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author | Lars Wirzenius <liw@liw.fi> | 2012-04-06 22:44:25 +0100 |
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committer | Lars Wirzenius <liw@liw.fi> | 2012-04-06 22:44:25 +0100 |
commit | 85274e6bb2707968fcb50d54dba31c8f41814cab (patch) | |
tree | f6b1ec0559d38578c350444cf026d1d72ebe2bcd /ungood.mdwn | |
parent | 0ba82b594d40eb7df944c98806b0694fd71415bf (diff) | |
download | gtdfh.liw.fi-85274e6bb2707968fcb50d54dba31c8f41814cab.tar.gz |
Start a chapter on things that haven't worked for me
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diff --git a/ungood.mdwn b/ungood.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c6de7f --- /dev/null +++ b/ungood.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,63 @@ +Things that did not work for me +=============================== + +Here's a random pile of things that I've experimented with but that +did not work for me. + + +Split systems: personal versus work GTD +--------------------------------------- + +I've tried having a separate GTD system for work and personal lives, +but as a free software develper, the two are mixed enough that it's +annoying to keep the two systems in sync. For example, if I find a +bug in Debian, while doing work, should reporting it and maybe fixing +it be a work-GTD thing or a personal-GTD thing? It's really both: +the bug affects my work, and I am a Debian developer in my free +time, so it should be in both systems. + +Another problem is that I often need to do personal things in the +middle of the workday. I might need to get a haircut during a lunch +break, for example. If it's only in my GTD system at home, I don't +remember the haircut. I can set up a reminder system, but that's +then part of my GTD system. A single system is simpler, for me. + +Having a single system is not without problems, of course. The +biggest obstacle I have is doing the weekly review: does it count +as work time or not? I've experimented with various approaches, but +haven't got a good solution. Maybe I should do every other review +during work time, and every other in my own time. + + +Fancy software solutions +------------------------ + +I've tried several software solutions for keeping GTD lists. Some +of them were developed specifically for GTD, others were more generic. +I've even written a couple of tools for my own GTD use, to support my +own implementation of the GTD system. + +All of these software solutions have turned out to have the same two big +drawback for me: I spend too much time fiddling with the tool (instead of +doing useful things), and sooner or later the software gets in my way. + +The most useful tools I've found are outliners, but I don't use even +those anymore. I now use a set of plain text documents, which I edit +with gedit (the GNOME text editor). There's no outlining, formatting, +highlighting, sorting, organizing, or any other kind of tool support. +It's just words on lines of text. It's wonderful. + +This is what works for me. I'm a simple kind of guy. You may want to +try various programs yourself and if you do, you may find that you +like them better than plain text. That is good. + + +Non-digital solutions +--------------------- + +I initially implemented GTD on paper, and that was good for getting +started, since it avoided getting hung on tool choices and setup. +However, I don't seem to work well with keeping lists on paper, +or journalling on paper, or doing anything that involves using +a lot of paper. For me, a digital solution is pretty much required. + |