Why I'm a lukewarm GTDer

I got to thinking about Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, especially after reading “Why We Resist the Weekly Review and Plan“. Basically, I’m slacking, but I’m hoping that this will the be turning point where I decide to do something about it.

I haven’t been GTD lately. My tickler file hasn’t been opened and/or used as regularly as it should be. Why? Because I have junk on top and around it. Lesson: If it’s not easily accessible, you probably won’t use it.

My inbox has grown way too much. Why?

• My desk environment isn’t conducive. If my desktop is too cluttered, I have no open space to review each item. (My desktop is too cluttered because there’s a lot of objects that have no place.)
• My labeler is easy to get to, but the manila file folders and hanging folders aren’t. That’s a subconscious mental block. If I find something I need to file, but I don’t have those folders readily available, I’m less likely going to want to start the task of going through my inbox.
• The trash can gets full easily because junk mail gets thrown in regularly. I know that if something in my inbox needs to get thrown away, I’ll have to empty the trash can because it’s too full.

Something overwhelming like this won’t be processed easily, so you have to make it easier on yourself. Lesson: Write every little thing down, rather relying on your memory to get the job done, then get going!

Anyway, if you find yourself frustrated, you don’t need to wait until January 1st, 2007 to get going – do it now! Ricky’s full article “Why We Resist the Weekly Review and Plan (and What You Can Do About It)” is excellent, so read it a few times if you have to.