Discussion Forum > David Allen: On how to stick to a productivity system
Never worked for me!
September 14, 2016 at 10:59 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Actually, you're one of the people I was thinking about vis-a-vis the observation above. I do wonder if you'd have the motivation to create/use productivity systems without an audience.
So far, I'm on month two using my Moment by Moment system w/ Evernote. I do think posting about my system online has helped me stick with the program.
So far, I'm on month two using my Moment by Moment system w/ Evernote. I do think posting about my system online has helped me stick with the program.
September 14, 2016 at 16:43 |
avrum
avrum
avrum:
I do sometimes think to myself what would have happened if I had just stuck with my first published system like David Allen has with his. One thing I'm quite certain about is that I would have made a great deal more money than I in fact have!
I do sometimes think to myself what would have happened if I had just stuck with my first published system like David Allen has with his. One thing I'm quite certain about is that I would have made a great deal more money than I in fact have!
September 15, 2016 at 11:35 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
<<I would have made a great deal more money >>
You're probably right. At it's peak, Autofocus 1 was being talked about quite a bit. Often, recommended as a substitute for GTD.
I think David and you have unique contributions to this space. Though, I prefer your mad artist approach to conjuring up new systems.
You're probably right. At it's peak, Autofocus 1 was being talked about quite a bit. Often, recommended as a substitute for GTD.
I think David and you have unique contributions to this space. Though, I prefer your mad artist approach to conjuring up new systems.
September 15, 2016 at 14:59 |
avrum
avrum
avrum:
<< At it's peak, Autofocus 1 was being talked about quite a bit. >>
Well in fact I was thinking of the system in my first book "Get Everything Done". I never tried to make any money out of any of the Autofocus systems - which I developed after I had retired.
<< At it's peak, Autofocus 1 was being talked about quite a bit. >>
Well in fact I was thinking of the system in my first book "Get Everything Done". I never tried to make any money out of any of the Autofocus systems - which I developed after I had retired.
September 15, 2016 at 21:12 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I actually think the system changing and experimenting is one of the secrets to Mark's genius. The systems fill an important gap in GTD: deciding what to do next and keeping up a flow from one thing to the next. Different systems work at different times, in different situations, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds a fresh system motivating in itself.
What we've all learned here is that there is no perfect system for this. In many ways the details of the system don't particularly matter - I stick with one until the flow inevitably starts to run down, switch to another from the large menu, and keep going!
I've had a pretty stable GTD/OmniFocus system for keeping track of projects for years, and finding Mark's work (about a year ago) has been a brilliant addition to that specifically on the action side of things. (The one piece of Mark's advice I don't follow is to not feed the No List list from a bigger list - I use OmniFocus, and feed a 'no list' list from it. But I feel free to add things to the 'no list' that are not in the larger system.)
What we've all learned here is that there is no perfect system for this. In many ways the details of the system don't particularly matter - I stick with one until the flow inevitably starts to run down, switch to another from the large menu, and keep going!
I've had a pretty stable GTD/OmniFocus system for keeping track of projects for years, and finding Mark's work (about a year ago) has been a brilliant addition to that specifically on the action side of things. (The one piece of Mark's advice I don't follow is to not feed the No List list from a bigger list - I use OmniFocus, and feed a 'no list' list from it. But I feel free to add things to the 'no list' that are not in the larger system.)
September 23, 2016 at 2:34 |
Michael
Michael
<<Different systems work at different times ...>>
I was speaking to my clinical supervisor about my interest in productivity systems, literature, etc. She asked if my efforts were fuelled by principle, or anxiety. I think that was a interesting question/observation.
I've been using some variation of my current system for at least a year (and my current system for appx 3 months now). I've noticed a pattern: my desire to hack the rules, or try out a new piece of software, etc., often follow an uncomfortable feeling. If I resist the temptation to muck around with what is currently working, the feeling passes.
But it's true, what works for me, may not work for others.
I was speaking to my clinical supervisor about my interest in productivity systems, literature, etc. She asked if my efforts were fuelled by principle, or anxiety. I think that was a interesting question/observation.
I've been using some variation of my current system for at least a year (and my current system for appx 3 months now). I've noticed a pattern: my desire to hack the rules, or try out a new piece of software, etc., often follow an uncomfortable feeling. If I resist the temptation to muck around with what is currently working, the feeling passes.
But it's true, what works for me, may not work for others.
September 23, 2016 at 15:10 |
avrum
avrum
a. Create one yourself
b. Teach it others
"One of the reasons that I [teach] GTD [is because it's] the best way to keep myself motivated. You know, it’s a little embarrassing to stand up and do seminars and do coaching with people if I don’t do this stuff myself, so often times that’s my (this is a big secret folks, so don’t tell anybody), but one of the reasons I do all this [...] it keeps me honest."
- David Allen
http://gettingthingsdone.com/2016/09/episode-21-optimizing-your-gtd-system/