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Daily Lists

Having read GTD quite a while ago now, I can't seem to remember if Allen mentioned any ways of creating daily lists. You know, the things that you do every day. For example - Check emails, clear voice mail, tidy desk, check calendar, diary, tickler etc . I'm just curious to how you guys manage these daily lists.

What I do, is every week when I do my weekly review is create a 'Dailys' excel file where I have a list of all the things I want to get done daily and I have a check box for each. This piece of paper is stuck on my desk. Personally I've found this a really effective way to get my daily things done, I get a sense of pleasure in ticking off items on the list. Being a graphic design student I've actually added in some other items that I would like to get done daily - such as complete one illustrator tutorial a day, and participate on graphic design forums (this idea sort of came from Steve Pavlina's 30 day trial idea).

Every week if I manage to get everything in my daily list checked off for a particular section, for example checking email, I challenge it for the next week and change 'check email' to 'check email - READ and REPLY'. This means I can't check this item off the list unless I've read through and replied to all my emails, so I don't just check to see there are emails. I will read through them all and reply to them (if required) as well.

Anyways, I just wanted to share that, and also wondering how you guys manage your daily rituals.

pooks's picture

Is there anybody here with...

Is there anybody here with ADD (which also means "allergic to routine")?

One of the things I find really helps me about GTD is that it's so fluid and flexible. I can choose from several things by the criteria of what do I WANT to do, instead of just using a list/to do system.

It makes it hard to develop routines when the idea of being forced to keep a routine is like swallowing glass. (And if you don't feel that, I can't explain it.)

Yet it also means so much mundane activity that other people do without thinking never gets done because the habits haven't been built.

Sigh.

 
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