Getting Things Done Process

In CEP 810, I learned about the Getting Things Done process. It has 5 steps:

1)      Collect

2)      Process

3)      Organize

4)      Review

5)      Do

I organized my Getting Things Done process using Microsoft Excel.  To me, it was an easy choice because I didn’t have to learn anything new and I use my computer every day.  I can keep the spreadsheet on my desktop and view it anytime I need to from any room in my house, and I won’t lose it.  If I need to use it from work, I can email it to myself to view it there.  

My spreadsheet has columns A-I.  The first column is a list of things to do.  The rest of the columns are times (continually, ASAP, now, today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this year, and future).  I also color-coded the boxes in the first column- green means I will do it on my own, yellow means with help, and red means delegate.  After I created my list, I just color-coded each item and decided where to place the X for the timeframe.  This way, I can easily move the X or change the color if I need to.  I also do not need to put items in any order, as I only need to look at the columns of X’s to see when they need to be done, or delete them as they are completed.  

Going through this process for the first time was pretty simple.  I always have a running list in my head of things that need to be done, so it didn’t take long to type them all in.  There were a few items on my list that I had to think about before choosing a timeframe, because I would like them done sooner, but I realized I needed to be more realistic.  It really didn’t take long and I like the idea that it isn’t a piece of paper that I can lose.  

I think this will help me if I stick with it.  Sometimes a list of things to do can be so overwhelming that I don’t bother to start any of it.  Now, if I keep an organized list, I can just consider the items that are marked “continually”, “ASAP”, “now”, or “today” and not worry about the rest.  

I think I might actually continue this process. I like to have lists of things that need to be done and feel good about checking items off my lists.  My main challenges in the past were 1) losing the list and 2) prioritizing.  Now, both problems are solved.