Hanami Design

Don’t Waste Time with GTD Setups

Weszt — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:39:45 +0000

For the last couple months I’ve been away from blogging, focusing on my new job, writing music, and getting used to life in Los Angeles. I’ve also been fiddling with the idea of a book about GTD and in so doing I’ve had a little time to reflect on all I’ve learned and one lesson is now abundantly clear:

GTD setups are a waste of time!

Getting Things Done is ultimately about doing and no tool, no one setup will ever make you productive. Stop jumping from one to the other. Reclaim your time and tackle the things you need to do. Scale back – hell throw out everything on your lists and start fresh.

All you ultimately need is a pen and a sheet of paper to get things done. No, you really don’t need to have everything synced between your calendar and note apps. No, you don’t need a way to create tasks directly from your email app. You want these things, but you’re probably going a long way to avoid work. I declare this tool-based procrastination!

Stop it.

Stop looking for an answer on the outside. Look at the inside. That’s where you are, the one who is doing the doing.

Evernote, Things, Outlook with OneNote, Springpad, Nozbe, SimpleGTD, Toodledo, Remember the Milk? Fine, whatever, doesn’t matter. Use any tool you want but focus on getting those tasks out of your way, not putting them into pretty boxes. Focus on doing, not having things done for you (I’m looking at you 4 Hour Work Week). Or maybe not? Maybe you’re doing too much as it is.

But what do I know? I’m the guy who used to write ceaselessly about GTD setups using Evernote.

Considering giving up on writing about GTD + Evernote

Weszt — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:28:31 +0000

Admittedly, I’m sad. I’ve been experimenting and sharing for months now, happy to have a medium for my GTD related ideas, despite the fact this website was intended to be my design portfolio. I’ve written faithfully about ways to use Evernote for GTD, even though I feel I’m not much of an expert at either.

But now I’m considering giving up on talking about them.

Why? Because people are selling what I’ve been giving away and I no longer see the point.

When Daniel Gold began posting via different channels about his ebook on Evernote/GTD, it took the wind out of my sails. Holy crap. What I’d been doing for fun someone else was now selling and apparently selling well. Good enough in fact that he’s able to post on GTD forums on LinkedIn about it with permission from the GTD folks. He’s got it figured out and has the support of the two products/systems I’ve been raving about like an zombie fanboy. What the hell am I doing?

(to be fair, I’ve not read his ebook. It may be totally awesome, enlightening. I wouldn’t know).

I like GTD because it’s proven and it works. I like Evernote because it’s simple, flexible, and available on iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows – all environments that my life and job keep me in. But I’m not saying that Evernote is the best tool and definitely not the only tool and in fact for GTD there’s no one solution and we all know it.

But why am I writing? Where is this all going? What better things could I have been doing with all that time? Maybe writing an ebook like I’d considered a year ago but decided against because it seemed wrong to sell a book on something you could use for free. Maybe I’m a fool.

Let me pause to take a breath.

Selling isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’ve got something great and you can make a few bucks, I’m all for it. Why not get something back for all your effort? It’s not as if DavidCo and Evernote are giving it all away (well, Evernote kind of is) – they are at the end of the day businesses and need to pay their bills like the rest of us. Nothing wrong with that at all. Nothing wrong either with being a fan, but I’ve begun to feel I’m in a one-way relationship and pouring out my heart for no reason.

I’m a musician and designer with dreams that Evernote and GTD might help support, but aren’t emotionally attached to. These things are tools, strategies – not destinations. They may help, but they aren’t finish lines. And they aren’t bringing me happiness.

So now I’m considering closing shop on GTD and Evernote, working outside of those borders on what’s ultimately more important: my life.

We’ll see.

[Updated] GTD/Evernote System Inspired by Kelly Forrister, 40Tech, Zen Habits, and Experimentation (Part 1)

Weszt — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:30:08 +0000

Update: Commenting has been restored after a problem with a new plugin. Thanks for letting me know, everybody!

At the beginning of 2011, GTD Times posted an interesting article called “Waiting For” Advice. Within that post was a screenshot of the GTD setup that Kelly Forrister (GTD coach at DavdCo) uses via eProductivity. Instantly I could see a killer Evernote notebook structure that would work great without the need for stacks (read: works great on all mobile operating systems).

Here’s the notebook structure:

This setup is stupid simple and has been fairly bullet proof for several weeks now. Every action is within easy reach, whether I’m on the web or viewing my notes on a mobile phone. Routines, a Kelly Forrister recommendation, is a notebook of checklists, marked as daily, weekly, monthly etc. When… is a list of actions I intend or need to take once something has happened or I’m in a particular place in the future (such as “When I’ve moved into the new apartment”).

Zen Habits also inspired me to add an M.I.T. notebook that reminds me of the most important tasks of the day.

But there were several things missing from Kelly’s setup I thought could be added to the Evernote setup:

Project support files
Ticklers
References

Project support files

As recommended by David Allen, we should have a list of our active projects. I accomplish this with notebooks, one for personal projects, the other for work. These notebooks DO NOT contain support materials, since that would clutter the view.

Instead I create tags that match the name of the project, assign the tags to the proper support notes, and store the notes in 04. Support (projects). Because Evernote allows linking between notes, I can even filter by tag then copy and paste the note links into the parent project note. Works like a charm.

Ticklers

For a solid Evernote based tickler system, I’ve turned to the setup that 40Tech.com posted about a while ago. Requires tags for Days (1-31) and Months (January – December). I have a notebook called Ticklers so anything can technically be thrown in there, but assigning tags makes filtering (and obviously reviewing by day/month) a breeze.

References

For me, References are old files I want to keep. Based again on a recommendation by David Allen, I’ve created A-Z tags with the occasional subtags for further filtering. Everything is tagged alphabetically.

Obviously I haven’t tagged every note quite yet.

Other GTD needs

So far this seems to be the most straightforward and easiest to maintain GTD setup I’ve ever used in Evernote. Granted I’ve not yet covered all our needs; Areas, Goals, Calendar, and other topics still need to be adressed.

As always, feedback is welcome and I hope my ideas are helping!

Problems with HD System 3 and Two Alternative Evernote/GTD Setups

Weszt — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:41:29 +0000

After weeks of experimentation with HD System 3 for Evernote/GTD I’ve decided to move on. Here are a few reasons why:

Stacks. These are not available on the iPhone.
Too much commitment. The hold-your-hand approach worked extremely well, but failed the does-it-work-when-I’m-ill test. Too much to think about.
Hard to learn. If you already know GTD, then HD3 might be beneficial. If not, I fully expect a “say whaaaaaat?”
Routines. While I’ve been very successful at pushing beyond GTD with Evernote, many of these extensions and experiments needed to be more a part of my calendar, less within my Evernote setup. I’ll try to elaborate on this in the future.

Now my experiments have led me back to a note-equals-list approach with a renewed use of tags, something I know will work on all phones.

Additionally I’m focusing on setups that are reproducible and exportable; in other words, could this setup work also as desktop text files/folders or as paper?

Alternative Evernote/GTD Setup #1

This setup uses very few notebooks, one note per project (excluding references), and one note per context. Tags are used a little bit for sorting.

Notebooks:

!nbox
00. Today
- @@today. Must be done today (not very GTD)
- @agendas. Listed by name of person
- @calls
- @computer. Sometimes divided into searches, social networks, or whatever (e.g. @computer-search)
- @errands
- @home
- @office
- @waiting for… List by name of person
01. Projects
02. Someday/Maybe
03. References
Lists

Tags:

*Areas
- Personal
- Work
Lists
- Checklists
- Copy and Paste
- Ideas
- Shortcuts
Projects. Subtags for client names or other filters
References. Many subtags

Alternative Evernote/GTD Setup #2

This structure is mostly based on a screenshot posted to GTD Times by Kelly Forrister of DavidCo. Straightforward and simple, this setup is the focus of my latest experimentation.

Unlike #1, alternative setup #2 uses one note per task which is nice because it makes it easy to collect and process. However it requires many more notebooks, most specific to a context. Tags come in handy here for filtering.

Notebooks:

!nbox
00. Today
01. Projects – Personal
02. Projects – Work
Agendas
Anywhere
Calls
Computer – Personal
Computer – Work
Errands
Goals
Home
Library
Lists
Office
Read/Review
Reference
Routines. Checklists I run through at specific times and days. Many are daily and weekly, but some are more specific like “Monthly – 01″ for things I always do on the first of the month.
Someday – Personal
Someday – Work
Study
Waiting for…
When… Love this. Lists of actions for when I’m next in particular cities or circumstances. E.g. After I have iPhone

Tags:

*Areas
- Personal
- Work
Anywhere
- Brainstorming
- Decide
Computer
- Calendar
- Online
- Search
- Shopping
Lists
- Checklists
- Copy and paste
- Ideas
People. Subtags are names of people.
Reference. Subtags are numerous but include GTD, UX, CSS, etc.
Routines
- Daily
- Monthly
- Weekly
- Yearly

Summary

I do apologize for the extensive bullet points; I’m sure screenshots would have been more concise, but my experiments have kept my setup too much in flux recently. However with the start of a new job in a new city, I’ll need to be sticking with the tried-and-true for a while so perhaps an update with screenshots won’t be too far away.

I’m anxious to hear your feedback.

GTD Context List Ideas for November 2011

Weszt — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:55:40 +0000

It’s probably sad that I enjoy creating and managing context lists, reveals some weakness underlying my rock and roll foundation. Still things need to get done and I don’t see any harm in having a bit of fun.

Maybe you find context lists fun, too?

As you probably already know, I keep my context lists in Evernote and here are those I’m using or experimenting with in November 2011:

@agendas
@brainstorm - things I need to contemplate, mind map
@calls
@car
@computer - my busiest list. I’ve spun off a few subcategories to their own lists for fun and ease.
@computer-facebook
@computer-itunes
@computer-search
@computer-shopping
@computer-twitter
@decide - decisions I need to make
@eat the frog – projects I need to chip away at (thanks GTD Group on LinkedIn!) [experimental]
@errands
@home
@library
@low-energy [experimental]
@mining [experimental]
@quit - usually bad habits to work on [experimental]
@read
@start - good habits I want to adopt [experimental]
@waiting for…
@when – ashen mix is finished - tasks that can’t be done till my new CD is ready
@when – have new iPhone - apps and settings for when I switch back to iOS from Android
@when – have new home – things that can’t be done until we’ve got a new place to live
@when in (new city) - things I can’t do till I’m where I’m moving to
@when in – orlando - things to do when I’m in my hometown

The “when” lists have proven to be the most useful addition to my arsenal in a long time. Granted these lists often contain tasks that may be moved to other lists later (errands, calls, etc), but till then they keep things nice and separate.

What context lists can you not live without?

[Updated] Evernote GTD Setups and Related Posts on Hanami Design

Weszt — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:58:27 +0000

I’ve almost made a hobby out of writing about different ways to configure Evernote for David Allen’s Getting Things Done, enough so that I’ve begun to forget all the ways I’ve explored. Thought it might be time for a recap.

New! Fourth system

GTD/Evernote System Inspired by Kelly Forrister, 40Tech, Zen Habits, and Experimentation (Part 1)

Third system

Second system

First system

My Evernote + GTD Setup

GTD related

Miscellaneous

[Updated] How I’m Pushing Beyond Unimaginative Evernote GTD Setups with HD System 3

Weszt — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:31:54 +0000

Update: More screenshots have been added as a gallery at the end of the post.
Inspiration has struck once again. Took boredom, dissatisfaction, and a little betrayal, but I found it.

I found it by thinking about how all the GTD setups I’ve seen and created didn’t really help me do much of anything. They were unimaginative, lifeless, boring, and quite often facsimiles of GTD apps. Beyond the cyclical urge to fresh things up, where was the motivation?

So I was inspired to create a better way, an approach within the ever customizable Evernote ecosystem that would coach and inspire every step of the way. Hanami Design System 3 has the promise to be that system.

Some basic GTD stuff

Since many people who visit my website are interested in Evernote GTD setups, here are a few highlights:

Basic Evernote notebook setup for GTD

An interactive daily review

The new Daily Review stack is arranged to be interactive, not passive. You actively move through the notebooks, one by one, in order, moving notes/projects in and out based on the action required at that step.

Tools such as checklists and filters are kept within the appropriate notebooks. Scan Ticklers holds my tickler notes; Filter Projects gives helps me determine whether a project is worth doing now or even keeping.

Clear emails. Deal with emails and send what’s needed to Evernote.
Clear notes. Create new notes from what I’ve been jotting down on paper. Drag actions to the appropriate context notebook (under Next Actions), create new projects, etc.
Scan ticklers.
Review calendar. Last week, this week. Create actions (new notes) and drag them to the appropriate context notebook.
Filter projects. Drag all active projects here and filter them. Move the first to the next notebook.
Create next actions. Review projects and create next actions (by creating new notes). Move notes to the appropriate context notebook. Move project to Schedule today (next notebook).
Schedule today. Block out time for the project on my calendar (if possible). Move project note back to Active (under Projects). Go back to filter projects until all have been reviewed.

This arrangement forces me to do something at every step. I sort, I filter, I review, and I’m less likely to skip. Next actions are created within each notebook and quickly dragged to where they’ll be attended to next.

Two Minutes

If I spot something in my inbox (or anywhere) that can be done in two minutes or less, I drag it into the Two Minutes notebook and then do that something immediately.

Since a GTD enthusiast already knows he/she should be doing two-minute items right away anyway, this might seem superfluous, but the reminder and the satisfaction of seeing a two-minute item killed instantly has made this notebook worthwhile for me.

Beyond GTD

As mentioned at the start, my playground wasn’t limited to just David Allen’s Getting Things Done. From the Five S’s, I’ve taken steps to put tools (such as checklists) where they’re most needed. From Scrum, I’ve begun putting active projects I can’t yet schedule into the Backlog. Someday/Maybe items are in the Icebox.

Methodologies and concepts such as Lean/Six Sigma; Muri, Muda, and Mura; and kaizen (among others) are also influencing Hanami System 3, but their contributions are outside the scope of this post.

In development

Obviously I’ve not covered everything this system does and unfortunately further updates will have to wait for me to return from a two week break from writing. Rest assured that I’ve very far along with fresh ideas on how Evernote can be leveraged for a task and life management system and I’ll be anxious to get your feedback.

Take action and take care.

Improving the User Interface and Experience of FanTogether, Part 2: Find a Sports Bar

Weszt — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:20:42 +0000

FanTogether is beginning to come together (enough for beta, anyway) and I thought I’d share a few of my latest contributions to the “Sports Bar” section.

Even though we’re developing with a minimal set of rules, I feel it’s important to keep the tone personal, the forms simple. Furthermore, I’m trying to avoid obvious forms wherever possible and build interfaces that seem more spoken.

The first version of the Sports Bar view focused on two functions: search and addition. While both of these were technically fine, they seemed too impersonal for the kind of experience FanTogether should provide.

First version of the Sports Bar view

After a bit of playing, I decided to combine the search and add functions into a single sentence that sat nicely above where the results would show.

Second version of the Sports Bar view

To make things more useful, I added some jQuery that would set focus to the first text input when the document was ready. To support this, I added a peach-ish focus style.

Text input focus styles now added

To support more advanced users, I next worked on a decent outline style so users could see where they were tabbing to (via the keyboard). Unfortunately I had to stick with a square outline since there’s almost no browser support – planned or existing – for a CSS based radius on an outline.

Outline styles added

Next I expanded the map to fill the available horizontal space, followed by a basic table with jQuery-based zebra striping.

Second version of the results area with new table (1st version)

Making progress.

We’re chipping away at the app and are nearing beta. Hoping to make the big announcement soon.

How To Do a To Do List (Fueled by GTD)

Weszt — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:09:09 +0000

What is a to do list?

For those of us who’ve been using a task management system (such as David Allen’s Getting Things Done) for a while, this question might seem silly. “Grab a pencil and paper, write down your tasks, and check off things you finish” – that’s an easy answer, but I believe the average to do list can be more efficient than that.

Here’s my no frills recommendation for how to do a to do list:

What you need

Two sheets of paper and a pen.

What to do

Collect. The first sheet of paper is for getting the stuff out of your head – without prioritizing. Just write down what you need to do and make sure to leave some space on the right side of the page (we’ll need that later).
Break things down. Now scan your list. Can these tasks be broken down into smaller pieces? If yes, scratch off those items and at the end of your list, write out the smaller pieces. Having smaller tasks makes it easier to overcome procrastination.
Identify contexts. Scan your list one more time and in the space you left on the right side, write one word that describes where the task should be done. If it’s an errand, write “errand”. If it’s at home, write “home”.
Choose your battles wisely. Now on your second sheet of paper, write down a few tasks, grouped by context, that you can truly do today. Try to avoid “organizer’s optimism” and keep your today list short.
Choose your battle ground. With your tasks grouped by context, you’re prepared to batch process. Get yourself to that context (if they are errands, let’s say, hop in the car) or choose one that matches where you are currently.
Do something. Start completing tasks until you’re ready for the next context. Cross out those you’ve done. Move on to other contexts and keep whittling away until you’ve completed everything on your list.

Now do even more

The above is a hit-the-ground-running approach for creating and doing to do lists, but you can benefit even more by adopting some task management principles and learning about a few systems. There are also plenty of to do software offerings, if that appeals to you, for desktops and mobile phones.

I’d love to hear your questions and feedback so don’t be shy about commenting!

UI Pattern: Network Menu

Weszt — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:57:49 +0000

Though this UI pattern has a singular purpose – to promote and provide links to websites within a business network – it can take various forms.

On NetTuts, the menu was a drop-down featured prominently in the top right, more recently replaced by a promotion for Theme Forest:

Network menu on NetTuts

On sites under the Wall Street Journal umbrella, the menu runs almost the entire width of the site:

Wall Street Journal network menu

MTV uses a simple drop-down, placed near the top along with other meta content:

MTV

Gizmodo, Gawker, and their sister sites display names, photos, and even sublinks in a block at the bottom of their pages:

Gizmodo, Gawker, and sister sites (full)

Though sometimes they use a smaller version:

Gizmodo, Gawker, and sister sites (small)

I’m certain there are thousands of variations out there so don’t be shy about sharing what you find!

Hanami Design

Don’t Waste Time with GTD Setups

Related Posts:

Considering giving up on writing about GTD + Evernote

Related Posts:

[Updated] GTD/Evernote System Inspired by Kelly Forrister, 40Tech, Zen Habits, and Experimentation (Part 1)

Project support files

Ticklers

References

Other GTD needs

Related Posts:

Problems with HD System 3 and Two Alternative Evernote/GTD Setups

Alternative Evernote/GTD Setup #1

Alternative Evernote/GTD Setup #2

Summary

Related Posts:

GTD Context List Ideas for November 2011

Related Posts:

[Updated] Evernote GTD Setups and Related Posts on Hanami Design

New! Fourth system

Third system

Second system

First system

GTD related

Miscellaneous

Related Posts:

[Updated] How I’m Pushing Beyond Unimaginative Evernote GTD Setups with HD System 3

Some basic GTD stuff

An interactive daily review

Two Minutes

Beyond GTD

In development

Related Posts:

Improving the User Interface and Experience of FanTogether, Part 2: Find a Sports Bar

Related Posts:

How To Do a To Do List (Fueled by GTD)

What you need

What to do

Now do even more

Related Posts:

UI Pattern: Network Menu

Related Posts: