Zerebria

As a product of a typically non-productive culture (sorry for the tongue twister), I have found a very useful tool for implementing the GTD method in monitoring workflow interruptions. The first thing I noticed was (more…)

In “Getting Things Done”, David Allen affirms that the size of projects does not matter (for those who are not familiar with the GTD methodology, Allen defines “project” as any desired result that requires more than one simple action-i.e. a “pack” of actions with a defined purpose), and in terms of logic, he is right. Everything in his book is rigorously logic. But it makes me think of certain Zen masters. (more…)

In addition to my previous post, here come a few more tips, taken from my back-to-basics experience using (suffering?) a vintage Compaq Presario 1200. (more…)

This text is a sort of “spin-off” from my previous post “Productivity the Spartan way”, which was about my experience using a vintage computer (God bless it). Now, having spent some time back in my century, I’d like to share with you some of the enhancements I brought with me and a few general (more…)

If you’re as lucky as me, you’ll have, or you’ll have had this fantastic relative (grandpa, an aunt or uncle maybe) who takes care of you in an almost frenzied manner. A sort of die-hard fan of yours obsessed with (more…)

These reflections come as a consequence of a period using my replacement computer -the regular one had a keyboard problem that the tech service spent ages to fix-. More precisely, they are due to the fact, quite shocking, that, during those days revisiting my old, faithful Compaq Presario 1200, (more…)

In his classic work “De Bono’s thinking course”, the master of creative thinking Edward de Bono (of the “Six thinking hats” fame) exposes a series of techniques to improve reasoning, as a sort of exhaustive “thought gym”. One of his exercises consists in (more…)

…”but I used to have a calendar!”

Don’t worry: you still do. It is just that it is not going to be that populated anymore. Allen’s methodology reduces its using to:

a) events with a fixed date (dentist, birthday, deadline set by somebody else) (more…)

The weekly review, or where we mix 1 and 2

So now we have 1) lists of tasks (one for each context), and 2) project plans full of future tasks, grouped by sequences, priorities and components. Let’s mix 1) and 2) and we’re almost there, can you believe it? (more…)

Natural planning

So now that we have discussed the basic “bricks” of an organization system (lists), lets take it a step further: let’s talk about project planning. First of all, what is there to plan? Almost everything, in fact, because the GTD methodology (more…)