(Actually) Getting Things Done

Posted on January 24, 2008
Filed Under Productivity | Leave a Comment

Getting Things Done (GTD) is a system many people use to…well… get things done. There are various systems which are all flexible to your situation. Most revolve around some sort of calendar system for reminders (such as 43 Folders) and a single inbox for all tasks and actions. Others have to-do lists, or spontaneous journals which you review each day and copy down onto a ’someday maybe’ list. Some have all of these things.

My father is very much into getting things done, both literally, and in the sense of GTD. He’s tried to get me hooked on it (more than once), but it never really took. I’m motivationally challenged, so while implementing a system helps me get started, at the point I actually have to DO something, for real, I get distracted.

How to cure this? Here are a few things that work to get me motivated as a writer, scholar, and photographer.

1. Listen to music.
-Requirement is that is MUST be instrumental, or something you cannot get in to. Music helps me think, but more often than not, I will find myself a couple minutes into the song singing along with it, not only distracting me from my work, but horrifying the household. It is for this reason I suggest instrumental music, something that you could enjoy, but don’t get ‘into’. If you aren’t into classical music? Try jazz. Lots of jazz doesn’t have any vocals to go along with it. I suggest ‘Jazz at the Pawnshop’. Very good CD.
WARNING: DO NOT USE YOUTUBE TO SEARCH FOR MUSIC. Use a program that can loop a selected playlist- you do not want to have to do anything to listen to this music. The point is to turn it on to set the mood, and forget about it completely.

2. Eat a snack.
-Eating something that is nourishing and wholesome can usually bring my stray thoughts back together. I would usually suggest something like an apple, or a pear. Of course, raisins, Triscuits, Nilla Wafers, etc., could also be used. Just so long as it isn’t something that’s extra sugary, and is going to cause to you fall asleep an hour after you eat it. That won’t do you any good.
NOTE: If it’s late at night, caffeine is allowed. You cannot really avoid the need for it. Although, if you make good use of this system, you shouldn’t need to stay up that late.

3. Take a few minutes to play with your pet (if you have one).
-I find that playing with my two golden retrievers for a few minutes can energize me enough to do something. More than that, it encourages me to get the said things done faster so that I can get back to playing with them.

4. Think of all the things you’ll be able to do once you’re done.
-Could you go play with your pets? Go outside and shoot some baskets? Run a bit perhaps? Play video games? Wait expectantly for the next post on my blog? (Don’t hold your breath on that one…) Think of the possibilities! Don’t you want to get that ugly report done so you can go do something more enjoyable? That way, if you get your stuff done first, you won’t feel bad (or get slammed later) for putting it off.

5. IF ALL ELSE FAILS: Take a break.
-If you absolutely are dead out of ideas for what you are working on, and you can’t seem to think about it at all- take a break. This isn’t something that should be totally of limits, so long as you don’t take hour long breaks. Take a short one- ten minutes. Take a drink of water. Go to the bathroom. Read a bit of a book. Just get your mind off of your project and quit stressing over it. This helps me start over, and sometimes I will find solutions that should have been obvious, but I was too worked up to find.

If your alarms are going off and you say, “Wait, those are all distractions in themselves!”, then I’d agree with you. They are. But sometimes you need a little distraction, a little help, to get going and get finished with something. Sometimes you just need that little push. I know these things help me- give them a try. You might be surprised how controlled distraction can lead to getting things done.