Stress-free productivity in eventful times with GTD

Taking over the ‘flame’ from my colleague Steven Käser here some of my insights about ‘working in the SARS2-Context:

  • For some reason I feel strangely motivated and focussed (although I am asthmatic like my other colleague Karl Ivar Refseth)
  • I had events organized and workshops. Mid-March had a GTD-Seminar, beginning of April had a full day XING-Seminar on a REALLY beautiful island in lake Constance, and I was about to organize the last steps a Barcamp for end of April. And some other minor networking events.
  • The GTD-Seminar is virtualized and will start today at 15:00, the XING-Seminar happens as 2 webinars on the same day and people get a small 1:1-coaching on top for the hassle (and I have not given up on the location) the Barcamp is about to be virtualized too and I already found a tool and people who help. The Networking events will also be switched or better transformed to virtual. (Starting tomorrow.)

Now why would I brag so much? Not to brag (cause a lot of other stuff was also managed, like reorganizing the office for better video calls). No, but because it taught me a lot about how “Getting Things Done”(tm) helps you to focus in stressful or better eventful times. It helps you o identify the world you want to have and shows you the step-by-step path to that world.

Yes, it felt as if I had more to do than ever, but the fact that all parts of the ‘machine’ were moving (and in the right direction).

What are some learnings regarding GTD?

  • Prioritizing of projects tasks and waitings becomes easier than ever because some items (Waiting for quote by Eugen’s Bistro regarding burgers for the Barcamp) can either be moved to a new context “After Corona” or to “Incubate” to a date where “I might have more information” (I am using May15th, today is April 1st). This might depend on whether you want to change your system or if you want to use it “as is”.
  • Doing a “Mindsweep” specialized for current requirements maybe even compartmentalized for certain aspects will be very helpful. E.g. Mindsweep- Virtual Seminars, Mindsweep Virtual Coachings , Mindsweep – New Topics for Virtual Offerings, Mindsweep – Formats for Virtual Networking Events, Mindsweep – Corona Prevention Family, Mindsweep – “How can I help the community” etc.

Now why should you look at GTD in these times.

Yesterday I read a statement by someone that about 70% of all people were busy managing the current chaos and only 30% were planning for the future. and that this ratio was currently switching. Also while some people are “frozen” and cannot do anything and others busier than ever: everybody will be VERY busy (or bankrupt and busy for other reaasons) ‘after Corona’.

GTD can help you

  • to “unfreeze” if you are frozen new (via the Mindsweeps or other creativity methods)
  • to get the current chaos under control
  • to be optimally prepared when the ‘post Corona wave’ hits

Let’s talk. => og@ogok.de

Now thanks to Monika Danner ? for initiating this and over to my trainer collegaue

Playing mindgames with romance-chatters

She:
Hey Oliver!!!I can’t believed it!!! You really look like my old ex which was in a military since 1995…are you also a military men?
Me
No, I am your ex and a spy, I have to have you eliminated now because you found me. The doorbell will ring soon. Sorry, darling.
 She:
Damn what you tryna says!!!! You only looks like my ex but you can’t be my ex
 Me:
I am.

Is it OK If i activate your webcam so that I can make sure my buddies are doing their jobs?

//** your webcam is being activated **//

She:
Why all your peps sounding like hell… Which buddies you talking about?

Where is ya from?

Was your location Oliver ???

Me:

I am not allowed to disclose this. Please stay put.

The buddies whose job it is to make you vanish.

Don’t resist. Then it will not hurt at all.

She:
You English in poor and non understandable [sic!]

Bye

Me:
You are funny, you can’t even spell ?

 “Your Enligsh is…”
 What country are you in anyway?
 She:

Don’t know what you saying everything about you in illiterate

Me:
“Is” not “in”. You should get your money back from the person who taught you English ?

 Nachricht wurde nicht zugestellt.
 
 And ‘what you saying’ shpuld be ‘what are you saying’.
Nachricht wurde nicht zugestellt.
 
 Oops, a typo. Forgive me, oh princess.
Wird gesendet…
 

Nano-GTD – for beginners or people in a hurry

Recently I heard a complaint: GTD has a terribly high barrier to entry, you need to READ a BOOK! Inconciiiievable! (Audio books were also not welcome.) “Can’t I just watch some videos?” Well, you can, but it might not be as good as doing the seminar and then read the book – or the other way round.

Then again I remember how hard it was to start off with GTD, so I put together this little guide that -when followed- will give you a first taste of GTD and hopefully will make you want more.

– Do not do daily to-do-lists. 

– Just make a note of every task…

– … in one big list…

– …in small steps…

– …with a VERB (preferably at the start of the line and in BOLD letters or in color)

______________

e.g.

WRITE keywords for semester paper

PICK UP order book store

CALL Joe re: appointment briefing

NOT as a daily list but simply everything that is to be done in the near future (or even today).

Cross out what you finished.

______________

– Now first DO the things that can or need to be done ONLY today (If it helps you put a “!” in front of it or mark them in red … meaning: „If I do not do this today, I will not have to do it at all and can cross it off.“)

– Then DO the things, that can ONLY be done where you are right now (downton, your office, at home)

– Afterwards DO the things where you’d get a positive feeling AFTER they are accomplished and you have rid yourself from them (not the ones where you feel bad BEFORE you do them).

– of you like put the tasks on separate lists like

— at home

— errands

— office

— anywhere

and

— I’ll do this at some point / not now (these are “good ideas” but stuff you neither want or have to do right now or soon.)

…and then work only on the list(s) that correlate to the place or situation you are in.

– Do this for one week.

– Tell us how it was in the comments.

– If it worked well, read “Getting Things Done” by David allen (2015 edition) and expand the above system sccording to his suggestions.

Q: Where do bloggers find content for their blogs?

A:
They don’t just find it, they write it 😉

Ah, you mean: Get the ideas on what to write?

– News (your own perspective on …)
– other blogs (RSS 😉 ) (adding, contradicting, expanding, summarizing, …)- aggregators (Digg, etc.)
– conversations- things heard or overheard- conversations- questions they get (on Quora, Linkedin etc. ;))
– their own business (like a series of tipps)
– brainstorming
– analyzing readers / customers interests
– analysing their serverlogs (search terms)

I usually say:You are not a blogger if you have a blog. You are a blogger when you percieve everything around you as potential content for your blog(s).