Idiot’s Guide to setting up GTD

A number of friends and acquaintances have asked about resources to help them get set up with GTD. So I’ve put together this simple guide. This assumes you already know GTD basics (you might have heard a friend introduce the concepts or maybe even read the book.) If you have not (or need a refresher):

• The most complete overview of GTD is available as a Wiki Summary.
• 43 folders also offers an overview in a wiki.
• A great walkthrough on how to set up GTD is available at BNet.
• 43Folders offers a guide to starting out with GTD.

Now the Idiot’s Guide:

Collect

1. Set aside time for initial collection and processing. You’ll need at least one day for work ’stuff’ and one day for personal ’stuff’.
2. Set up collection buckets: inbox tray, lots of paper.
3. Print out the Trigger list from here. Systematically walk through it to collect all of your incomplete projects. Collect on paper at this stage!

Process

1. Download and print the Advanced GTD workflow from the David Allen Company website (free registration required). Paste it on the wall. Study. Pure gold.
2. Print out the list of project and next action verbs below (reproduced from the OOP GTD Fast booklet, ©1998-2001 David Allen & Co.; via 43Folders) and paste it somewhere you can see it every day for the next 2-3 months:
   
   Project verbs

   Finalize	Resolve	Handle
   Look into	Submit	Maximize
   Organize	Design	Complete
   Ensure	Roll out	Update
   Install	Implement	Set-up

   Next-action verbs

   Call	Organize	Review
   Buy	Fill out	Find
   Purge	Look into (Web)	Gather
   Print	Take	Waiting for
   Load	Draft	Email

3. Process your entire collection using these resources. At the end, you’ll have a full trashcan, a list of delegated actions, a project list and a list of next actions for each of your projects.

Organize

1. Set up your contexts. If you need some inspiration, see this discussion thread where lots of GTD practitioners share their contexts.
2. Watch Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero video and read some more about the system. Study your inbox and figure out a system you’ll use for your email system. You’ll have to tweak it from time to time to keep it updated.
3. Decide if you prefer a computer-based (hi-tech) system or a paper-based system (lo-tech). Here’s how:
   • If you enjoy playing with software, type very fast, and have no trouble switching between computer programs, I would recommend a hi-tech system. Proceed to 5 below.
   • If you are a typical business user of software, prefer to write by hand rather than type, or prefer to have your lists available in front of you even as you’re working on documents or browsing the web, I would recommend a lo-tech system. Proceed to 4 below.
4. Congratulations! You’ve chose a paper-based system. It will always be available, no matter where you are. Don’t worry that you’ll have to do a lot of re-writing: that will force you to do frequent reviews and purges. Here are some great hacks for writing lists on paper. I recommend you choose a simple, sturdy notebook that you like and implement a system similar to the one described here, here, here or here. By all means take a look at the Moleskine Organization photo group on Flickr.
   
5. All right! You chose to use technology for your GTD system. Your choice will depend on the following issues:
   • If you need to be able to access your information from multiple computers -> You’ll have to use a web-based solution. My favorite is Vitalist. If your needs are not too complicated, I think you’ll be better served by a simple setup with Google Notebook (if you use Firefox, the extension will assure simple capture wherever you are.)
     
   • If you use a Mac -> You have a wide range of options, but by OmniFocus is the very best by far. I’ve been using it during private beta for close to 1 year now, and it’s the best software out there. It’s pretty expensive, though. If you prefer your software free, you can find long lists of alternatives for the Mac. I would go with either iGTD or Anxiety if OmniFocus were to suddenly disappear.
   • If you use Windows (and don’t want to get a Mac) -> The official GTD Outlook plugin from the David Allen Company is clunky and not recommended (and sets you back $70). There is no clear winner. Recommended options include:
     • if you want free software – The most promising software here, Tudumo, is free for now (but you’ll have to pay $30 once it goes public). For fully free software, try ToDoList or the cross-platform ThinkingRock and Rainlendar (warmly reviewed as not being overly demanding on your system’s memory).
     • if you’re willing to fork out the cash – and My Life Organized, Life Balance ($80) or FusionDesk ($90). If you really want an Outlook plugin, ClearContext ($90) comes with warm reviews.
   • If you use Linux -> I stand back in respect; you’ll probably want to do your own research. However: both Rainlendar and ThinkingRock work on a Linux box.
   • If you prefer to do your own research before selecting software, here are some great resources:
     • A comprehensive, comparative table of GTD software; includes info on pricing and you can filter by operating system. Another comprehensive list of online and Mac apps.
     • And yet another list of GTD tools (online and for Macs and PCs).

Review

1. Download and print the Weekly Review workflow.
2. Create your own checklist. You may want to read this, this, this and this as a guide.
3. If you find that reviews take too long, read here on how to get the time necessary to lower than one hour.

Do

1. Nothing to see here.

Bonus

1. Download these interviews with David Allen to you iPod or computer. Enjoy.
2. You can take a look at ZenHabits’ Massive list of GTD resources and the Ultimate GTD Index. You get tons of links and feeds (in the case of the latter): books, overviews of the GTD system, other resources, dozens and dozens of GTD blogs, online GTD tools, GTD software, lo-tech tools, places you can chat with other about GTD, diagrams and checklists, and lots of selected GTD articles.
   There’s endless stuff to explore here while you procrastinate actually doing GTD. The reason I put together this guide is so you don’t have to read all that fluff. But it will server you well when you’re bored.