Do GTD “show-offs” bother you? – SCN Encourager 9/5/2013

Some people are fanatical about Getting Things Done (GTD).

Similar to choosing a sports team to follow, there are many GTD systems out there to select from to help you begin “organizing your passion.”

Or is it… to help you become “passionate about your organizing.”

It’s not always easy to tell.

All I know is that if you’re trying to win friends and influence people – without the reliance of a significant cash transaction – it’s never recommended to be critical of another person’s favorite team or GTD system.

It may not even be a safe thing to do, as both sports and GTD systems are adept at fanning intense loyalty in their zealots.

David Allen is a best-selling author and provides his readers (and a subset of zealots) ways to become more productive while reducing decreasing stress.

I’ve heard him speak and what impressed me is his belief that everyone should have a GTD system, even if it’s just a simple and homespun one.

If you pull out little paper notes out of your pockets EVERY NIGHT and then intentionally sort through these notes on your dresser to lay out your next steps, according to Allen, you’ve got a GTD system.

Ta-dah! Now you see why I like him.

Allen promotes the benefits of having a consistent process to help you think, prioritize, and do.

Yes, he’d like you to choose his GTD system, but he avoids being a snob about it.

He extends a certain measure of grace to those of us who use our own minimalist GTD system.

Although I probably shouldn’t call my what I do an actual “GTD system” since it frequently causes me to wake up in the middle of the night in a panic wondering if I emptied out my pockets prior to my clothes getting tossed into the washing machine.

Maybe I need David Allen to be more of a snob after all.

Maybe I need to be shamed away from saving and sorting slips of paper and relying on basic “to do” lists.

But maybe not.

Maybe basic “to do” lists are the best way to go.

Here are seven “to do” lists composed by seven kids.

See what you think.

In this brief photo slideshow (in a model easily re-purposed by any of us to highlight student art or any other learning projects) the kids did a great job acting on their own “GTD system.”

The little showoffs!

The editors added a few captions that’ll make you smile, too.

All good stuff for a Thursday!

Tom Page, SCN