43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

How are you using GTDTiddlyWiki?

GTDTiddlyWiki - all your tasks are belong to you

I’m really intrigued by GTDTiddlyWiki, which is a clever wiki for implementing David Allen’s Getting Things Done system. It’s fun to use and a bit of a technical marvel (tip: shutting off animations under “Options” greatly sped things up for me).

Since I’m in one of my periodic “No new tools!” modes, I’m really just playing with it right now, albeit enjoyably. But, from the popularity of the site, I gather that a lot of you are using GTDTiddlyWiki to implement your Getting Things Done system. I’m curious to hear how it’s going for you. Specifically:

  • What about GTDTiddlyWiki is working better for you than your previous system?
  • How has using GTDTiddlyWiki changed your thinking about data capture and action management?
  • Have you run into any problems using the app—not bugs so much as your own behavioral tics? How have you solved them?
  • Any features you’d love to see in the app?
  • Anyone using the app to print Hipster PDA cards?
  • Got a cool GTDTiddlyWiki trick to share?

Spill.

(Also: lively thread on the Google Group)

edit 2005-05-12 09:21:26 : Memo to self. Count number of unnecessary adverbs in anything written before 6:00 am. Remove many before posting.

Louis's picture

Using GTDTiddlyWiki with Post-Its +...

Using GTDTiddlyWiki with Post-Its + Moleskine Notebook (sorry for the long post):

My existing GTD system is inspired by the hipster PDA concept, but in a bound notebook instead of with loose 3x5s. It consists of a Moleskine notebook, 3x5" Post-Its, and a bunch of lists in MS Word (necessary for formatting). I print my lists onto the postits and stick them into the Moleskine notebook, with trimmed down postit tabs for index dividers. The notebook is my primary reference, and I can mark up the postits with a pen as much as I want without wasting pages in the notebook. When pages become outdated, I'll make the changes to the list on the computer, print it out, and replace the postit in the notebook. Once this system is setup, it's very easy to update, and I usually do it as part of the weekly review, only a handful of lists will need updating.

I flip the notebook over and start writing from the back when I want to make notes/journal entries. In the front of the book are a few extra postits, and a scratch pad postit on the inside cover that I jot down quick notes (like a inbox for my notebook). There are a total of about 30 postits in the book right now, enough to hold my complete GTD system, but the notebook isn't a whole lot thicker than with just blank pages.

The GTDTiddlyWiki is perfect for my system, because it makes updating, accessing, and printing lists even easier than it was before. All I need to do now is update the lists that need it, and leave the updated lists open when I choose print, and the lists are queued up to the printer. To make a printing template, just print a list on a piece of thick 8.5x11 card, and then stick the postit to the printed area, and run it through the printer for the rest of your lists. I print in landscape mode, and have never had a paper jam on my printer because of a postit coming off. My printer won't print onto 3x5 index cards, though placing a postit on a 3x5 for printing would probably work too. You don't have to adjust the printer formatting at all for this, leave the date and page address on there, it just goes onto the template page.

In addition, I have as my "DefaultTiddler" an @TODAY list. It's a list of Next Actions that I plan to accomplish in the next day, and I compile it the night before as part of the "downhill start" that has been discussed on 43Folders. This I print it out on a postit and have sitting on my desk for easy offline reference.

Hopefully someone finds this information useful. I could be persuaded to take some pictures of the system if there's enough interest. I couldn't find anything on the web of people printing to postits, so maybe this will inspire some improvements to people's existing GTD systems.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »