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.

James Fallows on GTD apps

Bright side #5: interesting GTD software, including for Mac

The Atlantic writer (and recent Mac convert) James Fallows covers three apps that have caught his attention, including OmniFocus, ThinkingRock, and MonkeyWiki. Fallows says:

The GTD Way mainly involves habits of mind and action, but it also places a lot of emphasis on having the right tools, gizmos, and gimmicks to support those habits. Over the years I've used a variety of software to set up GTD-based systems on my computer.

And, if you're in a real "grab the shovel" mood, don't miss his link to a metric buttload of GTD apps.

As ever, though, friends, just remember: GTD's power is in what it does to your approach and to your thinking; it's not about magic beans and doo-dahs. Never allow yourself to obsess over tools to the exclusion of actually completing tasks. This is about action.

TNoyce's picture

No tools please....

I strongly suspect that the reason that many GTD blogs and websites endlessly revisit tooling is that it is a relatively easy topic that automatically, commercially refreshes itself.

The value of GTD in my experience is in the transformation of your thinking. If I do nothing else with GTD, the fact that I never exit a meeting without being utterly, completely clear who is doing what about what is worth a working day every week.

I recently got asked to run a project by a group of people who were well aware that I knew far less about the subject matter than the previous project manager. They specifically requested my assistance because they liked having clarity about what needed to happen. I would love to believe that was down to my fine qualities, but it is mainly because I never let anything flit past without having clarity about the outcome and next action.

I blog about GTD too and the trouble is that there are only so many times that you can say that outcomes and next actions are key and valuable. But that is still the main thing worth saying...

 
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. »