How to fit a full day at 3 o’clock
Introduction
I was introduced to the Allen system about two years ago. I began to use the version of Vasya Sour with the help of HTC Touch Pro, but the glitch of the device made it difficult to master the system, and the “Usurev” did not give the necessary level of understanding. I had to part with GTD for a while.
From that moment, much has changed. The number of tasks and tasks requiring attention has increased significantly. As well as the level of responsibility for unsuccessful or belated decisions. The need for an assistant became so significant that it led to real emotional discomfort.
Attempts to maintain a mobile version of the system in Nokia E63 using Active Notes led to the purchase of David Allen’s book, the revision of an article by V. Kisly, the acquisition of a stable, albeit old HTC P3400 (and then a more modern product from HTC), and the introduction of paper, physically tangible part of this system.
The result of the processing was a strict variation of my authorship on the theme of David Allen in the treatment of Vasya Sour. Thanks to her, work began to take no more than 3 hours a day. But during this time I manage to do really a lot.
Following these principles, I come to work at 11-12 hours, work tightly and without distraction until 15 hours. At 15 o’clock I’m leaving for the room to smack the pieces of iron, I come to the office by 5.30 p.m., I have been working on everything that has accumulated from 15 o’clock in half an hour. And I'm going home.
Until I figured out and adapted Allen's system for myself, my working day was not limited to 8 hours in the office. I had to work at home in the evening.
Who cares, please, under the cat.
About GTD in a few words
Usually, the advantages of this system of personal productivity management highlight one thing: forget about things until the right moment. And remember at the right time. Of course it is. However, the indicated advantage is far from the only one.
Following the principles of GTD, you achieve much more. Using the system provides a high degree of conscious, reasonable control, not just over what Allen calls a “routine”. I would call it a victory over routine. Victory over a mountain of affairs, dozens of letters, inattentive employees, outstanding orders. Victory, the fruit of which is the ability to do and do what you want, and not what you have to. Complete change of motion vector. From responding to incoming stimuli to the realization of their own projects, achieving their own goals. Dream come true.
How is a similar result achieved? The tools themselves and, as I use them, I will describe in posts on the technique of working in the system. Now - the principles.
The first principle is to reduce all information flows (to and from you) in one place.
Everything that happens to you that deserves the slightest attention or requires very little intervention should be reflected in one place. In order to be able to cover the whole picture with one glance. At any given time, you should be able to assess the status of all things. In the shortest possible time.
The second principle is accurate knowledge of where and what is found in case-related materials.
Despite the convenient search in Windows 7, Gmail, the ability to quickly find information on the Internet, business-related materials should settle in a clearly defined place. To be at hand and instantly, without reflection and delays, to be removed at the right time. Without thinking and delays are keywords.
The third principle is the division of cases into elementary, elementary, primitive actions.
Which do not require any thought, no delays before execution. Actions are performed with the brain turned off. He worked before, defining the essence and order of actions.
Following these principles, a person creates:
- a single array of links to all affairs and tasks,
- An orderly, easily accessible repository of materials needed to complete business,
- plans elementary steps that do not require reflection on their implementation and easily performs them.
The consequence of the principles is a balanced state of mind, free-for-thought brains. Ultimately, profit).
In the following posts I will consider the tools with which you can successfully follow the principles of the system.