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A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

blog.zenkit.com

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Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#201

Post by gdubs »

jstewartmobile wrote: post #31

This was mercifully shorter than the Cal Newport book. That's about all I can say for it. Ivan Sutherland had the secret, and it only took one paragraph to share it: ' I used to hate washing dishes. I would delay as long as possible. Eyeing the daunting pile of dishes, I would say to myself, “I'll be here forever at this dumb task.” The enormity of the task deterred me from starting. I still dislike washing dishes, b…

You can also follow a structured procrastination approach to dishes:

Identify the dish you dread washing; the dirty pot with baked on grime.

Wash the all other dishes in an effort to avoid the disgusting pot.

Throw out the pot.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#202

Post by aidenn0 »

kaybe wrote: post #59
jstewartmobile wrote: post #31

This was mercifully shorter than the Cal Newport book. That's about all I can say for it. Ivan Sutherland had the secret, and it only took one paragraph to share it: ' I used to hate washing dishes. I would delay as long as possible. Eyeing the daunting pile of dishes, I would say to myself, “I'll be here forever at this dumb task.” The enormity of the task deterred me from starting. I still dislike washing dishes, b…

There is a second step to this: 'You can stop if you want to.' Just washing one plate does not mean I have to wash all of them. Stopping after only half of them is acceptable and preferable to not starting. So I can pick up and wash one without worrying about the full task.

Tell that to my wife/boss/whomever is depending on me getting the whole job done.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#203

Post by LVB »

submeta wrote: post #51
PeOe wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, thanks for your comment. I also think so. GTD is more keeping track and less actually defining priorities or what to do first. Nonetheless, it´s a very efficient system if you already know where you´re headed and know where your priorities lie. My favourite author, Tim Ferris, has brought the 80/20 analysis to my attention. It´s really great for determining how to set priorities and deciding what to focus on. It…

I do agree that GTD helps to start learning to keep track of all the moving parts in our lives. That's the micromanagement part. Many people I know do not have a clue how to tackle this part of their lives (some of them are excellent at getting results, at macro managing their lives, but if you look at the details of their lives: there is a total mess) Re 80/20 (Preto Principle): There is also a book from Richard Koc…

+1 for “The Effective Executive”. Excellent reading for managers and individual contributors alike.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#204

Post by mtarnovan »

pault wrote: post #127
EpicBlackCrayon wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you remember the name of the book?

Not the OP but The Wisdom Of Insecurity by Alan Watts is a total life changer in my experience.

Yes, Alan Watts comes to mind in the context of Zen and dish washing :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx4fUpalvTU

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#205

Post by skeleton »

d0mine wrote: post #52
dogruck wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You make the bizarre claim that nobody successfully follows GTD because you’ve never done so, and you know many others who have also failed to do so. That’s like a fat dude looking around at the donut shop and saying “nobody ever sticks to their diets, haha!” I’ve used GTD for years. I just shattered your claim.

As a side note: diet doesn't work long term: > After about five years, 41 percent of dieters gain back more weight than they lost. Long-term studies show dieters are more likely than non-dieters to become obese over the next one to 15 years. > ... The study found that a single diet increased the odds of becoming overweight by a factor of two in men and three in women. Women who had gone on two or more diets during th…

I'm assuming that 'diet' refers to implementing a calorie restriction into their diet. In which case it obviously does work, but people not doing it is the issue.

I actually believe education in nutrition and specifically weight manipulation would help a lot. From my experience in talking with others, the average person's views on these topics is almost in the realm of magic due to being bombarded with false information from media and product companies.

With a solid understanding in these topics, one can implement changes into their diet and very easily assess why they are or aren't making progress towards their goals. As it stands the average weight loss attempt with the understanding of weight loss as some form of black magic tends to result in temporary success or outright failure, with no way of being able to assess why or what to do about it. It is then usually concluded that one's 'genetics' are at fault.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#206

Post by Tempest1981 »

BeetleB wrote: post #146
Tempest1981 wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a good tool for managing the various lists/projects? I've tried Google Docs, Apple Notes, and Txt files. I'm good at making giant "inboxes". From there I move them into 20-30 separate files, but it's tedious -- trying to find the right GDocs tab in Chrome. Then it's hard to pick out the top must-do items from the 20-30 lists.

>What's a good tool for managing the various lists/projects? I've tried Google Docs, Apple Notes, and Txt files. Dunno, frankly. I use Org Mode. It's good enough. Others use TaskWarrior. >Then it's hard to pick out the top must-do items from the 20-30 lists. Which gets to my point of "If you don't limit inputs, nothing will work". I mean, you can make it work if you have huge lists, but your system will be heavy on m…

I think GTD has the concept of a "Maybe Someday" list.

Edit: or "Someday Maybe": https://facilethings.com/blog/en/someday-maybes

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#207

Post by AlexCoventry »

freyir wrote: post #72
jrgifford wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is true, however he is trying to explain the idea to multiple people, so he's explaining his ideas in multiple ways. So no, it could not be a long form blog post.

Is the idea that complicated? Can it not clearly and concisely be explained in a way that makes sense to a large audience? We see more complex ideas explained more concisely all the time. It's not just Cal Newport, it's self-help and productivity authors in general. They have an idea, and then they repeat it over and over again until they have a book. Maybe the repetition benefits the reader. Maybe it's easier to int…

It's not just exposition, it's rhetoric. Self-help books take a lot of words because they're exhorting you to an ideology, not just explaining things.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#209

Post by chasd00 »

EpicBlackCrayon wrote: post #115
chasd00 wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In college a friend of mine gave me a book on Zen Buddhism once as a joke more or less. I read it cover to cover, what you describe is very zen ( well it is as much as it isn't I suppose ;) ). When i was reading that book i was in college and I remember dreading and dreading studying for a particular boring class. I was miserable thinking about it and then it just sort of dawned on me, i got up and went to the librar…

Do you remember the name of the book?

I looked and looked but couldn't find it online. it was just called Zen Buddhism but the author had a very western name. The book had a pretty big impact on me but not in a religious or hooky "one with the cosmos" sort of way. More like it just sort of clicked with me, which is as good a description of the concept as any really. I may still have the book somewhere, if I find I'll post it here.

Re: A Beginner´s Guide to Getting Things Done

#210

Post by brewdad »

moshiah wrote: post #126
fapjacks wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly how I've done every insane, amazing, stupid, disgusting, crazy, dangerous, phenomenal thing in my entire life. From eating balut to asking my wife out to maneuvering under fire.

Please describe the balut, and if you'd recommend the experience.

I absolutely recommend it if you get the chance. The age of the egg is important. A day or 2 either way can make all the difference so make sure you try it with someone who knows who they are doing. The richer hard boiled egg description is pretty spot on.
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