We had three new people start with our office at once, and by extension that meant that they absorbed a lot of my time this past week. I welcome that, as new people mean growth, rather than stagnation. However, it comes at a time when we are also moving offices, and I will need to be on a business trip at the end of next week, and busy for the next few weeks. It reminds me of a great quote that I first read in David Allen’s “Ready for Anything” (see the link to the side):
“For a long time, it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”
- Fr. Alfred D’Souza
That statement has summed up how I’ve lead myself for the last few years, until GTD. Since I got hooked, I’ve been very good at actually getting things done. Last week, however, I felt like the old me, being crushed under the weight of everything that is coming at me, and “waiting until…” all the stuff coming at me was done. It was just easier to do that. It was also easy to say, on Friday afternoon, “Ah, nothing got done this week. Move on to the next. We’ll deal with it Monday.”
Only Monday is a landslide waiting to happen. We’re moving offices on Tuesday, so there is last minute packing, arranging, removing, etc., etc. There will also be the “We need a new…”, and the “We broke our old…”. Stuff, all stuff, but stuff to be managed in a short time window to keep everyone happy.
Now, on reflection, real life is in fact what I make it, what I deem it to be (thanks for the inspiration, Father). I can go in tomorrow, get some solid work done for about 2 hours first thing in the morning, pack, and then deal with the rest when I can deal with the rest. It isn’t rocket science – far from it. It’s Getting Things Done. It’s getting things organized.
One of the nice bits about the move is the purge, which I never did complete per the book. I’m hoping that the purge instinct will be very strong, and that we will as a group shed and shred some stuff.
Wish me luck. I know I’ll need it, but I also know that I will have way more control over this week, versus last week.
Feb 20, 2006
The Weekly Review
The Weekly Review – The Heart of “Getting Things Done”
I admit it. I am right now a closet runway planner. I am only looking at GTD from a runway level, and the 10,000 foot level – very rarely higher.
10,000 feet feels different than I thought it would – it feels like getting through the week, and all I am doing is checking off to-dos that I’ve done. Then again, that is a good thing, although I could check them off when I did them and that would be even better. But there is more to it than that – there is a ton of self management that is involved in that process. It gives me a feeling of being in control, of deciding, what I am doing next. It makes me feel like nothing is slipping through the cracks, and that is terribly important.
One of the keys that I’ve found to ensuring that nothing is slipping is taking notes throughout the day. Most people I know would freak to find out I was “taking notes on them” but that isn’t the principle. It lets me process my notes from the previous day and ensure that nothing is slipping. It lets me keep a record, so that I know what I have committed to – childish, but if I haven’t written it down, it’s like my mind doesn’t think it exists. I’ve heard lots of people rave over Moleskine notebooks – heck I even bought my wife one for Christmas, and she loves it. However, I’ve found a great, cheap notebook that does the trick, and you can find something for your needs too. If you have to know, mine is the Blueline A9C, a steal for about 8 bucks Canadian, and from a Canadian company too. Reviewing my notes from the week prior during my weekly review or the first thing on the first morning in the office really helps me to stay focused on that runway and 10,000 foot level.
Now if I can just get myself to soar a little bit higher….
I admit it. I am right now a closet runway planner. I am only looking at GTD from a runway level, and the 10,000 foot level – very rarely higher.
10,000 feet feels different than I thought it would – it feels like getting through the week, and all I am doing is checking off to-dos that I’ve done. Then again, that is a good thing, although I could check them off when I did them and that would be even better. But there is more to it than that – there is a ton of self management that is involved in that process. It gives me a feeling of being in control, of deciding, what I am doing next. It makes me feel like nothing is slipping through the cracks, and that is terribly important.
One of the keys that I’ve found to ensuring that nothing is slipping is taking notes throughout the day. Most people I know would freak to find out I was “taking notes on them” but that isn’t the principle. It lets me process my notes from the previous day and ensure that nothing is slipping. It lets me keep a record, so that I know what I have committed to – childish, but if I haven’t written it down, it’s like my mind doesn’t think it exists. I’ve heard lots of people rave over Moleskine notebooks – heck I even bought my wife one for Christmas, and she loves it. However, I’ve found a great, cheap notebook that does the trick, and you can find something for your needs too. If you have to know, mine is the Blueline A9C, a steal for about 8 bucks Canadian, and from a Canadian company too. Reviewing my notes from the week prior during my weekly review or the first thing on the first morning in the office really helps me to stay focused on that runway and 10,000 foot level.
Now if I can just get myself to soar a little bit higher….
Feb 6, 2006
Actually, I'm feeling kind of harried...
This has been one of those crazy, hectic times where you wonder where the day goes. By the end of it, you’re just happy that it’s over, and that you’ve managed to accomplish something. However, these are the times that show exactly how effective GTD can be.
I admit (sorry, SWMBO) that I left work late tonight – in a bid to ensure that I had emptied all of my in-baskets. I am going to be super-busy tomorrow, the continuation of a 2.5 week trend, so I prioritized those few tasks that I must do tomorrow morning, to ensure they get done before I head off on my merry, busy way. I will once again be in and out of the office. But this is where GTD shines.
On my Palm Tungsten E handheld, my lists are with me. I can make my calls, I can hammer away at other tasks – anything that doesn’t need my computer or my office, I can do while I’m in my car. All because I have my lists. I’ve also started to take a page from Michael Hyatt in his blog article Working Smart: Recovering the Lost Art of Note-Taking, although this only reinforces something I never did under the Covey system – the Daily Record of Events. Within my notes I also record all of my voicemail messages, with this notebook becoming an indispensable part of my “trusted system”.
The thing is, GTD doesn’t make these periods any less busy. But it does make them much more manageable and much less stressful.
I admit (sorry, SWMBO) that I left work late tonight – in a bid to ensure that I had emptied all of my in-baskets. I am going to be super-busy tomorrow, the continuation of a 2.5 week trend, so I prioritized those few tasks that I must do tomorrow morning, to ensure they get done before I head off on my merry, busy way. I will once again be in and out of the office. But this is where GTD shines.
On my Palm Tungsten E handheld, my lists are with me. I can make my calls, I can hammer away at other tasks – anything that doesn’t need my computer or my office, I can do while I’m in my car. All because I have my lists. I’ve also started to take a page from Michael Hyatt in his blog article Working Smart: Recovering the Lost Art of Note-Taking, although this only reinforces something I never did under the Covey system – the Daily Record of Events. Within my notes I also record all of my voicemail messages, with this notebook becoming an indispensable part of my “trusted system”.
The thing is, GTD doesn’t make these periods any less busy. But it does make them much more manageable and much less stressful.
Feb 5, 2006
Trying to achieve balance
It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted.
It has been fairly intense lately – not insane, but intense. I’ve had to determine what my priorities are. Maybe my priority should be shorter blog posts. ;->
In any event, it’s been since the middle of last month since I’ve blogged. I’m still buzzing out on doing weekly reviews (although I’m trying them on Monday mornings now), and still loving the fact that I am getting things done. I am on top of my workload, have delegated major projects without micro-managing, and am also trying to organize an office move at the same time. I still love the pace, but I’m try9ing to find enough balance where I can include blogging once or twice a week.
I’ve been trying hard to achieve a lot of balance. I’ve cut down on the mindless reading that I’ve done online, and have focused on just a few sites that I scan every day or two. I’ve cleaned up my page here, and it should do nicely for the next while. I’ve really focused on my family, and creating a hard edge regarding my work and home balance.
This will actually be much easier once we move offices as well, as my commute will be much more sensible. But until then, I will be busy planning, reviewing, working, and generally trying to get things done. Pardon the pun!
It has been fairly intense lately – not insane, but intense. I’ve had to determine what my priorities are. Maybe my priority should be shorter blog posts. ;->
In any event, it’s been since the middle of last month since I’ve blogged. I’m still buzzing out on doing weekly reviews (although I’m trying them on Monday mornings now), and still loving the fact that I am getting things done. I am on top of my workload, have delegated major projects without micro-managing, and am also trying to organize an office move at the same time. I still love the pace, but I’m try9ing to find enough balance where I can include blogging once or twice a week.
I’ve been trying hard to achieve a lot of balance. I’ve cut down on the mindless reading that I’ve done online, and have focused on just a few sites that I scan every day or two. I’ve cleaned up my page here, and it should do nicely for the next while. I’ve really focused on my family, and creating a hard edge regarding my work and home balance.
This will actually be much easier once we move offices as well, as my commute will be much more sensible. But until then, I will be busy planning, reviewing, working, and generally trying to get things done. Pardon the pun!
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