Spring cleaning: GTD @home

Time for clearing the cobwebs and a spring clean.

In a household with kids our house is lived in. Sand and dirt collect in the hallway and stairs, then gets its way around the house. Everything settles and collects in corners or piles. "Papa where are my shoes?" "I need my Russian books, I had them last night!" Just an example of the daily questions. But over time stuff collects to a point where a big clean up is needed.

Not the daily sweep up, washing, cooking and dishes: a Spring clean. And we did that yesterday!

Now this is not only good for finding those long lost CD's, papers or school books (under the pile of papers on your desk or in the corner next to the Lego). A spring clean means sorting out the winter clothes and everything that is too small and making space for a new look. It means a clear view.

A quick focus on what we wanted to achieve during breakfast - the big picture and goal setting for the day. A review of tasks and areas of focus - what needs to be done. Some groans, some questions. And who wants to clean the windows? "Me... me... me... me!"

Clean the windows!

I had forgotten what a difference clean windows makes. "How long has that tree been there Papa?" Clean windows means being able to take a fresh look at the world outside. A clear view.

Because its now Officially Spring Time, a chance to get back into Gardening with a passion too. Some of that gardening I will be done at the office. Trimming dead files. Dumping completed projects to the archive and making plans for an improved work space on two levels - sitting and standing.

I find the way I use GTD an active way of working. Jumping up to make a cup of coffee... then filing the project papers... helping the kids... checking the mail... making notes for an ongoing project (and putting it in the right place to continue later)... a phone call or two. Not to mention the wash, cooking, shopping and everything else.

Clear vision and a weekly review.

I will have to describe a typical week sometime soon, I sometimes I don't realize how much I do get done with GTD during a week. Especially when my attention gets stuck on what is not working. It is hard to remember that which gets done in auto-pilot - like the phone call or conversation in the car and then the question "did you see that sign back there Papa?" No! Good habits are great to have and to learn, like a regular review of current status, which is a big help to remind me of where I am and what I want to achieve. The weekly review.

Clear vision! It's like seeing the clear blue sky after a long period of dull weather. And then to have clean windows too, brings back the connection between the runway and my higher goals.

How do you do your Spring cleaning? What great ideas did you get this week? What stuff did you discover after thingking it forever lost? GTD gives me clear vision and the kids love helping there too!

An interview with David Allen Interview

Posted by on www.lifehacking.nl by Bert Verdonck on February 3, 2009

David All David does not need to be introduced anymore. Everyone knows "Getting Things Done" (GTD) and his latest book "Making It All Work" strengthens his guru status in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Martijn Aslander and I had the privilege of interviewing David recently. Of course we like you share in this too...

David Allen describes himself as a very lazy person. This laziness was the impetus to develop what is now known as "process improvement". David devised a number of "tricks" to more easily succeeded in and develop his career.

Two basic elements of GTD that he quoted during his interview are:

1. Collection of everything you have in our head
2. Determining your next action step

He got the advice that the publication of a (bestselling) book would make a significant strategic step forward for the expansion of his business. It took another 4 years for Getting Things Done to appear on the market.

David had to first learn what it meant to write a book. He had never written a book before nor a had he developed a business plan around that. After learning that, he needed a year to find a publisher and another year to write the first draft of Getting Things Done-The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Then came the second draft and work on the title and graphics.

David did all this in addition to his regular full-time job. But "not recommended" says David Allen!

GTD it is easy to understand and to implement because it starts from our own concrete experiences – that is the reason why GTD is so successful according to David Allen himself.

What unique about GTD, is the fact that it takes the position not of starting from what we think we should be doing, rather how we can simply and effectively improve how we think and do things.

Thanks to GTD, you get immediate control (back) over your thoughts and actions. In this way you can then develop your productivity.

The immediate effect of GTD in David's own life was of relaxation. Thanks to his own techniques, David Allen succeeded in emptying his head ["mind like water"].

David describes himself as a researcher and educator. He had 25 years to acquire to learn to become who he is today. The next 25 years will be focused on the dissemination of this knowledge.

In the accompanying audio track you hear a piece of David Allen's life philosophy, guaranteed a great tip for you. Enjoy!

David Allen will give his public seminar in Amsterdam on February 19: GTD Seminar Making It All Work!

What is your GTD-IQ?

How is your personal productivity level today? What has your attention? Do you know what you are committed to, and why? Test Your GTD-IQ