getting things done

For a few weeks now I've been using some sort of GTD system to manage my todos. The GTD -- Getting Things Done -- system is simple but I guess it's got a few  things to it so there's a book about it.

To me, it boils down to how to manage a bunch of todo lists. I have a handful of todo lists, one for each "project" that I want to get done. And I tag individual todos with labels like @next, @soon, @waiting, or @reference. I try to always write down a todo for everything I want to achieve and I sort it into one of the projects.

When I go into planning mode, I tag lots of todos as @next. A quick search for that label will give me my current consolidated todo list. As I get those todos done, I delete them or remove the label and tag some more... Ring around the rosie.

The GTD workflow is easily understood from the following diagram:

The GTD workflow - copyright David Allen

A lot of software options are available to implement some sort of GTD workflow. But I have settled on the Springpad Android app. It's got bugs but it's very powerful and it does everything I need for GTD-style management. Hopefully they'll sort out the bugs soon enough.

Springpad's home view

When I am really totally obsessed about getting things done, I sometimes use the Pomodoro technique. This one also has a book but frankly, it probably does not deserve that much literature. It's too simple: set a timer for 25 minutes and that's the time you have to get something done. Then take a five-minute break. Rinse and repeat. Everything else is fluff. There is an Android app for that too.