Getting Things Done Update

It’s been almost a month since I’ve started Getting Things Done (GTD). I must say, the results haven’t been mind-blowing, because I wasn’t too horribly disorganized, but there are a few things that are great:

• My mind stays empty. I use the GTD system to get stuff out of my mind and into my GTD system. I use Remember the Milk to keep track of my next actions, projects, and other lists.
• I don’t forget to do things. Every now and then, when someone would ask me to do something or send them an email about something, I would tell them “If you don’t hear from me in a few days, email me a reminder because I might have forgotten.” Now, when someone asks me to do something, I write it down, put it in the inbox, and it gets done.
• I am using my calendar. This is a great thing. I have an old fashioned paper calendar that I take with me to home and the office. I use it for work and personal things. I can look at it and know when I am or am not available.
• My desk stays clean. I only work on one thing at a time, and when I am finished with that one thing I put it up. I leave every night and arrive every morning to a clean desk. If you click on the photo below, you will be taken to a flickr page that describes how I have my workspace set up. Just mouse-over different elements in the picture and a description will pop-up.

However, I have discovered that GTD doesn’t do your work for you. Your next action list gets longer, and there are still things to do (even things you don’t want to do!). You still have to force yourself to do the things that you have to do. But overall, I am liking using the system. I’ve got more fine-tuning to do, and I want to implement it fully at home, but I just haven’t gotten around to it, yet.