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+Getting started
+===============
+
+You've read all about the GTD system, and you've decided to go for it.
+Now what?
+
+There's at least two approaches for getting started. The one I did was
+to start big. I allocated a whole weekend and did nothing else than
+kickstart my GTD system. I cleared my dining table to use as a giant inbox.
+I collected every bit of paper, every unopened letter, every unread book
+and magazine, every appliance that needed fixing, and everything else that
+I needed to do anything about, and put them on the table. 
+
+When I found large items that were too big for the table, I wrote down
+what it was, where it was, and what I needed to do about it, on a separate
+piece of paper, and put that on the table instead. A proxy like this is
+as good as having something in your inbox, when the thing is cumbersome.
+
+After that, I took several A4 pieces of paper, and titled them "Next actions",
+"Projects", "Someday/maybe", and "Waiting for". These were my lists. I
+decided to start with pen and paper, rather than a fancy sofware solution,
+to avoid getting distracted by technology. Pen and paper is about as simple
+and reliable and uncomplicated as you can get. When you start your GTD
+system, keeping it simple means you're more likely to make it work. You can
+try complicated tools later, but initially avoid the trap of getting lost
+in finding and selecting optimal tools.
+
+Then I started processing the inbox table. I picked the topmost item,
+and thought about it, and decided what to do. A lot of things went straight
+into recycling or garbage, which was nice: I no longer needed to have
+them in my life at all, and this made me feel better. Any stuff that I 
+had lurking about was stuff that potentially demanded attention from me,
+and even if it only actually did that once a year, with a thousand unnecessary
+things, that's three things per day.
+
+Other things went into my lists. In fact, most things went into my lists.
+During that first weekend, I did not actually do anything much. I did a
+few very quick things, such as throw away rotten fruit, but otherwise I
+suspended the two-minute rule.
+
+After I'd cleared the table, I did the same thing with my computers. I
+collected all my files and e-mails and bookmarks and so on into one
+digital inbox per computer, and then processed those. I still kept all
+my lists on paper, though. As it turned out, my digital life was in much
+better order so there was rather less next actions and projects generated
+from that.
+
+By Sunday evening all my inboxes were clear, and my lists were long.
+It was somewhat depressing to have so many things in my lists, but it
+was a huge relief to know that everything I needed to be on them, were
+on them.
+
+Over the next few days and weeks I tackled the lists, doing things and
+sometimes deciding to uncommit myself from things, to get the lengths of
+the lists under control.
+
+The slow start
+--------------
+
+A big start may require you to put everything else on hold for a day or
+several days. A gentler, but possibly less efficient way to start is
+to go slow. Set up an inbox and the lists. Whenever you have time, go
+through some of your stuff and put anything you haven't already processed 
+into the inbox, or process stuff already in your inbox. This can be
+much harder to do than the big start, since you need to keep track of
+what has and what hasn't been processed yet, but it also means you can
+continue to function normally while you do it.
+
+You might start with just one aspect of your life. For example, start
+with your e-mail only. Or your non-electronic mail. Or anything to do
+with work, or your studies, or whatever. Then expand your GTD system
+with time to cover more of your life.
+
+Survival strategies
+-------------------
+
+Sometimes you have so much unprocessed stuff in your life that you feel
+you're drowning under it. For example, you might have an e-mail inbox
+that's several thousand mails long, and you feel you're not ever going
+to be able to deal with it, there's just not time.
+
+You can deal with it by either giving up, or by taking a long time.
+Some people have declared an e-mail bankruptcy, where they announce
+that they've deleted their entire inbox, and if anyone had anything
+important they should re-send. This may or may not be a good idea, but
+it does give you a clean slate to start from.
+
+An alternative is to create a new folder, and move everything from
+your inbox into that. You'll get to everything in there eventually,
+but keeping your actual inbox clean makes it possible for you to
+start keeping on top of incoming stuff, since it doesn't get buried
+between all the old, old stuff. You'll need to process everything in
+your inbox frequently (at least once a day), and after you've done
+that, you can process a few things from the old pile too. Eventually,
+the old pile will be gone.
+