More Time Management Tips

This Method from Getting Things Done by David Allen

You already know everything you need to know about time management – you just need to be consistent about applying it.

Dealing with “The Stuff of Your Life”

1. Empty your mind.
1. Any unfinished action is an “open loop” your mind will chew on until you deal with it.
2. You can’t keep everything in short-term memory.
3. Some things will get forgotten.
2. Write it down.
3. Store it in a trusted system that you will use.
4. Take first item – piece of paper or e-mail or sticky note.
   
5. Decide what to do with it.

a. Choices: Trash it, Act on it or File it.
1) If it can be completed in 2 minutes or less, do it now!
2) If more than 2 minutes, assign it to a list or file it.
DO NOT return it to the in basket, in-box or place you keep your notes.
Transfer notes to lists.

“The next-action decision is central. That action needs to be the next physical, visible behavior, without exception, on every open loop. Any longer-than-two-minute, nondelegatable action you have identified needs to be tracked somewhere” -- David Allen

1. Next Action List
2. Waiting For Response List
3. Phone Calls to Make List
4. Someday/Maybe List
   
5. Review lists regularly.
1. Decide which has most priority or which you have time to do now.
2. Do it.
6. Only put three kinds of things on your calendars:

a. Appointments
b. Things to do on a specific date
c. Information needed for that day.
d. DO NOT PUT TO-DO LISTS ON YOUR CALENDAR!

Decision Making/Filing

Have an In-Box that collects the things that come to you. Have one at every place you “live” – home, work, your computer, your car if you travel a lot. Have as many as you need, but no more than you need. Don’t let things grow roots and stay in the in-box.

1. Take first item.
1. Deal with first item before going to next item.
2. Don’t let yourself throw something back because you don’t want to think about it now.
2. What is it?
3. Needs no action.

a. Not useful. Trash. Toss it/Delete it.
b. Not now, but will need later.File in Incubate:
Put physical item Tickler file under the date you will need it OR
2) File item in Reference Files and
3) Put note on calendar on the date you will need it. (Note tells you where it is filed.)

c. Not now, may want to use it in the future. File in Reference:
1)Keep physical Reference files within swivel distance of your desk.
2) Files in A-Z order OR
3) Keep in folders in your computer in-box OR
4) Save e-mail to appropriate folder on your computer outside your e-mail system. (Save as text-file)

Does need Action.

a. Can you do it in 2 minutes or less?
Do it now.
b. More than 2 minutes?
Are you the right person to deal with this?
*No? Delegate
*Yes. Determine action.
-- Mark it on appropriate list.
--Take action on it at appropriate time.

Go to the next item

Iris’s Little Trick:

Keep Post-it Notes handy. When you are concentrating on one project and a random thought pops up about something else, capture it on a sticky note. Let go of the random thought and carry on with your project. Later put the Post-it Note in the appropriate file folder for THAT project and deal with it when you get to that project.