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Productivity Systems Don’t Suck, But Sometimes I Do

Started by Andy P @ Cranking Widgets · 8 months ago

Few would argue that Merlin Mann is the Godfather of GTD/productivity blogging. About a month ago he posted Four Years and followed it up with Time, Attention, and Creative Work. If you haven’t read these, please do so now… It’s good stuff.
What do you t ... Continue reading »

8 comments

  • James @ Organize IT

    8 months ago

    Thanks for linking to my Organize IT article. When things go wrong I typically "blame" myself nowadays. It's probably because I took on too much, didn't get enough sleep, focused on the wrong tasks... whatever. We are not machines. I learn from the experience and move on. It's amazing how little we really think about stuff sometimes. Whenever I would fall off the bandwagon I used to try out a new system, without really bothering to figure out that maybe I was the problem, I had bad habits in place, the wrong expectations and attitudes.
    reply
  • Andy P @ Cranking Widgets

    8 months ago

    Hi James. I appreciate the comment. Very insightful.

    In your post you give a disclaimer that you don't necessarily agree with all the gripes against GTD. I'm curious which ones are/were your own and if you still feel that way now?
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  • James @ Organize IT

    8 months ago

    I believe the gripes in the post were all legitimate, even if they weren't all mine (the high level aspect and the weekly review were my biggies), though of course many of them will be based on a person's own experiences of implementing GTD (the issue of quality if you are a person doing high detail work, for instance). Maybe I should do 9 reasons why GTD works to provide a nice, balanced perspective :)
    reply
  • Stuart

    8 months ago

    I've noticed the negative GTD attitude recently. Not me. I'm sticking with it and I will continue to proclaim it as the best system out there for being productive. GTD all the way!
    reply
  • Chris

    8 months ago

    Like you alluded to, it's not GTD that's the problem. It is the cottage industry that sprung up from it and that seems to have confused people as to the real definition of GTD and it's purpose.

    I think we can go even further and recognize the role that the internet plays here—is being Always On really such a good thing? Or has it changed the way we work and reduced our attention spans?
    reply
  • Andy P @ Cranking Widgets

    8 months ago

    Hi Chris, thanks for chiming in.

    I never bought into the productivity pr0n concept. It just never made sense how one note pad or digital to-do list app was better than the next -- they were all equally deficient, so why move stuff around just to create busy work. I like the idea that bloggers seem to be focusing more on creating value these days.

    IMHO blaming the Internet for when my lack productivity becomes lax is like blaming my bike for not making me ride it. Before the Internet, we had Warcraft and Super Mario Brothers stealing our attention, before that it was cable TV , before that I suppose there were readily accessible mind-altering drugs, etc. etc. The difference between those who achieve their dreams and those who do not is the ability dig in deep, cut out the crap and focus on making the right decisions, big and small, that bring them closer what they really want.

    BTW I recently discovered your blog and have been really enjoying it. Keep up the great work.
    reply
  • Mike Vardy

    8 months ago

    I place the blame when things don't get done squarely on the shoulders of the thing that is supposed to get done. To avoid this, I don't go with guns blazing into getting something done, as I prefer to test the mettle of the thing in question. If I go at it slowly, in a gradual, eventual manner, it will get done - probably by someone else or will get done just enough to pass muster.

    While GTD has some flaws, what I do (Effing The Dog or EffTD) is so flawed that spending time wading through the flaws is such a waste of time (unless you do so eventually)...the flaws themselves appear to be flawless.

    This may seem confusing to most of your readers, and that's fine. They'll get it...eventually. Especially if they check out EffTD.

    As for Merlin...I've still gots my eye on him. He's a tricky one, that guy. Anyone named after a wizard needs to be closely monitored.

    Love your work!

    Mike Vardy
    Eventual Productivity Expert
    reply
  • DanGTD

    8 months ago

    I'm wondering, can't this situation be filed under the statistic that 90% of the business fail in their first 5 years?
    reply

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