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Getting Things Done
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Ship Features Fearlessly
Turn features on and off without deploys. Used by thousands of Ruby developers.
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David Zuelke
March 10, 2017
Business
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Getting Things Done
Presentation at ConFoo Montréal 2017
David Zuelke
March 10, 2017
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Transcript
GETTING THINGS DONE ConFoo Montréal 2017 Montréal, QC, Canada
David Zuelke
None
[email protected]
@dzuelke
MODERN WORK
open commitments
unanswered emails
personal responsibilities
you're never… done
"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."
GTD
David Allen
None
None
“A vaccination against day-to-day fire-fighting.”
THE TWO PRINCIPLES OF GTD 1.Capture everything 2.Have next actions
... and you'll have a mind like water
YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SKILLS YOU NEED
(prioritize, organize, plan, focus)
when were you last in the zone?
can you get back into it anytime it is required?
1. CAPTURE
everything
the presentation to prepare
the email to write a lengthy reply to
the gift to buy your mother for her birthday each
December
the passport that needs renewal in six years
the fire extinguisher that will need maintenance every five years
the first aid kit in your car that needs replacing
before it expires
the bonsai tree that needs water, a lot, but only
every two weeks
the shed you want to build in your garden
that world hunger problem you want to solve
If you don't capture everything, things will remain on your
mind.
If it's on your mind, your mind isn't clear.
–Horace “Rule your mind, or it will rule you.”
write down the project/situation most on your mind right now
now write down, one sentence, the successful outcome you want
for it
now write down the next physical action required to move
it forward
–Ralph Waldo Emerson “The ancestor of every action is thought.”
2. PROCESS
"what is it?"
"is it actionable?"
"what's the next action?"
most "stuff" is really a project of multiple actions
If it takes less than ~two minutes: do it now!
Otherwise, delegate or defer it.
–Greek proverb “The beginning is half of every action.”
3. ORGANIZE
don't put tasks on your calendar, they will pile up
start dates and due dates are different things
"43 FOLDERS"
None
don't literally do that, we have software for that now
;)
CONTEXTS AND TAGS • Context: what/where you need to (be)
• @phone, @errand, @web, @mac, @office, @printer, @vpn, @home • Tags: so you can pick up related or wanted tasks • /programming, /car, /health, /taxes, /writing, / cooking, /paperwork, /quick win/
SOFTWARE
choose the one your brain trusts the most
THE HIT LIST
THINGS
2DO
TODOIST
OMNIFOCUS
pick the one that works on your platforms (mobile and
desktop!)
4. REVIEW
review your lists weekly (Friday afternoon works well!)
WEEKLY REVIEW • "loose" papers, notes, letters, email • empty
your head • review calendar • review upcoming actions • review "waiting for" lists
5. DO
CHOOSING WHAT TO DO (IN ORDER OF PRIORITY) • Context
• Time available • Energy available • Task priority
DEMO TIME!
PRODUCTIVITY TRICKS
BEND THE TWO-MINUTE RULE
25 & 50 MINUTE MEETINGS
NO MEETINGS W/O AGENDA
END MEETINGS W/QUESTION: "WHAT IS THE NEXT ACTION"?
The End
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Questions? Ask me: @dzuelke &
[email protected]