How many goals should I make at a time? At work, we set specific goals dealing with our jobs that I go over monthly with my manager. I also have personal goals related to health, family, personal growth and so on. I don’t feel overwhelmed because they are each so different, but my friends think I am asking too much of myself. I’m just wondering if there’s a good rule-of-thumb for setting and sharing goals.
It’s 4:55 and you’re ending your workday. You need to transition out of work and leave to pick up dinner for your family. As you take a minute to review your day, it occurs to you that you didn’t finish a single key task you intended to finish when you started that morning. And yet, …
Most people consider Getting Things Done® (GTD®) a personal development experience. The name itself portends a boost in personal productivity. And yet Getting Things Done is not simply about getting more things done—although it does deliver on that promise. It’s about getting more of the right things done by changing the way you interact with …
Dear Justin, I’ve been following your advice and keeping an inventory of all my to-dos and tasks somewhere not in my head. The problem now is how to organize them. I feel a little better now that I can see everything on a list, but I still don’t feel organized. What is the best way …
Dear David, How does Getting Things Done relate to teams? Sincerely, Curious Dear Curious, I frequently get this question from people new to GTD and those interested in applying the skills within an organization. Because the GTD methodology focuses primarily on self-management principles and best practices for individuals, people struggle to connect the principles to …
Dear Justin, With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I am up to my ears in work. I don’t know any other way to say it: I have too much to do, and not enough time. With the quarantine, kids at home, and clients cancelling, I have ten to fifteen new projects on my plate, on top …
Dear Justin, Many tasks I work on involve getting info and answers from colleagues. I’ll initiate the contact and let them know what I need, then move on to my next task. And of course, as soon as I’m immersed in that next task, I’ll hear back from them. Here’s my dilemma: I can’t decide …
Dear Justin, I have always been a list-maker and over the years this has served me pretty well. I’m getting older and I’m finding that I’m making lists over and over so I end up with multiple lists. They’re on my desk, they’re in my pockets, they’re on my phone. What can I do to …
Dear Justin, I’m buried in email and I can’t seem to get it under control. Emails mean calendar requests, and calendar requests mean meetings. And meetings mean less time to respond to email. It’s a vicious cycle. If I’m lucky, I scan my inbox every few hours, looking for big issues. But here’s the kicker: …
Dear David, My company recently sent my team through GTD Training. Learning how to capture and clarify has been beneficial, but I’m struggling with the organizing, reflecting, and reviewing. That seems to require a lot of time, and because I value productivity, well, I tend to skip those steps and just capture, clarify, engage. I …
