Organize Your Life

Free Your MindErik Johnson

Research AssociateMOVES Institute

5/2/2013

Time Management Strategies

What• Figure out what to do

When• When to do it

How• How to do it (most effectively)

Background

Monkey Mind• Multiple ToDo Lists• Jumping between thoughts• Lack of focus• Start/Stop tasks• Don’t know where to start?

GTD• Get planned tasks and projects

out of your mind and recorded externally

• Break down the task into workable action items

• Frees the mind from having to remember tasks

• Allows greater focus on the task at hand

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GTD – 5 stagesCollect

Process

Organize

Review

Do

GTD - Collect• Everything that demands your attention • Big or small, important or not• Mail, e-mail, voice messages• Should, Need to, Ought to, Would like to…• 100% of “open loops”• Empty often!

Inbox(s)o In basketo Binderso Digitalo File Folders

Minimize the number of collection devices:

GTD - Inbox

GTD - Process• Process your “In box”• Decide what to do

about each item

GTD - OrganizeWhere to put the “stuff” you’ve processed

GTD - Review• Weekly review of all open loops• Review your system• Update lists• Clarify, clear, and close

~30 minutes every weekFriday or Sunday evenings

“The more complete the system is, the more you’ll trust it” – David Allen

GTD – Do!Everything is organized and in place

Pick from:

• Context (location, person)• Energy level• Priority• Time required

Depends on:

Calendar

Next Actions

Someday/Maybe

Condensation, atmosphericmotion, and cold beer

“The latent heat released when water condenses is an important driver of weather phenomena. And as a simple experiment shows, it also makes it tough to enjoy a frosty one in the summertime”. -Physics Today, April 2013

The Zero Inbox1. Don’t check your email unless you’re

ready to do something with what you find.

2. Process every email when you read it.

For every email, immediately:• Handle it (if less than 2 minutes)• Delete it• Move it to:

• Hold • Follow up• Archive

Be ruthless!

Only you can prevent Inbox

overflow.

The Zero Inbox

Concentration &Productivity

Distraction Free EnvironmentPhysical DesktopVirtual DesktopApplications

ProductivityLinked to Lighting, Temperature, SoundNappingCute baby animals

Distraction-free Applications

• Enable full-screen mode• Hide unnecessary toolbars• Minimize other windows• Hide desktop icons• Close that Browser (and email!)

Time TrackingWhere’d the day go?

https://www.toggl.com http://www.getklok.com

Procrastination

• • •

Thanks!

Erik Johnsonrejohnso@nps.edu

For a good time, seelifehacker.com

“stuff”

Is it Actionable?

Yes

What’s the next action?

Less than 2 minutes?Yes

Do it Delegate it

No

Defer it

No

TrashSomeda

y/MaybeReferen

ce ArchiveProject

s

Waiting Calendar

Next Actions