GTD - bleurgh!!!

No, no, no!!!

It all seemed to be great - I read the book, sorted through everything to get all my To Do's listed. I even did all the really important ones (filing, banking etc)...

Well, the filing was already on  my list to do so that would have been done eventually anyway, reading the book just gave me the jump start I needed to pull out all the paperwork that was hiding away (or blatantly lounging around the house...), sort through it and file it away properly. The banking is always on my list to do, as it's something I do regularly, otherwise things don't get paid which would be no good at all.

I got myself some trays so I would have a "things waiting for action" tray, a filing tray, and a bills to pay tray. I also wrote all the things that I needed to do on one sheet of paper each (including the items on my 101 in 1001 days challenge - that may not have helped) and kept them all in my filofax so that I knew where everything was and so that I could look in it and pick off the items one at a time - no prioritising system at all so no need to spend time going over the same tasks again and again while I re-prioritise them all.

So what went wrong...? Well, the filing tray is empty (not because I file everything as it comes in now, but because I still have a very bad habit of dumping it all on the table), the bills to pay tray has a few bits in it, and the "action" tray has seen very little action and is therefore full (too full to put anything else in...). The filofax pages have barely been looked at because just looking at such a muddle of total randomness really doesn't work for me... it is hideous and impossible. I know I have to look at it today to at least write a list of all the items in there that are not related to my 101 in 1001, otherwise I may find that I have missed something that is vitally important... fingers crossed I haven't already.

LJx

101 List Progress Check - September 14th 2012

Hi Guys,

Sorry I'm a bit behind - I've been a bit busy and don't have a huge amount to report on my 101 at the moment.

I am currently reading the sixth prizewinner book off my list "Schinder's Ark" (better known as Schindler's List) by Thomas Keneally. I remember watching the film years ago, and will definitely be needing to watch it again after I have finished reading it. It is so disturbing, and yet hopeful at the same time.

After stating in my last post that I had got all the paperwork from various cubby holes for filing, actioning etc (and feeling quite proud of myself), I discovered a whole stack of more paperwork on the top shelf in the computer cupboard this week - aargh!! However, being the dedicated thing that I am, I have been through it all, added a load to my shredding pile, stuck another load in the bin, and my pile for filing is now double what it was. But at least both filing piles have been put in order ready to be integrated and filed. I have even remembered to buy some new A4 lever arch files for the purpose. It is still a work in progress and I will have to go through my other paperwork which is already filed (in a totally random way in comparison to how I want it all to be), but I will get there!!!

Now that home is beginning to be a bit more organised (I have actually managed to clear the shelf above the coats - now that was a total mess), I am ready to start thinking about when to do which household chores, instead of trying to get it all done in one massive go each time - that's no fun, takes out a huge chunk of my weekends and leaves me drained from constantly being asked for things by my boys when I'm trying to get things done. I have discovered the perfect friend for helping me in my quest for a less stressful time - the iRobot Roomba - I love it!!! I used it for the first time on Wednesday, and it wasn't really a time-saving device on it's first use as I was just stood watching it. I even smiled at it very proudly - it was like being a proud new mum all over again... combined with the fear of the Dalek running round the house and trying to break down doors...

Have a great weekend :o)

LJx

One Life One Filofax... Really?

Hmm, I saw an interesting post re David Popely's GTD setup here and am now thrown into a quandary as to what to do.

As you will have previously seen, I own a number of Filofaxes in various sizes, and as simple as one life on Filofax sounds, I just don't know if I can do this...

Currently I am using a personal one for me, one to track my 101 in 1001 days challenge, a happiness binder (which will be used properly shortly), an A5 for the family (although I have to wonder if I am the only one who uses it...), an A5 for work, a mini as a wallet, and... I think that is it at the moment.

Now the idea is that all my planning should go into one binder, this would knock out the family binder, the work binder, the 101 in 1001 days binder, and my personal binder - and then all this would go into one place... can I do this?

There are three problems that I have to overcome to do this:

1. My obsession with my filos means that I want to touch more than one each day - could I get round this by having a 10 minute gazing session at the end of each day? Or as suggested, I could swap the binder I am using regularly so that I don't feel that any of the binders are feeling left out.
2. I temporarily used a personal size FF for work after my A5 went missing and found it very hard and it didn't really work for me, so I really need an A5 for work. However, I don't want to be carrying an A5 round with me everywhere and I only have 3 A5 binders.
3. I like buying stationery, and want pretty things to go in my FFs as I am now at the stage where I can think about pimping them up (inserts only, I can't do anything to the outsides - that would just be weird), what will I do with fewer binders to play with?

Can I get round this by sticking with my A5 for work (this is kept mainly at work except when I have to do planning at home as I never have time to do it while I am in the office), whilst using one binder for everything else?

Clearly I will still try to use as many binders as possible for other things (eg the happiness binder, photo albums, recipe books - like I'll ever get round to doing that), but for planning purposes, can I manage to use just one for personal/family etc?

Hmmm... time to get my thinking cap on before I do my 2012 setup (although I think I may be going with the WO1P with notes so that should be able to cope anyway...)

Ooh - could a slimline cope with being a one file one life filo? Although having just got my Deco I think I can guess where I'll be heading first...

Any advice will be gratefully received.

LJx