Getting Things Done (34 page)

My intent is not to add more to the plethora of modern theories and models about how to be successful. I have tried, on the contrary, to define the core methods that don’t change with the times, and which, when applied, always work. Like gravity, when you understand the principle, you can operate a lot more effectively, no matter what you’re doing. Perhaps this is the Leading Edge of Back to Basics!

Getting Things Done
is a road map to achieve the positive, relaxed focus that characterizes your most productive state. I invite you to use it, like a road map, as a reference tool to get back there whenever you need to.

To consistently stay on course, you’ll have to do some things that may not be habits yet: keep everything out of your head; decide actions and outcomes when things first emerge on your radar, instead of later; and regularly review and update the complete inventory of open loops of your life and work. I hope by now you at least have established a reference point for the value these behaviors create. Don’t be surprised, though, if it takes a little while to make them automatic. Be patient, and enjoy the process.

Here are some final tips for moving forward:

Have a great rest of your life!

Index

accountability

Acheson, Dean

action reminders

on calendars

dispersal of

most common categories of

organizing as-soon-as-possible actions by context

original items as

actions

current

four-criteria model for choosing

see also
managing action; next actions

ad hoc project thinking

agendas

applied outcome thinking

archives

areas of focus lists

Aristotle

attached notes

back-of-the-envelope planning

Bayne, Stephen

beginning,
see
getting started

Bergson, Henry

bigger picture reviews

Boulanger, Nadia

brain, reticular activating system of

brainstorming

distributed cognition and

keys to

mindmapping technique of

software applications for

Brilliant, Ashley

broken agreements with yourself, prevention of

Buddha

Buzan, Tony

cabinets

calendars

future options and

review of

things to list on

Cantor, Rosabeth Moss

Chartier, Emile

checklists

at all levels

blueprinting key areas of work and responsibility

clarifying inherent projects and actions

for new situations

Chisolm, Brock

Churchill, Winston

clarity

cognition, distributive

Cohen, Daniel

collecting

gathering “incompletes” in

success factors in

tools for

collecting your “stuff,”

in-basket inventory for

mind-sweep and

preparations for

problems in

things to leave where they are

time required for

from various locations

collection habit

amount of collecting required for

negative feelings and

personal benefits of

and preventing broken agreements with yourself

relationships and organizations and

traditional time management vs.

commitments,
see
internal commitments, dealing effectively with

computers

next action list for

computer software

contact managers

context

Cooper, Ann McGee

Cooper, James Fenimore

countertops

Covey, Stephen

critical thinking

“daily to-do” lists

daily work, threefold model for evaluation of

databases

day-specific actions

day-specific information

Day-Timers

decision catalysts

decision-making criteria, creation of

decorations

deferring

defining your work

delegating

systematic format for

tracking handoff in

desk drawers

desktop, clearing of

distributed cognition

doing

creating the option of

and four-criteria model for choosing actions

in processing “in,”

questions to ask yourself in

and six-level model for reviewing your own work

and threefold model for evaluating daily work

Drucker, Peter F.

dumbing down

Dumpsters

efficiency

Einstein, Albert

electronic note-taking

e-mail

databases and

in delegating

general-reference filing and

in-basket for

storage of

workflow from

emergency scanning

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

empowerment

energy availability

equipment, office

errands

events, upcoming

executive operational reviews

fast track

file folders

files:

reference

tickler

filing systems

general-reference

hanging files in

labeling of

large category

one alpha system for

purging and

success factors for

focus

vertical vs. horizontal

see also
outcome focusing

Forster, E. M.

four-criteria model for choosing actions in the moment

GANTT charts

general-reference filing

getting started

implementation tricks for

one-final-thing syndrome and

setting aside time for

setting up space for

work tools and

Gibbon, Edward

Gleeson, Kerry

goals, one- to two-year

Grandview

hanging files

Harris, Sidney J.

Hatfield, J. A.

Havel, Vaclav

head, emptying of

high-tech collection tools

Hock, Dee

Hoffer, Eric

“hold and review” files and piles

Holmes, Oliver Wendell

home actions lists

Horace

horizontal control or focus

hoteling

Hubbard, Elbert

implementation tricks

see also
getting started

“in,”
see
processing “in”

in-baskets

and last-in vs. first-in processing

incompletes (open loops)

incompletion triggers lists

personal

professional

incubation

someday/maybe lists for

tickler files for

tools for

information gathering

inputs

Inspiration program

intelligent dumbing down

internal commitments, dealing effectively with

basic requirements for

and controlling your mind

exercise for

knowledge work and

transformation of “stuff ” and

jobs, shifting definitions of

Johnson, Samuel

Kekich, David

Kempton, Sally

Kennedy, John F.

knowledge work

labelers

La Bruysre, Jean de

Lambert, Craig

large-category filing

Leonardo da Vinci

libraries

life:

big-picture view of

two-problem theory of

lists

areas of focus

next-action

projects

reviewing of

someday/maybe

three forms of

to-do

trigger

updating of

waiting-for

Lotus Notes

McGriffy, Michael

Maltz, Maxwell

managing action

bottom-up approach to

horizontal and vertical ways of

in one’s mind vs. using objective tools

as prime challenge

martial arts, ready state and

meetings, setting up

memory, short-term

memos to self

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

“mind like water” simile

mindmapping

Mind Over Water
(Lambert)

mind-sweep

moment-to-moment balancing act

motivation

moving forward, final tips on

Mowrer, O. H.

multilevel outcome management

multitasking

mundane, mastering the

Myer, Rochelle

natural planning

amount of planning needed in

brainstorming and

example of

five steps in

focus and

next actions and

organizing and

outcome clarification and

power of

principles and

purpose and

step-by-step questions for

vision and

next-action decisions

creating option of doing by

procrastination and

source of technique of

value of

next actions

calendars for

lists for

in planning

in processing “in,”

nonactionable items

incubation

organization of

in planning projects

reference

of someone else

trash

Nordenholt, George F.

notebooks

notes, processing of

note-taking, electronic

objectives, two key

office actions lists

office equipment

office space, setting up

office supplies,
see
work tools

one-final-thing syndrome

one item at a time, processing of

open loops (incompletes)

options, expansion of

organization, in managing workflow

basics of

next-action categories

nonactionable items

planning in

of projects

workflow diagram for

organizers

organizing

of action reminders

of checklists

of nonactionable data

of project reminders

seven basic categories in

workflow diagram for

organizing tools

outcome focusing

applied outcome thinking and

fast track and

and mastering the mundane

multilevel outcome management and

natural planning and

positive organizational culture and

outcomes, classification of

outlines, planning and

Ovid

pagers

paper and pads

paper-based files

paper-based workflow, management of

paper-holding trays

papers, loose

“parking lot” for projects

Pauling, Linus

pending items

personal digital assistants (PDAs)

personal incompletion triggers lists

personal notebook planners

personal projects

phone calls

planning

choosing projects in

informal

real-world application of

support structures for

tools for

typical steps in

see also
natural planning; project planning

positive organizational culture

Post-its

predefined work

principles, in planning

priorities

ABC codes for

process

actionable

do, delegate, or defer

next action

no action required

“Projects” lists