Part III - My implementation
I have several
inboxes.
My primary inbox is BugMe in my PDA. I have a recurrent task in LifeBalance to remind me every day (until I build a habit) to check all my BugMe notes. This is a very convenient arrangement. I've always taken handwritten notes in my PDA, with alarms all day long to remind me of every thing. This was most annoying, I don't need to tell you. Now, every morning I check every note and process it right away. This include phone numbers and addresses that need to be registered in my phonebook.
By the way, notes that need to be processed in the next daily review have no category. Other notes have their "temp" category.
Well, this works only for quick notes, for longer notes I use the built in Memos. These are reviewed weekly.
Some other tasks are input directly on Life Balance. I'll talk about later.
In my PC I use Keynote (
http://www.tranglos.com/free/keynote.html), a cool freebie that I would call a Note manager. It is to the standard MS note pad built in into windows (you know what I'm talking about, right? I don't have an English version of windows), what Firefox is to Explorer... sort of: it has tabs, it encrypts your data, you can assign a passphrase to each file (you'll likely use only one), it has a "scratch" pad in one side which you can always see, no matter where you are in your document, and other features. I'm using it right now.
I'm also using a paper notepad! Some people find it awkward to start using hi-tech devices, for me it was awkward at first to do the opposite. Now, I'm quite comfortable with it now (putting aside the fact that I forget to take it to meetings, where it is most needed). Odd numbered pages hold my @work action list, even numbered pages work as quick note pads.
LifeBalance
All my set up is based on Ratz template, which can be downloaded here:
http://actionable.org/files/
It was really tough to decide how to configure LB for GTD. There are as many ways as points of view. I decided for Ratz template, and it look like this:
TLIs are:
Personal actions
Work actions
Personal Projects & Actions
Work Projects & Actions
Someday Maybe
This set is for the most practical approach to GTD. After this one, Ratz developed another template merging the 7 habits' teachings with GTD, which is apparently the most complete approach.
Right now I hardly use the most advanced features of LB, I'm content with its recurrent tasks feature. I have recurrent physical exercises, pills, and reminders. A million monkeys typing (
http://www.douglasjohnston.net/weblog/) is a wonderful blog written by a really smart guy. From there I took the following advice:
Quote:
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write a one-sentence affirmation of the person you want to be. Sum up the “perfect you” in 50 words or less.
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This is one of my recurrent reminders.
Every week, LB reminds me of reading one random GTD chapter, too.
But going back to A million monkeys, while I was searching for the perfect GTD implementation involving a PDA, I discovered several wonderful sites and blogs. People who is willing to share their experiences with GTD is commonly also willing to share their philosophies and points of view. This was an unexpected benefit.
EDIT: I forgot to include one of my inboxes: VoiceMemo! I don't think I could do without it. (Oh, well, I could!)