Getting Things Done
image credit: kathmarie
My To Do List is massive. In fact, I have a few items left over from last week that have been added to this week, and so on and so on and so on. I believe my “Organize stationery” action item originated in mid-February, to be exact. We’re nearing July and I still can’t locate an envelope in my stacks of paper throughout my drawers.
Obviously, my system needs a tune-up. I stumbled across this link last week and sifted through a few of my favorite productivity tools, and eek— I’ve found one that REALLY really works for me. It’s been two weeks and I’m well on my way to [finally!] finding the time to organize the dreaded miscellaneous paper drawer.
Here’s what has been working for me lately:
1. Doodle
I start with a blank notepad and draw empty little squares down the left side. I like to make them pretty b/c I’m a bit of a control freak, but you can make yours quick and easy. Or leave them out. I just like checking boxes b/c it gives me crazy satisfaction.
2. Organize
From here, I write down my tasks, as specific as possible. I like to include a time frame for suggested completion, so the list looks as follows:
[ ] Check and respond to BAKERY e-mails [25 minutes]
[ ] Email Jaime re: Wednesday update [5 minutes]
[ ] Draft BAKERY post [45 minutes]
My rule? If any task could take longer than 60 minutes, divide it into 1, 2 or 3 sub-tasks. For example:
[ ] Plan BAKERY class schedule for fall [120 minutes]
[ ] Brainstorm topic list for fall class with Jaime [30 minutes]
[ ] Come up with ten topic ideas by tomorrow [15 minutes]
[ ] Divide responsibilities between Jaime and myself [15 minutes]
[ ] Research Topic #1 [50 minutes]
[ ] Draft Topic #1 Notes document [45 minutes]
[ ] Outline course assignments and documents [40 minutes]
[ ] Draft course documents [120 minutes]
[ ] E-mail BAKERY followers to alert them of our class [10 minutes]
[ ] Draft a post for registering information [15 minutes]
3. Prioritize
Now that everything’s laid out in front of you, go to town and check these goodies off. I like to start with the 5-minute tasks to warm myself up, and then I eventually delve into 45 minute tasks or more time-oriented action items.
You’ll be amazed at how much time is wasted when you don’t allot your tasks correctly. Rather than checking your email [yet again], tackle a five minute task and forget it! Tasks do nothing but hang over your head when unfinished, so make it your personal goal to complete as many tasks as possible. Know that if you don’t finish them, you’ll have to add them to tomorrow’s list!
Watch out for recurring tasks that are growing stale. Figure out why you’re not completing these tasks— are they too mundane? Too broad? Too specific? Re-format your task to make it easily do-able for you.
So. This is what works for me… very well. How do you organize your tasks? Any special software you like to use, or are you an old-fashioned pen/paper kinda kid?
Comment below to share your GTD tips!
hehe, this post is very timely for me, as i sit with my to-do list at the computer. trying to stay focused to the tasks at hand. i’m finding making a big one for the week is better for me. i was overloading each day, getting stressed out and doing nothing.
sometimes i add things to the list that i’ve already done, just to scratch them off.
I’ve always done the perfect little squares checklist thing, but I never thought about writing down specific time frames. What a great idea! I think that last step would really help me actually get things done. Thanks for another awesome post!
Great method!
jenny
Mmm.. how I love a good to-do list. I have to write one down every night in order to be able to go to sleep or I have little tasks poking my brain.
Glad to know I’m not the only semi-anal one!
If you are using a mac, you should try using Things. Its perfect for gtd kind of stuff.
LOVE the time frame idea! Re-writing my to-do list for the week right now!
xo – Jessie
Nice bunch of tips, though these actions are pretty obvious. The most important thing not to do, when you have a massive to-do list like yours is not to panic. I found it petty handly to use on-line tools, since I’m an on-line guy. I’ve tried many solutions and love Evernote, Toodledo (iPhone & web), and Wrike.com for corporate collab (waiting on their iPhone app).
I wish we could throw “stale tasks” to the birds, you know, like stale bread?
My best solution for stale tasks is to change the name of my list from “to do” to “wish it were done” — which starts me dreaming about how happy I’d be to be finished with them! A much better state of mind for getting started than fretting over how much I HATE the task.
This week, I’m going to try sub-tasking my stales into 30-minute chunks – so I can whittle away at them — great idea! THANKS.
i don’t think these actions are necessarily obvious. it hadn’t occurred to me to allot specific lengths of time to each task, i like that idea. i also have to say that when it comes to to-do list type stuff, a computer or electronic gadget does not work for me at all. i have to hand-write it, and i love making the boxes to check off. in a similar discussion over on modish biz tips, someone suggested making a big to-do list (like, major deadlines throughout the year) and then breaking it down from there into monthly and weekly deadlines so as to stay on track for those big deadlines, which i think is a really great idea–keeps things from sneaking up on you!
I too draw little boxes on the left side… to have something in which to make a big fat check mark when the item is complete. might throw in a little crossing out of the item as well for good measure.
You can tell I need to be a little more organized since I am commenting to this post a little late, but I found an organizational tool I love and you might like it too! It’s called Notebook (by Circus Ponies) and you can create an outline style to-do list and drag tasks to change order of priority. It is pretty great!
[...] ToDo List. We’re just crazy about to-do lists here at BAKERY. ToDo list is a simple to-do list manager, but more powerful than just jotting down [...]
[...] of the most useful and thought provoking posts of late has been Getting Things Done. its all about productivity and list making, especially if your list making can become a [...]
these are great tips! i’m a big list maker, but i haven’t been assigning time frames or even prioritizing them, and i think that if i do that, it will be a huge help! i know i need to make myself concentrate on getting th big things done (like getting some work done on the letterpress) and not let the smaller things (like answering emails) eat up all my time.
This is a really really awesome post. Thanks so much. You’re making thinking MUCH simpler, especially for an over thinker such as myself.
xo