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Francesco · 01-25-2005, 10:39 PM

Introduction.
On november 26, I hit the disorganizational bottom.
My responsibilities have been increasing over time since the day I was born, exponentially in the last six months, but I chose not to notice and to keep my old organization system. Namely, no system and no organization.
I managed to survive like this during 28 years not because I was good at my juggling act, but because for most of the time I had a second chance to ammend what was wrong --or even to do for the first time what I had forgotten--, and because as a student I was not a link in a chain. And, well, yeah, I guess I was good at my juggling act.
All that changed as I started to work, but not me, I did not change. I was able to handle my job, and that was enough. Now that I look back, I can see that I could have avoided a lot of stress, but as long as I could keep things going, I would never think on changing my "method".
Six months ago I was promoted into a position where my responsibilities were diversified, and where I had to make more decisions. For six months I had the feeling I was missing something, that there was something I needed to grasp about my new position, and that I wouldn't get rid of a certain background stress until I grasped it. In one weekend I found that there were two things that were missing: some way to easily organize myself, and to understand what is the core of what I'm doing in my job.
The answers came by after some research.
Indeed, it was as if the answers were looking for me. For some days before the havoc, I had found this 43 folders site. I've been trying hard to remember how I found it, with no results... Merlin, the 43 folders blogger, claimed to be a "GTD nerd", and provided some interesting hacks to organize yourself, which I found very interesting. Yes, even before the wreck I knew I lacked organization, I knew not to what extent, though.
Google told me what was this GTD thing. I know there's a link to the book in 43folders, but I thought GTD was more than a book. I don't know what, but more than a paperback! I thought it was more of a personal SAP.
I started to read as soon as I could get my hands on the book. In the first few chapters I found this jewel (what on Earth I was hired for):
"In knowledge work ... the task is not given; it has to be determined. 'What are the expected results from this work?' is ... the key question in making knowledge workers productive", Peter Drucker.
Pure common sense?
Hell, yeah! GTD is full of common sense. That's the beauty of it.
My plan is to describe the way I'm implementing GTD in my life in three or four threads (of course there's a PDA involved!). If you are a GTDee we could start an exchange of tips. If you are not, well, you should read it. I can't think of someone who wouldn't benefit from it. Heck, even "alpha geeks" (i.e. nerds with super powers), have found it quite useful.
If you think you could achive more than what you do, not only in your work, but in your personal life, then you must read this book. Actually, although I started all this GTD thing focused on my job, the most satisfiying results have been in my personal goals.
Get your copy, see you in the next thread.

01-25-2005, 10:39 PM	#1
Francesco Aficionado Posts: 391 Karma: 710 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Denver, CO, USA Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Touch	Get organized, stay organized (GTD and a PDA) Introduction. On november 26, I hit the disorganizational bottom. My responsibilities have been increasing over time since the day I was born, exponentially in the last six months, but I chose not to notice and to keep my old organization system. Namely, no system and no organization. I managed to survive like this during 28 years not because I was good at my juggling act, but because for most of the time I had a second chance to ammend what was wrong --or even to do for the first time what I had forgotten--, and because as a student I was not a link in a chain. And, well, yeah, I guess I was good at my juggling act. All that changed as I started to work, but not me, I did not change. I was able to handle my job, and that was enough. Now that I look back, I can see that I could have avoided a lot of stress, but as long as I could keep things going, I would never think on changing my "method". Six months ago I was promoted into a position where my responsibilities were diversified, and where I had to make more decisions. For six months I had the feeling I was missing something, that there was something I needed to grasp about my new position, and that I wouldn't get rid of a certain background stress until I grasped it. In one weekend I found that there were two things that were missing: some way to easily organize myself, and to understand what is the core of what I'm doing in my job. The answers came by after some research. Indeed, it was as if the answers were looking for me. For some days before the havoc, I had found this 43 folders site. I've been trying hard to remember how I found it, with no results... Merlin, the 43 folders blogger, claimed to be a "GTD nerd", and provided some interesting hacks to organize yourself, which I found very interesting. Yes, even before the wreck I knew I lacked organization, I knew not to what extent, though. Google told me what was this GTD thing. I know there's a link to the book in 43folders, but I thought GTD was more than a book. I don't know what, but more than a paperback! I thought it was more of a personal SAP. I started to read as soon as I could get my hands on the book. In the first few chapters I found this jewel (what on Earth I was hired for): "In knowledge work ... the task is not given; it has to be determined. 'What are the expected results from this work?' is ... the key question in making knowledge workers productive", Peter Drucker. Pure common sense? Hell, yeah! GTD is full of common sense. That's the beauty of it. My plan is to describe the way I'm implementing GTD in my life in three or four threads (of course there's a PDA involved!). If you are a GTDee we could start an exchange of tips. If you are not, well, you should read it. I can't think of someone who wouldn't benefit from it. Heck, even "alpha geeks" (i.e. nerds with super powers), have found it quite useful. If you think you could achive more than what you do, not only in your work, but in your personal life, then you must read this book. Actually, although I started all this GTD thing focused on my job, the most satisfiying results have been in my personal goals. Get your copy, see you in the next thread. Last edited by Francesco; 01-30-2005 at 08:48 PM.