GTD for Both Home and Work

Alan McCoy | Jan 24 2008

I’m trying to figure out the most optimal GTD system that will live at home, the office, and everywhere in between. Here’s my rundown…

I’m a developer who commutes by bus to my office. I have a Mac at work, but a PC at home (for now). I have 4 kids who are all into their own extra-curricular stuff all the time. I also have a Palm Tungsten C and a barebones mobile phone that has no SMS or text messaging capabilities — it just calls people.

In short, I need a GTD system that I can access from home, work, and anywhere else. I’ve been checking out Vitalist, Sandy, Jott, and a few others and the overwhelming plethora of options is giving my brain a hurty.

Is anyone else out there in a similar dynamic? What works for you? What doesn’t?

Thanks in advance!

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TOPICS: Getting Things Done, GTD, home, system, Work

Portable GTD

Submitted by augmentedfourth on January 25, 2008 - 9:57pm.

I have a similar situation, though without the bus rides. I don’t use a Palm anymore, either, but I’ve had 3 of them in the past so I’m familiar with their capabilities.

For my portable GTD implementation, I use a hybrid software/paper solution. I keep my main lists in software, where the database helps me to cross-reference tasks between projects and contexts. However, I print my context-sensitive Next Action lists onto index cards that I carry around throughout the day. Then, each morning, I manually “synchronize” my scribbles and check-marks with the software and print out new cards to replace the nearly-illegible ones.

Instead of the ever-popular binder clip for keeping the index cards together, I use a Buxton Note Jotter for organization on the go. (The Jotter is basically a cheap $10-at-Staples version of the Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase.) I keep a few (~5) fresh cards in the front “visible” bit for on-the-fly notes, newly-written notes and receipts in the first pocket, and my printed Next Action lists in the second pocket.

One of the things that really helps me work is that I’ve thought through my projects past their current next actions. I even keep those future actions recorded in the software, but I only print out the Next ones. This has the dual benefit of both helping me keep the project’s goal in mind and making it easy to recall what comes next when I finish something while away from the computer.

I’ve deliberately neglected my specific software up until this point, because anything that has the ability to print out your lists (preferably onto separate sheets/cards per context) will work. I personally use SimpleGTD, which is a good free Web-based GTD implementation. I don’t have any connection with its development, I just use it…