Get Everything Done

Seemed like a fair overview, but I must admit I have not yet read DIT. Just ordered it from Amazon last night and will try to have it done before the new year! Can't wait, thanks.

Hi Mark,

I would be very interested in seeing comments from you on this article. What is your feeling about the statement that GTD would be better for very busy people. As you know from my many posts here, I am an exceedingly busy person. But I like DIT!

Comments, Mark?

-David

Hi Mark,

Bravo!! I can't wait to see your comments!

-David

Hi Mark,

Are you close to submitting your article? Would you be willing to share it with us here first? I really do want to hear your response. The comments that were made about really busy people being better off -- maybe -- with GTD are somewhat troubling and perplexing. Please address this soon!

Thanks,
-David

My own view on this is that it depends what kind of person you are - if you tend towards being a procastinator (as I would hold my hands up to) then Mark's methods work really well, as they address the core issue. If your issue is planning and executing then GTD is good. The one thing I would say (having worked in some pretty high pressure situations) is that my own experience of GTD is that it takes too much time and mental focus to run the system - when you are under pressure you need a few straightforward tips and ideas to get you into action and allow you to get going. For me Mark's ideas do that and GTD doesn't. But as I said I think it is down to what kind of person you are and what issues you need to address.

I used pure GTD between 2001 and 2006, when I started to incorporate DIT into my system. My thanks go to both Mark Forster and David Allen for providing me with the elements I needed to create a hybrid system that has worked beautifully for a year and a half -- so beautifully that I don't even read "time management" blogs, discussion boards and books anymore. (Today I came here because I'm cleaning out my bookmarks!) In my hybrid system I've kept some elements of GTD (especially the waiting for list, the concept of next action, the weekly review, and the 2-minute rule) but the majority of my system is DIT. The will do list and the concept of "backlog" were what finally clinched everything for me. The number of projects one has is irrelevant. The key for me was being able to get a grip on how much I can fit into 168 hours per week, which DIT enabled me to do while GTD did not. I now have a hybrid system I can maintain very easily and joyfully. Bottom line recommendation: study both and take what works from each.
Warmest regards, Mark, and au revoir,
Lena in Maryland, USA