter-size wire baskets. They’re not stacking trays, but when you have horizontal space, they’re quite nice.
Recycle. This basket is for paper that I can save from the trash and take out with the recycling. It’s that simple.
Ex: Junk mail I hadn’t opened yet; lists that have been properly processed
To Scan. Let me be clear. I am a pack rat. My salvation is that I know why, and an easy workaround. Like David Allen says, it’s all about tricks. I keep things for memories. It was only in the last few years that I realized photos are quite sufficient at preserving memories. So I photograph or scan the things I want to keep (ticket stubs, pamphlets, travel brochures, etc) and keep that instead of the actual paper. Unfortunately, I only have a flatbed scanner, so I will be purchasing a sheet-feed scanner to process the To Scan basket. It’s a temporary hassle, and I don’t mind it.
Ex: Ticket stubs; business card from the salon in San Jose that we went to with the matron of honor before our wedding
Unfiled Reference. This was an impromptu ad lib. It started as the someday/maybe basket, but I have been putting those on notecards, so I made this for things that I want to transcribe into reference, but don’t deserve an actual folder themselves.
Ex: notes from a wine tasting we went to for a local vineyard/winery
Files
I blasphemously have two file systems right now. It was too overwhelming to put my existing filing system into the inbox, so I put an item in the inbox to process old files. Safe! The shameful bit is I’m still putting related things into the old files.
New Files. I am using the manila folders, but no labeler. I am not using A-Z. I am making separate files for roughly everything. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but that’s what’s happening right now.
Ex. School notes; Wedding keepsakes; Exercise info; For wife’s review (things I want her to see or am not comfortable throwing out without her seeing it first)
Old Files. Some aspects of this structure may survive, because it just makes sense for these things to have their own folder. Besides, the cabinet they’re in can’t do manila folders, and I have a limited quantity of hanging folders. I think I’ll get a new file cabinet and use this one for random storage, but it needs to serve the purpose for now. Besides, it’s very pretty!
Ex: Bank Statements (irrelevant since WaMu is all digital); Pay Stubs (irrelevant since I’m self-employed); Retirement (401K info, DESPERATE needs to be processed, but makes sense as a reference folder); Automobile (titles, registration, bill of sale, repair history, etc); Insurance (GEICO documents, basically); Lease (both past and present); Taxes (currently separated by year, which is just stupid; and so on…
Note Cards
I have a note card folio with 5 tabs. This was going to be for actions (one card per context), personal projects, business projects, someday/maybe, and reference. Reference and Projects have been relocated, but there may yet be some changes. The notes going into someday/maybe are going to be great fun later, and I’ll be able to add to this at any time (since I always have my cards). Next Actions will always be with me, too, which is ideal. The contextual cards are going to be great, too. Using Tasks in the palm just seemed like more work than it’s worth, though. I don’t like having it with me all the time, and writing in it is too slow for such things. The only caveat is the @Errands card. I need to better organize my trips to the outside world, so this card will have to be processed BEFORE leaving the house, so that I run the errands in the most efficient manner possible.
Random Piles
I’ve got a few random piles that don’t really conform to the “rules”. I think that means they’re going to be processed when I finish the inbox, but for now, it just makes it … possible to get through the massive mess of an inbox I’ve got.
Reusable Cards. Some of my note cards only had a couple words on them, or only one side was written on. These can be kept in the card index for jotting notes to drop in the inbox. I can jot while I’m out, drop when I get home, and process in my weekly review. Less paper is good.
Keepsakes Binder. This was too big to put IN the inbox, so it went next to the inbox, and accidentally became a TO pile instead when I put in my certificate from performing with Cirque de Soleil. The binder has plastic sleeves throughout and is swollen with content probably as much as 2 decades old. A lot of it will eventually be processed to the To Scan basket, but that will happen AFTER the inbox. In the meantime, I’m comfortable adding to it like I do to my old files.
Even though BOTH Clearly violate the cardinal rule of the inbox (nothing goes in twice). Mr. Allen’s plan is terrific, because it can be adapted to anyone. Even rule-breakers. As long as I have absolute follow-through, my method WILL work.
Coupon Clip. There’s a magnetic clip on the fridge where I’m putting coupons. I have no idea what to do with them otherwise. They’re not projects. They’re not reference. I guess they’re someday/maybe (I’ll buy a something-or-other and want a dollar off), but this just makes more sense.
Digital
I wrote 3 or 5 note cards for projects and hated it the whole time. I finally gave up and decided it was better just go find a good hierarchical task list application and put them in there. When I was on Windows, I used ToDo List, which was as simple or complicated as you wanted it to be, had keyboard shortcuts for everything, and was just bloody brilliant. Now I’m on a Mac, so I had some searching to do. Anxiety is terrific, because it integrates with iCal and Mail (neither of which I use, but that’s irrelevant), has great keyboard shortcuts, and is just beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s not hierarchical (because the database that iCal and Mail use isn’t either), so it doesn’t serve my purpose. Googling revealed little better than that, so I went straight to 43Folders, and found the answer in their popular posts box.
There are a ton of great options for hierarchical (I hate the second c in that word! It should be hierarchial!!) ranging from free to hundreds of dollars. Some synch with or run on iPhone or Palm. Many for either mac or windows. Many or both mac AND windows. Many tailored SPECIFICALLY to GTD. The options are immense.
I spent far too long looking and reading and learning before finally seeing a screen shot for Check Off that showed a simple little box hanging from the top bar up there, with a few colored items and sub-items. Wait, sub-items? Simple interface? Holy crap, I already have that program! How the crap do you make hierarchies?? That was roughly my thought process.
The crappy bit is that Check Off’s site absolutely blows. I mean, it’s elegant, simple, clear, and easy to use, but it contains very little information. There is a separate help site that basically has a forum you need to search for all the info. Granted, the search is quite talented, and I found EXACTLY what I needed with little fuss, but why not just give us a simple page of basic instructions and/or a couple of pages in a help file?
The conclusion on Check Off is that it will not last through everything I want to do, but it has an export function when I try enough things and find something better. In the meantime, it will serve its purpose. There are shortcuts for creating new items and folders, but not for rearranging those items. I also doubt that it’s going to be even remotely usable by the time I get ALL my projects in there. Still, it’s a simple start point for me, and something I already had. So onward.
When I go back to find the right App, I’m going to be doing it on the Priacta page that currently lists 105 GTD Software Apps. You can click on your OS to filter everything that supports it, then sort by any of the column headings.
Now, I’ve spent enough time typing this up and really need to get to bed so I can lay into an early start tomorrow. I may also take you some pictures once the sun’s up and I don’t have to use the ghastly flash for everything.
Alright, down to it. I’m sitting in the main library (downtown Boulder, CO), and saw some shared computers in Finder. I remembered that iTunes was open and that some people share their playlists, so I gave it a look and saw this.