How to effectively use the GTD system life

This material - a continuation of the article "How to clean up the affairs and everything to keep pace: Full guide GTD system». First, it is worth to get acquainted with it, as it explained in detail many of the concepts used.

This article - a step by step guide on how to apply GTD in life. When writing, I use the following guidelines:

• Versatility. Described here are universal ideas, and use them to build one for yourself the GTD system, which will work with exactly those services to which he was accustomed.
• Simplicity. The system should be intuitively easy to use. On the entry and processing of information must spend a minimum of time and energy, as well as planning the following actions. Only then the system will work in the long term, even after long breaks, for example, if you go away on vacation for a month, then, when you return, you will be able to restore its approach to management affairs.
• Reliability. The most important thing - it is to be confident in its system, namely that forget nothing planned, so you see the reminder at the right time.
  instagram viewer
• at an important concentration. The system should help you focus on how you're doing at the moment, and in those cases, which are important in the long run.
• Pleasure. case management system and objectives should bring you pleasure. For example, when lying on the couch after a hard day's work with the phone in hand, erase from the list of completed tasks, and get from it a real pleasure. Especially when it is rendered more growth productivity of your schedule.

5 main stages GTD system

Step 1. Collection of information

To collect absolutely all things, even the smallest, then our mind will be clear and we will act as productively as possible.

It is therefore not the standard work listsBecause most people often capture only the most important things, and the hundreds of problems that are not so important, do not take into account. But it is such a small problem, regularly reminding yourself, use a significant portion of the brain resources and create additional experiences that lead to fatigue and stress.

One of the important principles of the GTD system - it is completely unloaded from the head of all the tasks and put them into a reliable system that will help at the right time to think about important matters.

Still need to take into account that the baskets to collect the incoming data should be the minimum amount. In an ideal - one. Then it will be easier to handle.

Step 2. Data processing

At this stage, we are processing the information that is in our "inbox" basket.
There are three options for how we can do at this stage:

• Mark a task as "Action", pointing to the next step of its implementation and the deadline. You can not specify deadlineIf there is no precise understanding of when to perform the task.
• Move the information in the "Directory" if it do not need anything, but it might come in handy in the future.
• Delete the information, determining that it is "garbage": that is to do with it does not need anything and she did not come in handy in the future.

Step 3. action organization

All actions take place through the following funnel.

Filter 1 - "clipping"

Ask yourself, do I really have to perform this action? When in doubt, delete.

Filter 2 - "Delegation"

Ask yourself if you need to do, then it really has to perform in person am I? If not, delegate responsibility and point the end result, the intermediate stages of control (key points) and the deadline.

If the action should perform it you move to the next filter.

Filter 3 - "Action"

Ask yourself, this action will take more 2-5 minutes? If not, do now and release the head. If so, drop-in.

Actions in the system may be of the following types.

"The following actions" - simple tasks, which consist of a single action (call, write, go, and so on). For example, the action "Change on wheels winter tires" will consist of the following simple steps: call and make a workshop, schedule time in your calendar to drive at the right time auto repair.

Such actions are convenient to collect the lists of place and circumstance (context lists). It may be a list of "The Shop," where you are entering all that you need to buy when you're in a store, or a list of "The chair," in which you add appointments and tasks that can be performed in the evening after work in his favorite chair. Or a list of "chef-questions" where you write down all the questions that you are having to the chiefThen to solve them all at once.

All these actions, I usually fix or "Google Calendar"(Meetings and events) or Todoist - cloud service, where it is convenient to systematize the task.

"Projects" - tasks to perform that require more than one step. To the project moved from the dead point, it is necessary to describe the first steps to implement it and to leave a reminder about it in a reliable system. As a result, the project turns into a chain of simple steps, each of which can be done in the next five minutes and get a result.

Projects I place on the cards Trello. The card is an ideal container for projects, where you can place:

• description and purpose of the project;
• links to other documents on the project;
• the names of those responsible;
• deadline;
• check lists with the following steps;
• comments on the draft;
• the necessary files, and so on.

"Deferred action". If we can not plan the next steps without further events or information (for example, wait until the phone will send a familiar service centers, where you can profitably replace tires), such action we shall be entered in the list of "deferred". Optionally, you can put a reminder that you need something to control.

Such lists of cases can be structured in a list context. For example, make a list of the tasks that are entrusted to his assistant.

List "Someday" It contains works that do not require active steps now, but we would like to perform in the future.

It can be:

• books, And video training courses that want to buy;
• useful skills who wants to learn;
• places I want to visit;
• things that I want to buy.

You should periodically look at this list, taking records and turn them into goals to achieve which you will work.

Step 4. regular review

For the system to work, you must regularly review the main tasks and projects to remove those that are no longer relevant, and the new sort by priority and sent to the job.

To such a review was carried out on a regular basis, follow these tips:

• Leave for 30-60 minutes in the timetable for the review (initially once a week would be sufficient).
• Make a checklist or plan such a review, which spelled out the sequence, that behind what goes. This plan should not be too difficult, and the review should not take you too long, otherwise you simply will not do it regularly.

Below - an example of my checklist with weekly overview. I did it in a format circuit-cribs with the action sequence, which shows services / documents, which I look. You can place it in the usual list or draw from the hand of a circuit which you are comfortable.

Print out four such check-list for a month. During the weekly review of take one of them in his arms and carried expunged from the list. This simple exercise will motivate you to continue to conduct such reviews.

Step 5. Actions

When a plan is drawn up for a week, more remains to act. Do not let one of the main mistakes beginners to work on GTD system when too much time is spent on the organization of the tasks instead of the actual implementation.

Here are a few tips to make the action more effective.

1. Plans for the day based on the plan for the week. Divide the day into blocks, selecting 2-3 unit for performing important things and a couple of blocks allocated to other tasks. Duration units - on average 60-120 minutes. The block is inserted between the free time for emergency cases.
2. Work on the system PomodoroFor this you can set the timer. Its essence is simple: every 25-30 minutes of operation, take a break for five minutes, and after the third business unit - a long break (15-30 minutes). Total there are three blocks of 30 minutes with breaks of five minutes, followed by a long break for 15-30 minutes. During the day you can spend 2-4 such cycles, depending on how often you are distracting.
3. During the important affairs units try to avoid being distracted by other people and other sounds (you can include a special headphones music for concentration).
4. Determine when your energy levels a maximum (for example, from 7 to 9 am), and at this time to perform the most important things that bring you closer to personal goals.
5. Do not plan too many important things to do for the day: it is enough 1-3. It is important that at the end of the day, looking at things crossed out in your plan, you are happy and have made a realistic plan for tomorrow.