PermalinkSome context
I used to have a sort of To-Do list in my phone Notes app π±, like many of us. But while I was working for Habitissimo, I had the chance to attend a workshop about Getting Things Done by the incredible Jordi ContestΓπ¨βπ».
I abandoned my Notes app immediately after that.
The event focused on using GTD for our personal and professional life πͺ. We started writing a letter π¨ from our "1 year into the future" self, explaining "where" they were at the moment in relation to their goals and life expectations π. This technique helped us to get our long-term goals in order π.
Then we just divided those big goals into small tasks that we could complete independently during that year π.
PermalinkWhy?
The ultimate goal of GTD is not really to be productive at all times, it's more about achieving ease of mind π. You see, when you have chores and other pending obligations in your mind, it is hard to relax or even focus on your current and more urgent task π¨.
You write them down in a way you can come back and pick them up easily later when you are free π€. That way you prioritize what's more urgent, and you can forget about them and experience some "Carpe diem".
PermalinkMy personal approach
I use a Trello To-Do Board managed similarly to a Kanban Board:
- Backlog π: I use this one for writing down new ideas. In case I write an idea for a game or app on a card, I usually move its data to GitHub issues/projects when I create the repository to develop it
- Pending β³: The tasks that are more important to me. I will pick them up next after I complete the tasks in WIP. I order them inside the column, moving up the ones that are more urgent
- WIP β: Tasks that are "Work in Process". I try to avoid working on more than 4 or 5 at the same time, the less the better
- DONE β: In Trello, you can just "archive" cards, so this column is not really required in my opinion
- Bonus β¨: I have an extra column for things I want to remember constantly, like how do I write my address in Japanese.
PermalinkSome last tips
Take home the things you like from GTD, but avoid being dogmatic π©π½βπ«. Every person has a unique system that works better for them.
If you can complete a To-Do task in less time than it takes to write it down and explain all its details; it makes more sense to just do it at the current moment ππΌββοΈ. This might seem obvious, but you can easily fall on "the other side of productivity" when you're deep into GTD π₯΄. That means letting extreme organization and bureaucracy hinder your productivity π. Sort of what happens with governments and huge organizations.
Also, it's recommended to check your whole Backlog at least once a year and make sure that it's still aligned with your long-term goals (you can write that letter to yourself again if it helps π!).
Personally, it helps to organize my ideas in the form of a blog π: it motivates me to complete tasks that I was postponing, so I recommend it! It's a psychological mechanism π§ related to "Public Accountability".
PermalinkClosing time
Do you have any tips to improve personal productivity? Do you hate personal productivity? Let me know in the comments π€!