Insights from a Book by David Allen

This post is about insights I gained from reading Getting Things Done, the Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.

COLLECT EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE

One of the key suggestions in the book is to create a system (e.g. a notebook or electronic organizer) that collects ALL of your tasks and responsibilities.  If you have EVERYTHING recorded in a place that is easy to review on a regular basis, it frees your mind to stop worrying about them.

That regular review (could be daily, weekly, whatever) helps you prioritize tasks so you know you're working on what you need to be working on at the current moment given current available resources.  For me that review tends to happen whenever I realize I've got a few minutes at my desk between scheduled activities.

Allen also observes that many of us are not good at writing task lists.  A task should be a single specific item.  For example, "Plan staff retreat" is not a task, but rather a project that requires multiple steps.  So in your organizer, you would have a page for the project "Plan staff retreat" that had several tasks underneath, such as "Set up poll to choose lunch menu" and "Call John to see if he can speak on time management".  This also helps reduce stress, as "plan staff retreat" sounds like something onerous that would be tempting to put off.  But "set up lunch poll" can be accomplished in short order, giving you a sense of productivity and getting the project closer to completion.

Of course, that process of "collecting all of your tasks and responsibilities" is on-going, and you need techniques to accomplish that.  Many times we remember we need to do something at a time when we're in no position to do it.  For example, I'll be at home and remember something I need to look for in a file at work.  So I've started keeping a small notepad in my pocket to record those things.  At the end of the day, when I empty my pockets, I check that notepad and transfer those reminders to the appropriate place in my organizer notebook.

YOUR PLANNER/ORGANIZER

Allen's book is about much more than reorganizing your planner.  In fact, he doesn't even specifically address how you SHOULD organize your planner, or whether you should use a hard copy or electronic system.  He leaves that up to the individual.  I decided on a notebook (although I would use an iPad if I had one).  Mine is arranged as follows.  I have three major sections:  projects, notes, and planning.

• The Projects section is where I keep task lists for each project.  The pages are numbered and there is a table of contents in front.  
• Notes is where I can jot down, well, notes, from conversations, meetings, etc. After the meeting or conversation, I review the notes and transfer any tasks to the appropriate page in the Projects section.
• The Planning section is where I keep my Someday/Maybe list (see below), as well as those big picture items like a yearly plan or a list of my major responsibilities.  

I also have some "minor" sections, like a list of phone calls to return and some reference materials.  My calendar is on my iPod, which syncs with my on-line calendar.

WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS!

One profound insight for me was the realization that everyone has numerous projects to handle.  For years I've harbored this secret feeling that Extension Agents (and me in particular!) were unique in having so many diverse projects and responsibilities.  Hogwash!  We're all in the same boat, we're all stretched thin.  There was something comforting to me about that realization (although my delusions of self-importance started crumbling and I'm having to do some repair work on the foundation).

Allen's idea of a "someday/maybe" list is a great one.  We all have great project ideas that percolate to the surface at odd times, but we don't always have the resources to execute them.  But they might be things we could tackle in the future.  So they go on the "someday/maybe" list and that also gets reviewed periodically to see if anything is ready to become an active project.

MANAGING THE "IN-BOX"

I have also changed how I perceive and manage my "in-box". Of course, it's impossible to immediately handle everything that arrives in your in-box.  But I find that I can almost ALWAYS make a decision about each item within a couple of minutes.  So if I receive an e-mail or a phone call or a letter or a fax or have a conversation with someone (which are all various forms of "in-boxes") that requires some task from me, I record that task in my planner/organizer.  Even more satisfying is if I can take a minute or two and decide that NO action is required, which means I can discard or file the e-mail or letter.  So it's not that I have to immediately handle everything.  But as much as possible, I try to make a DECISION on WHAT action is required, and either do it or put it on a task list.

EFFECTIVE FILING SYSTEMS

One of the things I've never been particularly good at is developing effective paper filing systems.  Allen's book helped.  If papers arrive that need filing, I have a stack of folders and a sharpie handy (he prefers a label maker).  So I grab a folder, write the contents on the tab, and file it.  Items go into one of the following places:

1. A drawer of "Reference" files (things I may need to refer to occasionally)
2. A drawer of "Records" files (things I need to keep but probably won't need to refer back to)
3. A drawer of "Supplies" (e.g. forms I keep multiple copies of, although these could probably go in "reference" instead)
4. Project files, for those larger projects that require multiple folders.
5. Desktop project files to hold items for current active projects to which I need quick/convenient access.

One of the amazing results of using this technique is that papers don't pile up.  I have a place to put things where I can find them later.  And if something requires an action, a note goes into my planner/organizer.

Of course, implementing these changes required me to first clean up and organize my office.  Kind of a drag, but the result is amazing, and now I'm KEEPING it organized.  Allen's book has great suggestions on how to start.

If these ideas seem intriguing, recognize that I've only scratched the surface of what David Allen covers in his excellent book and I highly recommend it.