Scott Cheatham’s Weblog

Screen Shot from GTDagenda

A few weeks back I received an email from Dan Baluta, creator of the online “Getting Things Done” application “GTDagenda”.  I was asked to try out the software and give it a review.  I wanted to be as thorough as I could so I asked Dan for a few weeks to actually use it on a daily basis as it’s designed to be utilized.  For the past month or so, I’ve used GTDagenda and gradually added my work to its various features.  I’m pretty comfortable navigating through it now so as I completed my re-reading of “Getting Things Done” this past week, I wanted to let you know about this software and see if you think it’s for you.

To begin with, GTDagenda is an online application.  This means you can access your task lists anywhere and even on your mobile phone.  I’m not an iPhone user but there’s an iPhone application you can add to your phone to use GTDagenda or you use one of its other mobile applications depending on your phone service.  I’ve gradually been moving all of my data to Web 2.0 applications where possible so this was a natural progression for me.

The screen shot at right is a good look at the “summary” of what GTDagenda provides.  Your goals in the top left are based on your levels of focus, the primary subject of Allen’s latest book, Making it All Work. As you identify your various goals, you will then begin to think about the outcomes of what you want to achieve and that will begin the process of “Project” lists.  Each project can then have any number of “Tasks” associated with it.  GTD fans are well aware of this process.  Each night, you review your various projects and their associated task lists and you then can mark certain tasks as “Next Actions”.  You can also add loose tasks that have no reference point as well.  You can then review your “Next Actions” list, print it, or write them down to add to a supplementary paper system.

Of course, you can use any number of context tags to add to your tasks so you can review by @call, @home, @errands, etc.  Again, these tags are familiar with Allen fans but they simply just divide the tasks so you do what needs doing depending on where you are and how much time you have.

GTDagenda is the first system I’ve used that gently nudges you to think about your various tasks and to what ends you are doing them.  If you define your goals ahead of time and strive to focus on things that will move you forward towards them, it does cause you to pause as you add a task to see if this task fits a project and ultimately, a goal.  The system incorporates all of Allen’s main points in GTD so fans of the system looking for an application that can manage everything from the most mundane tasks to their career and personal goals will like this.

Another addition that I enjoy is the “checklist” feature.  For repetitive daily and weekly tasks, you can set up your “checklist” area on GTDagenda and review them daily.  For me, I include such things as taking out the trash, working out, my daily devotional time, and routine weekly tasks associated with the church I pastor.  You can find numerous applications for this feature I’m sure.

One other thing I want to point out is that the system is customizable.  If you use other systems like Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits” or Leo Babauta’s “Zen to Done”, Baluta includes instructions on how to customize the various modules to work within these systems.  If you read my early morning post on developing a system, this site is pretty self-explanatory and you can devise something that works for you I’m sure.

GTDagenda has several levels of membership from free on up so it’s affordable, easy to use, and I think it works well for what I do to manage all of the inputs coming at me each day.  I will give it a solid recommendation for you and your productivity friends to try and see if it will work for you.  Let me know what you think when you try it out.  I think you will like GTDagenda!

On the web: https://www.gtdagenda.com/

On Friday I posted a review of the best selling productivity book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen.  In the review, I promised to review for you a new Web 2.0 application I’ve been experimenting with to manage my goals, projects, and task lists.  That review is coming later today so check back in a bit for that post!

For now, I wanted to share a post with you that’s a few months old to get you thinking about adopting SOME system to help you get more productive and feel at peace with your commitments.  Dustin Wax at the Lifehack blog had a great post in January on the need for a system…

Some read a lot of productivity books and sites like Lifehack and feel like they can take a little bit from here and a little bit from there and call it a day. Others hate the idea that someone like Stephen Covey or David Allen could know their own needs better than they do, and so reject the idea of using “someone else’s” system.

You can read the rest of his post here..

I’ll see you back here a bit later today!

The Cover to the GTD Audio Book

I’ve been a fan of business consultant and author David Allen for several years now.  In 2004, I purchased his world-wide best selling book “Getting Things Done” and read it over a few days.  In a few short weeks, I was busy getting my “mind like water” (a reference in the book for peace!) and putting my tasks into well organized lists/

Over the years, I’ve experimented with a number of ideas, tricks, and tips in an effort to tweak things but ultimately, Allen’s methods are the ones that work best for me because they begin with the end in mind.  Recently, I decided to re-read GTD via audio book (hence the audio book cover at right) and reviewed my old notes from five years ago and realized I needed to tighten up some areas of my overall planning.  The author recommends this because we tend to forget little things along the way.

The essence of Allen’s system (for those who’ve yet to read the book) consists of a workflow chart that forces you to take action on each and every item that is tugging for your attention.  To be brief, Allen insists you do the following.

• Collect
• Process
• Organize
• Execute

There’s obviously more to consider but for the most basic setup, this really is it.  You take the time to record items coming at you for action, process them into various lists depending on their context, and then organize your day around executing those tasks that need to be completed.  The result is a “mind like water” as you are proactive in your planning.  This takes away the stress of being reactive every time something comes your way.  Your system will allow you to move on tasks that otherwise might get lost if you only keep them in your head.

There’s so much to discuss here but it’s best for your to read it yourself.  Allen really breaks down not only the day-to-day stuff that needs done but also gives you the opportunity to spend some time on long range goals which sometimes get put on the back burner of our lives.  Planning long range is what brought me back to college for a graduate degree and also to look 3-5 years out for our church building that we now occupy.  The process DOES work.  But it only works if you put in the effort.  If you read the book and do nothing other than simple to-do lists, you will not benefit much.  That’s why when people ask me about the book, I recommend you read the book first either as an ebook or paperback but the text has many diagrams and charts in it designed to ease you into the process.  The audio book is valuable but for me, it made sense listening to it with a knowledge of the system as it reminded me of some areas I was lacking in.  If you simply cannot read the actual text of the book, then do allow yourself the audio book.  It’s an abridged version and runs about 2:48 long  (3 cd’s).

On Monday, I’ll share with you a Web 2.0 app I’ve been experimenting with over the past few weeks to manage my lists and various areas of focus.  Have a great weekend!

To build on my repost of Jay Baines’ writing yesterday, I wanted to give you some additional reading on this topic.  Mike St. Pierre at “The Daily Saint” put together a snippet on how to make sure you make time for the Almighty…

As my seminary professors turn over in disgust at this post’s title, I fully acknowledge that (theologically speaking) God is already everywhere.  No need to await His arrival and yet our mindfulness of God is at times lacking.

You can read the rest, including his tips by clicking here!

The reality is many Christians make very little time for God much less those who don’t know Him.  How do we improve?  What can we do?

Overwhelming isn't it?

Are you addicted to your social networks so much that it’s robbing you of valuable time with your friends or loved ones?  There’s a good medium ground for such activities.  As a pastor, I’m always monitoring my time on line (I use mee-timer) to make sure I’m making the best use of the time as scripture commands.  It’s easy to get caught up in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and all the other networks that are cropping up.

This week, Ibrahim Husain shared some great tips on how to manage your on-line life and balance it with your real-life:

Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, Friendster, Tumblr, Xanga… the list goes on and on.  And if you are any sort of tech savy, there is good chance you are a member of multiple social networks. Even I have accounts with at least 5 of these.  While there is a lot to be gained by using these services, there is also a lot to be lost.
Read the rest of this well-written article…

How do you feel about your on-line life? I’d like to have some feedback on how you manage your social networking both for good and for increasing your productivity.  Comment by clicking the comment link at the top of this post…

Have a great day!

A Sample Page from the Sundial Agenda

The geek in me never stops when I see new designs in day-planners.  On Thursday I was shopping at my local Borders Bookstore when I ran across Piccadilly’s “Sundial Agenda” day planner.  Earlier this month, I shared with you my fondness for a 24/7 planner since my days do not end at 5pm.  The fact that this agenda used a simple sundial layout immediately caught my eye.    As you can see at left, the day is laid out in a “clockwork” style fashion.  You simply add your tasks at the bottom and your scheduled appointments around the dial.  There are bigger samples of this planner at the Piccadilly site so you can check it out for yourself if you like.

The planner itself is bound in a faux leather cover with silver foil stamping, measures 8.5 by 5.5 inches (classic size), and uses two pages per day (one for the morning hours and one for the afternoon/evening hours).  The planner comes with enough blank pages for more than a three month period of tracking your days.  The design looks professional and will definitely be different from that of your friends’ who use such tools.

The best part was the price.  I actually found this in the “bargain” section at Borders.  Like the Piccadilly notebooks which are clones of the higher priced Moleskine books, this journal was affordable at $6.99 which is cheaper than Piccadilly’s direct web site charges.  I picked up two at that price just to try them out.

I enjoy more abstract designs in tools like a planner.  I routinely mind map my projects and outcomes and a day planner which is intuitive like this one is ideal for the way I see my day.  For the price, this is a nice planner if traditional lined planners aren’t your cup of tea.  The cover and binding are good for the price paid.  I did see one of the journals with it’s cover split which could possibly happen with hard use but your going to be using a new one every three months or so anyway.  For $7, it’s a nice, professional looking cover that will compliment rather than take away from you.  It’s minimalist style is very appealing to me since I can craft my day any way I please.  There’s plenty of blank space for notes, phone numbers, and other small details that hit you each day.  After I’ve used it for a while, I’ll let you know my impressions then.  For now though, I like this planner and wanted to tip you off on where you could find one if you’re interested to check it out!

In the plethora of books on productivity and time management is a slim little volume titled “Forget The 7 Habits & Break All The Rules” by Trapper and Mark Woods.  I read this book when it was first released in late 2007 and just recently finished it again after sitting in on a “webinar” with Trapper Woods last month that dealt with managing time.  Much of what was shared in that webinar was written down here so I decided to pick up the book again and look over my highlights from the first reading.

I really enjoyed this book because it broke down the idea of time managment into a simple format that anyone could deal with.  Those that know me know that I am a big fan of David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” or GTD method or handling tasks.  Woods’ ideas stand alone but also can be integrated into GTD to make it a little less intimidating to the newbie.  For instance, Woods bases his system on the “bucket” method of tracking items.  Each “bucket” is a collection tool you use to track tasks, dates, and other important data.  These are a simpler version of the “context” lists that Allen speaks of in his book.  Many people don’t want to track @call, @errand, @home, @school, etc…so they revert to something else or give up and continue getting less done and feeling overwhelmed.  Woods argues that to make ANY system work, you have to pick tools you will use regularly to jog your memory.  For some it’s paper, others electronic, and still other use a mixture (like I do).

For me, the greatest tool I learned about in this book was Woods’ design on a new day planner.  The 24/7 Work-Life Planner (at left) was designed by the Woods team and sells through the Day-Planner web site.  If you are a linear type of person, then this planner likely isn’t for you.  For abstract planners like myself, this design is awesome.  As a pastor, my hours aren’t fixed like a typical 9-5 job.  This planner allows you to look at every hour of every day and has space in the center for your results list (to do’s) and a notes area (inbox) for you to write down imporant data that comes at you through the day.  I have been using this planner in concert with my electronic tools to manage my days since the beginning of last year.

In the end, the book breaks down the idea of task management into a few simple steps.  After sharing his system, Woods concludes the book with a section of time management ideas that you can incorporate over the course of a year.  52 tips are shared and many were quite helpful for me (how to plan short, productive phone calls for instance).

The book sells for less than $12 and that’s a bargain.  It’s not as well known as some of the larger books because it was self-published and therefore, not as hyped.  The book blends well with any system you choose be it Covey, Allen, or even Leo Babauta’s ZTD (Zen to Done) system.   I would recommend it to you as a great add-in to your time management books!

David Allen’s latest book completes his well known “Getting Things Done” or GTD system.  For several years, people have raved and become almost cult-like in their following of his principles for organization and life skills.  In “Making It All Work”, Allen puts together the pieces that many felt needed a bit more explaining in his best seller.

In short, the book spends considerable time explaining the methodology behind the GTD principles.  As it nears the middle and ending, the book then shifts gears to focus areas and context.  One of the areas in the original GTD book that was mentioned was that of the different levels of focus.  Allen uses a metaphor of airplane flight to describe it.  From the ground up, you begin with your “runway” actions which are the current moment actions you need to be doing.  From there the plane climbs to 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, and then finally 50,000 feet.  At each level, specific life tasks are brought to review such as your values and principles, long range planning, short range planning, and project organization.  These are the “dreaming” type areas that many folks don’t spend too much time with but in my experience, if you do not plan in these areas, you will most certainly remain basically where you are in life maintaining but never achieving any long-range goals you’d like to.

One review I read put it best when he stated that GTD is the “action” or left brained area of execution while “Making It All Work” is the right brained or dreaming mode that you ultimately will formulate projects and then action plans from.  Well stated.  It is one reason why I liked the book.  I will admit at times I started to feel a bit disinterested because several pages of the GTD explanation were old-hat for someone who’s used the system for several years now.  But in fairness, Allen writes from a standpoint that not everyone will have read GTD so he is obligated to at least give surface level explanations for his method.

If I was recommending this book to a friend, I would suggest they first read “Getting Things Done” before trying to tackle “Making It All Work”.  For certain, you could benefit from this book not having read the other but to maximize the impact of what Allen is getting at here, you really should divest yourself of the initial information.  Besides, it’s one of the easiest and most effective systems of task execution I’ve ever used.

There are many reviews on this work that highlight individual chapters and their meanings.  I think that’s overkill but you can certainly search those reviews if you wish.  What I’m interested in here is the overall impact of the work.  In this Allen succeeds by lining out what it means to think at a higher “altitude” to plan your life and work goals in a way that gives you a clear target to work towards.  Too many times, especially in ministry circles, I see people with lofty goals but no action plan to reach them.  To write this stuff down and then organize it in ways that bring about real action seems “geek” like to them.  So be it.  I’ve committed myself to spending more time at the “altitude” levels that Allen talks of here and have set up a notebook to record my thoughts, visions, and dreams for each level.  I’ve roughly done this in the past but can see the benefit of developing project lists that ultimately bring about actions that will bring much of these dreams to fruition.

When this is accomplished and your plans are out of your head and onto paper to be organized, then the clarity of mind you will experience is something that brings a peace that you cannot imagine.  Allen calls it “Mind Like Water” but I call it “Stress Busting!”  If you are looking to organize the various aspects of your life and bring clarity and planning to your life and work goals, this book is well worth your investment of time.  Pick it up, read it, but most importantly, USE IT.

My New Levenger Steno Pad

For years I used a stenographer’s notepad in my work as a radio news reporter.  The 6 x 9 inch size made them easier to handle than a standard size notepad.  The top spiral was also nice for a lefthander since I no longer had to fight with a left-bound spiral and the flip top made them easy to access.  The steno pad has been my pad of choice when I was a layman taking sermon notes, and even today when I travel, I enjoy the ease of slipping one in my messenger bag.

Since switching my note taking supplies over to the “Circa” system by Levenger, I’ve thought about designing my own steno pad and just buying the discs.  The ease at which Circa can be used to move notes around, add in notes from other notebooks or index cards, and archive notes in an order of my choosing made it ideal for my work.  For a long time, there were no steno size notebooks to use with this great system but now, Levenger has answered the pleas of those of us who asked for this.  At right you can see the new Levenger Steno pad, available from their online store.

I finally ordered one of these this month and couldn’t be more pleased with it.  The notebook comes with 50 high grade sheets of steno ruled paper, four plastic tabbed dividers so you can organize your work (something I never had with a spiral bound steno book), and the standard quality translucent cover that comes with Levenger’s basic Circa products.  The inside pages are exactly 6 x 9 like a standard steno pad but the bonus is that I can now remove and re-add pages as I take notes and organize them for later processing.  The notebook fits inside my Levenger Saddlebag Sling I purchased earlier this year and goes nicely with my Bible, my Sony Reader eBook, and my Hipster PDA.

Quality notebooks are hard to find anymore.  Most are made of cheap paper that doesn’t respond well to a good graphite pencil or quality pen ink.  Lower quality spirals tend to bend, misshape, and unwind easily catching inside your bag or briefcase, and they don’t look very professional either.  The Levenger Stenographer’s Notebook has a quality about it that makes it nice to take out when you’re in a meeting, in church, or even in the park brainstorming.  When you’re done with your notes, they can be easily transferred to another Circa book or archived for later use.  Your Circa notebook is always “fresh” and current when you have the ability to move things around almost effortlessly like you can with this system.

A little more than a year or so ago, I took the plunge and invested in a quality Circa desk punch so I could archive all of my notes that needed saving into notebooks and I’ve never regretted it.  My sermons and associated bible studies are all neatly preserved in Circa notebooks that I’ve constructed using this system.  Clutter is reduced and efficiency maximized when you can rearrange things.  I recommend the Circa system in general and this notebook in particular to any who would like to give it a shot.  If you are already into Circa, then this notebook will make a nice addition to your collection.

A Flow Chart for Ternouth's System

On Wednesday, I wrote about Merlin Mann’s interview with well known productivity guru David Allen.  For many, Allen’s “Getting Things Done” or GTD system was a wake up call on how to stop procrastination and get moving on work that needs your attention.  During the interview with Allen, Mann references a paper based system of project management by a gentleman named Martin Ternouth.  Ternouth isn’t well known and his system was never published in a book.  In fact, the reference Mann makes to the system is by a forum thread posted on the site of Edward Tufte.

I was intrigued after I first heard Mann mention the system so I began to diligently look for it.  Ternouth is like Cheatham when you try to figure out the spelling of the surname so for a while, I was rebuffed in my search for this name.  Finally, after some searching on Mann’s site, I found a four year old reference to this thread which actually dates back to 2003.  A quick Google search and I had what I was looking for.  You can read the thread and see the description of the system (with illustrations) by clicking here.  It is well worth the read even if you only consider it’s simplicity.

Ternouth’s system is based on a series of slipcovers that he uses to manage various projects and inputs.  Through a thorough review process, the work is thrashed out and relevant paper filed while meaningless bits are “culled” or thrown out.  Fans of GTD will see the similarities and subtle differences in the systems and how Ternouth uses it to efficiently manage large projects and small tasks as well.

I’m surprised that Ternouth didn’t line up a website and set up his system in some ebook like PDF format.  I’m sure many in the blogosphere would pay for a polished presentation of this work.  For now, you’ll need to click the link to the site and page down just a bit before you come to the post describing this system.

Enjoy.  If you use this, drop me a line to let me know.  I would be curious to hear your thoughts.