Getting The Right Things Done

Presented by Daniele Occhipinti,
Director of Plancake.com

Presentation goals

Introducing the book and method Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Explaining how Plancake can help you get the right things done.

Ultimately, showing you how to get the most from your time.

The Book Getting Things Done

This 30-minute first part is a summary of the 'Getting Things Done' (GTD) book by David Allen.The book presents a method to make the most of your time, achieve your goals, be more reliable and less stressed. We are not just talking about office environment. This is a sort of life-style.

The Book (2)

You don't need any extra knowledge to use your time more effectively. What you need it is just some hints (that is what the book provides).The whole book (almost 300 pages) is mostly a comment to 'The Image'. That is a workflow that summaries the Allen's method on how to manage tasks and plan projects.

Let's have a look at 'The Image'.

The Image aka The WorkFlow (1)

Stuff is everything you feel you have a commitment to (even if only unconsciously).Put everything in your in-basket(s).You can have more than one basket (ie on the move).You have to put EVERYTHING thereYour mind will be empty, ready to relax or to take on the next challenge with all the energy availableOrganize (see workflow)

The Image aka WorkFlow (2)

An action is simply a tangible/physical task that can be done in one single stepA project is anything that requires more than one action to be done

Project: 'Tara's birthday'Actions: 'Call Chris and ask about Tara's favourite colour', 'Go to M&S', 'Check John Lewis catalogue', 'Go to Wo's and buy a funny card about Australians'

GTD day by day

1) Write everything down2) Keep your Inbox(es) clear.3) Do first whatever is in your calendar for that day (hard landscape).4) If you have any time left, pick actions from the 'Next actions' list (that contains ten of items)How to chose the next action?Follow your heart, trust your instinct. It is easy to trust your instinct when your have everything in front of your eyes, when the bigger picture is clear.

Use contexts

Contexts

They are basically tags but their purpose is to limit what we can choose to do.

"A few actions can be done anywhere (like drafting ideas about a project with pen and paper), but most require a specific location (at home, at your office) or having some productivity tool at hand, such as a phone or a computer. These are the first factors that limit your choices about what you can do in the moment." David Allen, "Getting Things Done (GTD)

Project Planning

It is still about 'The Image'.

These are the steps to make it happen (natural planning approach VS artificial methodologies):Defining purpose and principles

Outcome visioning

Brainstorming

Organizing

Identifying next actions

Project Planning (2)

If you encounter any difficulty with one of those steps, you need to go up one step and think better.

If the project is still on your mind, there is more planning to do.

The brainstorming phase is vital. It is much better to have an excess of ideas than not having enough ideas to turn into actions. Here the quantity is more important than the quantity.

Project Planning an intruder

Jason Fried from 37Signals says to think about: Why are we doing this? Increase revenue / client request?

What problem are we solving?Is there actually a problem?

Is this actually useful?

Are we adding value?Adding something doesn't always mean adding value

Will this change behaviour?

Is there an easier way?

How to implement the method (1)

What you need is:Lists

Calendar

Space where you keep your reference material organized

Trash bin

Pen and paper

How to implement the method (2)

Software can help: Google Calendar, RTM, PlanCakeThe important points are:everything has to be as easy as possible + fun-to-use. Otherwise you will trash or mis-organize stuff that could be important later.you must fully trust your system (no sw and human faults / always up-to-date) in order to free your memory and follow your heart

Review What people don't do

To keep on trusting your system, you have to review it regularly i.e. to be comfortable picking an action for the 'Next actions' listWhat to review?next-actions list: maybe something is not important anymore or must be allocated to a specific due dateprojects list to generate new next actions and not to forget about them

Recap

This was a very quick presentation.My goals were:Show you need a tool, a method to manage your tasks. Your brain alone is not able to do that (missing due date, reactive VS proactive).Show that with the right tools/methods you can be more reliable people will notice thatIntroduce the GTD method - if you are interested you can find the book on Amazon.

Important thoughts

Remind everyone how important your time is...it doesn't come back. You have to make the most of itBefore doing something, think twice. Ask yourself: what if I don't do it? Is it that bad? Remember that when you do something (one thing) you don't do something else (tens of things)Before doing something chunky, ask yourself: what if I defer it?Planning is vital. We get paid back not by merely doing things but by achieving goals.

Plancake

It is a web application that helps you get organized in a fun way.

It is free, Open Source and uses cutting-edge technologies.

I left my job as Lead Developer in October 2010

Since than, I have been working full time on Plancake.

I incorporated a Limited Company in March 2011 in London, UK

What Plancake can do for you

Keeps all the things you care about in one place, accessible from anywhere

Lets you organize your stuff in the way you like

Its Inbox is the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing

Helps you achieve your goals, thanks to the blog posts on personal development

Thanks a lot for your time

Any question?

Copyright 2011 Danyuki Software Limited

License Creative Commons CC BY-NDhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/legalcode

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Picture taken from:http://hdbizblog.com/blog/2007/10/02/thoughts-on-lean-and-the-gtd-workflow-part-i/

GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of the David Allen & Co.

Plancake.com time is limited, you are not