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This is a follow-up to Getting Things Done – Part 1. In the introduction, the basic concepts were covered. This second post will discuss implementations of the GTD method. In this post I will discuss my own implementation of GTD.

The most important thing about GTD is the concept of writing everything down. In order to efficiently do this, you must have pen and paper with you at all times. To accomplish this, I use a Hipster PDA that I carry in my pocket all the time. A Hipster PDA (hPDA) is not a PDA in the traditional sense, in fact, its just a bunch of index cards held together with a binder clip. The idea behind the hPDA is simplicity and modularity. It costs nearly nothing to make and it is better than any electronic PDA. For my own hPDA, I picked up 500 3 x 5 Plain Index Cards for $4 and a pack of Small 3/4″ Binder Clips for 33 cents. I prefer blank index cards to ruled index cards simply because I prefer the blank slate look (not to mention I won’t be able to write within the lines while walking/riding in the car). The binder clip’s triangular shape creates the perfect pen holder. My pen is nothing special, just a random pen I found around the house.

I also print templates of a weekly agenda and To-do list onto blank index cards. I store one of each at the back of my hPDA at all times so I can always easily refer to them. On the front, I carry about 10 or 12 blank cards which then get shuffled into the back as they get filled up. Thats the advantage of a Hipster PDA over a digital PDA.

When I get home, I immediately file my cards for the day into a little pocket index card file ($2 w/dividers at Staples). The front 5 sections are divided as follows: Next Actions, Projects, Waiting-for, Someday, Blog Ideas. The back 3 sections are used to hold blank templates and cards: To-do List, Weekly Agendas, Blanks.

To view the full size pictures check out the Flickr photoset.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 5th, 2007 at 10:00 pm and is filed under Efficiency, Personal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.