Comments on: on not getting things done

By: Maurizio Ortolani

Maurizio Ortolani — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:28:00 +0000

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water:
http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnifocus/

By: Hugh

Hugh — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 14:16:17 +0000

change made… i still find iGTD useful as a simlpe list keeper - but no good as “what shall i do next” decider.

By: Christopher Hughes

Christopher Hughes — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 21:09:14 +0000

pubLic - not pubic. gah. changes the meaning just a bit. that would be a case of decluttering too far…

By: Christopher Hughes

Christopher Hughes — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:26:30 +0000

PS
My mini-breakdown was rendered rather ~~pubic~~public by my trying to delete my twitter account (don’t try it, you can’t) - part of a ill-advised attempt to de-clutter my life. Thing is - the clutter is the bit that I actually enjoy.

By: Christopher Hughes

Christopher Hughes — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:37:37 +0000

My experience with GTD also ended in failure. My problem is that things are always changing. A project that seemed vital can end up being abandoned without ceremony. So - I have rather a self serving opinion about it.
I have had some success at getting certain things done (in business, anyway) but, in part, because I can cope with a very high level of uncertainty and chaos in the process of getting things done. Many people *need* certainty and order - I do not, at least to the same extent. I have often been advised, when building a business to ’stick to the plan, come hell or high water’. I firmly believe, however, that if the plan is not working, it should be scrapped as soon as possible. The plan is incidental to the team. A good team can come up with a great plan - a great team cannot make a lousy plan work.
Detailed planning works fine when you can predict your priorities into the medium term. However, when you have to change focus suddenly, having a list of things nagging at you is very stressful. So, GTD does not help my strengths, it only helps me with my weaknesses, and in so doing, undermines my strengths.