My hovercraft is full of eels

It seems like there are different approaches to GTD. I've not read the book, but the experience of most people I've talked about it with is that they're excited about it not because it helps them get _more_ done in the sense of taking on new projects, but because it helps them regain a sense of control of the things they're already committed to. Sometimes you need that sense of control in order to hand things off effectively, and I know that's been the case with a few people.

So don't commit to so much...learn to say "no" :)

Makes me wonder ... Do GTD followers also have daily stand up meetings with themselves so they can move the cards around their "life board"? ;-)

This from the guy who all at the same time is
* getting maried
* moving house
* changing jobs
* going to another country for a year
* running an international aikido seminar
* writing another book
* publishing several commercial and open source products

Not to mention writing copious entertaining blog entries!

Apologies to the rest of the world for this blog entry by Simon; I've probably bent his ear on this topic more than anyone :)

LOL. It was the idea that one needs a card wall for wedding preparations that really got up my nose. In my defense, for me that's so far not too much and I've been saying no to a LOT of people recently :)

Best Post Ever.

And I wouldn't say simon does "copious entertaining blog entries" - they are all to rare.
But I totally agree with the sentiment of this post.

Simon -- I don't get that response to my comment. I'm talking about people who have _already_ committed to a lot, some of which can't simply be dropped. A system for getting organised and working out how to hand things off is very useful. Often to do otherwise would simply be irresponsible.

I didn't read that GTD book but I kind of disagree with your position on the matter. (I hope I won't be the one to make you scream =) )

If those "things" mean something to you, then yes, I say get those things done. If you want to GTD only for the sake of it or because it was written in some book, then no... don't get those things done and, like you said : DLS.

I'm not sure if I understand that GTD "philosophy" correctly, but to me it means the following :

Stop to care too much about details and release! Then, start something else *that has a meaning* to you.

GTD is about DLS -- doing only what you have time for and to do it well. In fact there's a part in the book (have you read it?) about declining opportunities as you don't have time for it. Without knowing what your current time sinks are and what you have to do you end up DMIQ ("Doing" More In Quotes) but really you're just spinning your wheels.

Let me set the record straight. GTD rocks for many people I know who use it. If you look back over past entries you'll see I've even helped write code for GTD systems that have positively transformed the lives of friends. This is not an exercise in GTD bashing.

I "tried" GTD for a week. Not long but long enough that it made me feel like a robot. I felt like a slave to my todo list. Life ceased having meaning and became a series of things to get done.

Now, you could argue that's just an irrational feeling and I should get over it. I did. Just as some of you have used GTD to help you get over your irrational "stress" of managing your todo list, I chose to commit to doing less stuff. I chose not to get stressed about all the things I just "had to do". I took back control of my life by not letting my todo list control me.

The epiphany for me was that I could ditch 3/4 of the things on my list and I was still happy. I could actually remember my entire todo list and still be happy. And, here's the winner for me, the things I had discarded would either come back to me or not. If not, they probably didn't mean enough to me anyway.

GTD has a some-day-maybe list. I have the delete key.

I think it comes down to this (for me at least): if it requires a card-wall to manage then either it just got too complicated; or get someone else to manage it. I tend to err towards the former.

Perhaps my mistake, for all the GTD aficionados in the room, was using the words "Do Less Stuff" rather than "Commit to Doing Less Stuff".

I have listened the tape and just read the book. Its about a month that I implemented GTD. All that I can say is that, it helps me regain my sense of control. I keep all the inventories todos and what nots, and yeah, I had said no to most of them, especially when I am able to see how much there is and what is my capacity.

If it just cant be done given your bandwidth, it just cant be done. At least knowing that early helps prepare your mind and you can anticipate whats coming. Most of my problems before was wishful thinking, hoping to be able to do it all. Having this in place, I have manage to say no a LOT, and start making choices (commit or no commit).

So yeah, it is kinda DLS to me.

You need to write a book documenting the process of DLS. Then I will blog about it endlessly!!!

DLS changed my life!