Getting Things Done in the Four Hour WorkWeek

As part of my planned switch to a Mac, I have switched to gmail. Overall, I really like the way gmail functions, especially the ability the use of labels instead of folders and managing email threads as one “conversation”. As part of this switch, I moved my personal management tools (email, calendar, to do) from Outlook to Google. The switch to gmail and Google calendar was pretty straightforward (I even found tools to sync with my PDA), but the “to do” list switch was more difficult. I looked around the web for web-based to do lists, but none of them really gave me what I was looking for. I then stumbled upon the methodology called “GTD” for “Getting Things Done”.

Getting Things Done is a methodology for managing all of your daily activities in such a way that you always know what you should be doing at any time and in any place. Here is a flowchart of the overall process. If done correctly, this can then free your mind from worrying about what you “should” be doing and let you be more productive. It also allows you to find time to relax and not worry that you are forgetting something. I have begun using this methodology and it does seem to help. What has been really helpful, however, is the gmail add-in that is available to support using this methodology. Using my email, I can track everything I have to do and instantly bring up a list of all my outstanding tasks at any time. The tasks can be grouped by location (things to do at the office) or by project. I think it will take a while for me to master both the methodology and the use of gmail to support it, but I am excited by the prospects of managing my tasks this way.

As part of my research into task management, I also came upon the Timothy Ferris’ book The 4-Hour Workweek. The point of the book is to teach us how to get out of the daily grind, reduce the time commitments we have to work, create income streams, and allow us to spend our time pursuing the things that excite us. This book had some very interesting ideas about how to streamline your life, but I had a problem with its overarching premise: that the goal of life is to fulfill yourself by pursuing that which is exciting. As a Christian, I see our goal in life as glorifying God, seeking out His will for our lives, loving Him and loving others. But it did make me think about how we Americans fall into a pattern about how we live our lives and never dream big. Why wait for retirement to do things we could be doing right now?

After I read both of the above books, I realized something: they both are about the same thing. Both books are about how to make our busy lives easier to live. I can take lessons from both authors and make them my own. From GTD, I can learn how to organize my life so that I can focus on the tasks that I should be doing and serve the Lord more effectively. From The Four Hour Work Week I can learn how to ask some bigger questions about life. It made me think about the possibility of doing the unconventional, such as taking a year off to travel the world with my family. I will take principles from each to help me understand how I can serve the Lord in the best way possible.

Pretty good for someone who was just trying to switch to a Mac…

Tags: Four-hour workweek, GTD