I have been working hard over the last couple of months to stay sane. While it is easily debatable as to whether I have been successful or not, that is not the point. The point is HOW I have been attempting to stay sane.

I am a procrastinator from waaay back. I put off everything: School, school work, getting together with anyone, getting my driving license, asking girls out, making any appointment, quitting a job, going to the bathroom, you name it and I put it off. It has caused me a great deal of pain over the years and I have occasionally and sporadically tried to do something about it.

I tried planners, lists, motivation, videos, audios, seminars… well, everything worked in the short-run. Nothing stuck. So I stayed stuck.

Nine months ago, or so, I listened to a series of eight interviews Merlin Mann of 43 Folders conducted with David Allen. I was intrigued, but had no idea what they were talking about. I gleaned that the system was called Getting Things Done (commonly abbreviated as GTD). It is based on David Allen’s book titled, strangely enough Getting Things Done.

When I got the book and started reading it, lights started going off and I realized that this might actually help. After reading the first few chapters, I put the book down and started working the system. I liked the system and I knew I was pointed in the right direction. However, I never finished the book. After a few weeks I crashed and burned.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned it to my wife. She read the book and began putting the system into place. After she was done I finished the book as well. Wow, there was a lot I missed by not reading the entire book!

One of the central images David Allen introduces is ‘Mind Like Water’. Evidently he got this concept from his martial arts training. The question is - when you throw a rock into a pond, how does it respond to the rock? Answer - totally appropriately. It does not tense up waiting for it to arrive, it does not ignore the rock, nor over react to it. Rather, it responds to the force applied to it. He suggests we should look to have a mind like that a ‘Mind Like Water’.

Wouldn’t it be a joy to have a mind and a life where we can respond to the world appropriately. Where we can be at peace, calm, and relaxed.

I have found working Getting Things Done has helped me to approach this place. I am not there. No. By no means am I even close. I will say, my mind is more at peace. My projects are better managed. I almost know where everything is. That is a big thing for me.

I encourage you to read Getting Things Done in its entirety and begin working the system. I think you will be glad you did.

Tags: Procrastination, 43 Folders, Productivity, GTD | No Comments »

I have been working with a book by David Allen called ‘Getting Things DONE - The Art of Stress-Free Productivity’. It was recommended by the 43 Folders podcast. I have been struggling with organization,… well, frankly my whole life. I was intrigued by the idea of a comprehensive system that would allow me to unclutter my mind and actually get things done without worrying about everything all the time.

I have been working with the book and slowly implementing the system. One of the things it had me do was to list all of the things I have been holding in my mind as things I need to do, hope to do, expect to do, or whatever. I have been doing that and have four typewritten pages of ’stuff’.

It seems a bit ironic to me that as I have been working on the process I have not been able to get as much of my day-to-day stuff done (like posting to the blog). I have, however, gotten a few of the things that have been hanging over my head for the past month. That felt good.

As I look at the four page list, however, I have been feeling overwhelmed. I have decided which actions need to be taken, but it is daunting none-the-less.

One of the things I have had on my list was to send to one of my clients a prayer I came across many years ago. It is one of those prayers that always touches me. It always means something different to me at different stages of my life. I wanted to share it with you:

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”

Tags: Resources, Look Who's Podcasting, Prayer, Procrastination | No Comments »