Some weeks are crazier than usual. Some weeks so many things are thrown at me that I just want to go back to bed and hide under the covers. Father ill in hospital, Major site going live, kids on school vacation, big home remodeling project attracting tv network, large new business proposals in the works, etc. etc. I can’t sort through all of the incoming information fast enough to figure out the “next actions”.
Mind is nothing “like water”. It’s more like mud. Too many things are rattling around in my brain, I can’t even think where to begin my day. Yes, they are in my GTD system (Evernote) or in my inbox , but do I trust myself to actually focus enough to check on them? These kinds of weeks threaten to undo the entire GTD methodology.
To keep me on track and help me to actually START the day, I’ve added David Allen’s “Mastering Workflow” chart to my laptop desktop. It is posted on the wall next to my desk as well, but since I spend so much time glued to my computer, I can’t miss it here. I use two monitors to help organize my laptop desktop, so the chart is sure to peek through on one of them.
This image is straight from David Allen’s “5 Phases of Mastering Workflow” article. You can download it for free by requesting it at his website. My only change was to add a few reminders (in red) to myself to make sure I check:
- My daily calendar so I don’t miss any appointments or deadlines
- My Gmail account, where all of my numerous email addresses receive mail
- My Daily Folders (Tickler file, of papers for things that need to get done that day, i.e. tickets, bills to pay, etc.)
- Next Action Folders (supporting papers and large folders that support Next Actions which are in Evernote)
In this way, I do not waste 15-30 minutes when I go into the office in the morning. I know exactly what I must check, process, and what needs to be started on.