Getting Things Done (GTD)

I have been a “list” person since I was young. I still use a paper and pencil to write out my to-do list, that way I don’t stress out to remember the things I need to complete. I also have a daily planner that I write in for course planning at work as well as for personal use. I recently got a smart phone (Blackberry Storm), and I started utilizing the calendar feature to add reminders for my events. As for my “inbox”, I am going to set up an actual tray in my classroom and one at my apartment for papers that need my attention. Along with this new addition to my GTD process, I will use an application on my phone for an electronic to-do list. This way, I won’t have random pieces of paper with listed to-do items, but can group them with my calendar events on my cell phone, also known as “collecting”. A downside of this system for me is that I cannot have my phone out during the school day. This is the primary reason I use the pencil and paper format, it is easily accessible and appropriate at work.

When thinking of the other elements in the workflow process, I believe that prioritization and organization are strengths of mine. Therefore, deciding which tasks to take on first with my new system should still be adequate. I tend to do the quick, “2 minute” tasks as they come to my attention, yet procrastinate more on projects that take much longer to complete. I am confident that my electronic task reminder, to-do list, and inbox will keep me in line during the next month of this course. I’m hoping to continue this process afterward, but not sure if I’m going to remember to go through all 5 steps for every task and project. I will, however, need to constantly review what tasks and projects I have and have not completed.