Re: [NTLK] Getting Things Done (GTD)

From: Michael C. Wittmann (mwittmann_at_maine.edu)
Date: Thu Sep 01 2005 - 04:43:30 PDT


Thomas,

Thank you for the description here. I don't use GTD explicitly,
having created a hybrid pathway that deals mostly with email and
otherwise keeping a more nebulous list of things to do within
separate projects. The Newton has become indispensable for managing
it all. I tried HyperNewt and didn't like the linking, as you say,
but have found great success by using my Notes more effectively. I
created a "Brainstorm/Dump" folder in which larger project spaces are
dealt with, ideas are explored, etc., and I regularly move files
about. The point, as you allude, is to get things done, not muck
about with the meta work of thinking how to get things done or test
new ideas.

Of course, I'm about to break that rule. I don't use MoreInfo because
I tried it out and it's damned tedious to do the linking - so many
taps, and no sense of overview of what's going on! The software I
have started to use in my project management work is Blueprint2. For
example, I manage my students' thesis writing with it, since it lets
me keep track of deadlines, who has which responsibilities, and so
on, when things are due, how to look into the future without slamming
Dates and overwhelming my senses, etc. I can't transfer the project
out, but I don't need to. Project Notes are in Notes and are linked
appropriately within Blueprint. I use NewtSync to dump those to
archive, eventually. Tasks can be added to Dates in a variety of
ways. And the people involved in the project come from the Names
soup. Since the Notes and deadlines are what I really need to
archive, but the management is what I need day to day, I can keep
Blueprint2 on my Newton and not worry about the lack of OS X software
I can talk to.

It has helped me a lot, since the Gantt chart automatically reminds
me to work on this (and not that) part of a project, if and when I
have time for it.

Hope this is of interest to anyone out there. Now, if there WERE a
way to dump project files, I'd use it. But Blueport never got
developed that far. Anyone know of a good solution?

Michael Wittmann

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