Discussion Forum > From GTD to ADT (Avoiding Doing Things)/ DNM (Doing Nothing Much)
michael:
"it takes you away from the over-achieving go-getter who likes to be seen as being busy (ie important) and in control of events to the freedom lover who has dropped pretensions and enjoys the simple pleasures of existence."
... Another choice is to be an achieving go-getter who doesn't like to be seen as busy, important, or in control of events, but likes to be completely free by acknowledging their control over their focus and decisions only, and having dropped pretenses, takes time often to enjoy the simple pleasures of existence.
"it takes you away from the over-achieving go-getter who likes to be seen as being busy (ie important) and in control of events to the freedom lover who has dropped pretensions and enjoys the simple pleasures of existence."
... Another choice is to be an achieving go-getter who doesn't like to be seen as busy, important, or in control of events, but likes to be completely free by acknowledging their control over their focus and decisions only, and having dropped pretenses, takes time often to enjoy the simple pleasures of existence.
October 25, 2013 at 14:02 |
Michael B.
Michael B.
> No. I've decided my preferred state of being is what matters.
That's what David Allen described as "mind like water".
That's what David Allen described as "mind like water".
October 25, 2013 at 15:34 |
Christopher
Christopher
I've never quite understood "mind like water" - it just seems to be so passive.
In fact, come to think about it, the whole GTD system is "inbox driven" -- it's essentially passive.
I wonder if that's why I was never able to get anything significant done when I was using GTD. I was able to process the minutiae but not make progress on the things that really mattered.
I do find the "Don't Do" list to be very helpful - not as a way to become more passive, but as tool for avoiding overcommitment and to remember what's really important. With so many choices and so many inputs, it's far more important to be comfortable saying "NO" to the majority of them. I wish I had learned that lesson much earlier in life. It's still very painful for me to say "NO" to all those interesting and compelling options in life - but the only way to really engage with the MOST important and MOST interesting options, is to say NO to everything else.
In fact, come to think about it, the whole GTD system is "inbox driven" -- it's essentially passive.
I wonder if that's why I was never able to get anything significant done when I was using GTD. I was able to process the minutiae but not make progress on the things that really mattered.
I do find the "Don't Do" list to be very helpful - not as a way to become more passive, but as tool for avoiding overcommitment and to remember what's really important. With so many choices and so many inputs, it's far more important to be comfortable saying "NO" to the majority of them. I wish I had learned that lesson much earlier in life. It's still very painful for me to say "NO" to all those interesting and compelling options in life - but the only way to really engage with the MOST important and MOST interesting options, is to say NO to everything else.
October 25, 2013 at 19:51 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Seraphim, I find it very comforting to move things I'm interested in to a separate list. I'm currently using Springpad for things I'm intrigued by or want to pursue at some time. For me, it's kind of like boxing things up you don't need right now without taking them to charity.
October 29, 2013 at 1:50 |
Melanie Wilson
Melanie Wilson
I call it a hibernation list. Less heart-wrenching than a won't do list, but after a few months the results are very similar. Highlighting the projects and leaving them in place didn't allow me to tear out pages because something was still on them. Love the "box for charity" concept, but again that's a bit too hard of a decision to make up front for me.
My current hibernation list has had so little action, I'm started to think of it as a stasis chamber. Much too slow for the current batch of projects I can't quite squeeze in. If it comes down to it, I'll rename the old one to be what it really is (stasis) and start a new hibernation list.
(How many levels of sleep are there? nap, doze, sleep, hibernation, cold-sleep, stasis,...)
My current hibernation list has had so little action, I'm started to think of it as a stasis chamber. Much too slow for the current batch of projects I can't quite squeeze in. If it comes down to it, I'll rename the old one to be what it really is (stasis) and start a new hibernation list.
(How many levels of sleep are there? nap, doze, sleep, hibernation, cold-sleep, stasis,...)
October 29, 2013 at 15:10 |
Cricket
Cricket
Melanie - Thanks for the referral to Springpad - I am giving it a try.
October 29, 2013 at 20:07 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
This is a question that focuses you on all those tasks you fear. it takes you away from the over-achieving go-getter who likes to be seen as being busy (ie important) and in control of events to the freedom lover who has dropped pretensions and enjoys the simple pleasures of existence. In my best interest today is leaving all my lists behind to free myself of any sense of duty, responsibility, obligation. My state of being becomes my preferred choice today. A holy-day. A vacation, vacating and leaving my normal modes of operation.
Is this procrastination?
Sometimes tasks need putting off, postponing and delaying - maybe we want ease and freedom, maybe our unconscious needs time to incubate things, maybe our state of being allows our perspective to re-evaluate what doesn't need doing anyhow. This is not a failure of willpower. You haven't failed as a human being (I remind myself).
But there are activities which I am anxious or fearful about doing. These are the ones that people typically get annoyed with themselves about; they recognise their own fears and feel defeated by them. Often people crtiticise themselves for lacking willpower.
Being a procrastinator can be good, being a frustrated or anxious task avoider is bad.
Am I doing X to avoid doing Y?
No. I've decided my preferred state of being is what matters.