Easy guide to “implement GTD using Springpad”

Marcel ChaudronTwitter.com/chaudron (@chaudron)

5th January 2011

What is Getting Things Done (GTD) ?

GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed, productive state. It includes:

• Capturing anything and everything that has your attention

• Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps

• Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on how and when you need to access them

• Keeping current and "on your game" with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)

My set up of Spring Pad - notebooks

1. Create a notebook called “Inbox”

2. Create a notebook called “Next Actions”

3. Create a notebook called “Maybe / Someday”

My set up of Spring Pad - notebooks

4. Create a notebook called “Waiting for”

5. Create notebooks for all your different “projects”

6. Create categories where you actuality can do your “tasks”

My set up of Spring Pad - Inbox

I’m using several inboxes, a couple for my emails, at home, at work a paper inbox and a couple of real paper notebooks to collect my ideas. What I try to achieve using the inbox at Springpad is to collect all digital information:

• Bookmarks • Images• Events - agenda items are connected with my Google calendar• Products that I might want to buy• Ideas that just pop up and need to get our of my head• TV shows / movies that I need to see• Interesting books• Interesting music I hear on the radio and want to listen on Spotify

I EMPTY my Springpad inbox EVERY day and organize it among my projects, waiting for or maybe notebooks.

My set up of Spring Pad – Next Actions

My “Next Action” notebook is a collection of all next actions I need to do that are part of my projects. So all actionable tasks that take longer than 2 minutes and can’t be delegated.

I create a task list in the related project notebook and make sure that this task is also visible in the next action notebook as well. The next action notebook is my most viewed notebook and I look at it at least two times a day, in the morning and in the evening during my daily review.

As soon as a task is done, I will deselect “Next Actions” as notebook so that it is out of the “Next Actions” notebook. This will keep this notebook clean and up to date

My set up of Spring Pad – Next Actions

Example regarding the task of creating this presentation:

Task / action is in both my notebook “Blog” and “Next Action”

Places where I can do the actual execution of this task as category in this case : @computer

Unfortunately it it not yet possible to order your notebook task based on categories. Hope Springpad will make this available in one of their upcoming releases. This will make it very easy to group your “Next Actions” tasks.

Description is an action. Like for example, write, call etc.

My set up of Spring Pad – Maybe / Someday

In the “Maybe / Someday” notebook I add all stuff that might be interesting on a long term. Think about the following:

• List of books that I want to read• Business ideas• Luxury products that I don’t need now but are nice to have• Names of your future kids• The photo course I always want to do• Ideas for travel / holidays

I review my “Maybe / Someday” notebook once a month to see if some tasks / ideas are actionable on a short term

My set up of Spring Pad – Waiting for

In the “Waiting for” notebook I add all stuff that I delegated to others, needed replies on request and stuff that people owe me.

Couple of examples I use:• First mock up for new website – web designer• Feedback from important request, like product samples• Money that people owe me• Books and CD’s that people borrowed from me

I review my “Waiting for” notebook once a week to see if my delegated tasks are in line with my expectations.

My set up of Spring Pad – Projects

For each “Project” I create a separate notebook that mainly contains of tasks, check list, notes and images. The best view for project notebooks is the board functionality. This will give you a helicopter view of the project. I also use the board view a lot for creating moodboards and outline notes from a brainstorm session.

Couple of examples of project notebooks I use:• Kids – everything that is related to my kids like new names for the

baby to task list of things that need to be done in their rooms (painting etc).

• Finance – when bills needs to be paid.• Things to buy – all the products that I need to buy so from a new TV

to my weekly groceries.• TradeDoubler – all my work related tasks and ideas• Causes of Puo – all tasks and ideas regarding my band• Concepts and ideas – all new business plans and ideas I have• Blog – all ideas that I capture + research for new blog posts• Many more!

I review my “Project” notebooks once a Day to see if my next action is actionable for each task and if yes add them also to the “Next Actions” notebook.

My set up of Spring Pad – Categories

In order to make things happen you need to make sure to create the right categories that are related to the actual environment you are to execute your task. All tasks can be done at a certain place, for example you can only clean your garden when you at home and not at work.

I use the following categories: • @Computer – all tasks that needs to be one on the computer• @Home – all tasks that can be done in and around the house• @Internet – all task where I need to use the internet for• @Phone – mainly tasks that are related to phone calls• @Store – mainly for things I need to buy• @Work – all tasks that only can be done at work

It would be great if Springpad can create a functionality so that we can create sub categories, so that a task can be in @computer and in @work for example.

Real example from my life

8am – idea regarding a new blog post about

efficient brainstorming.

Add Idea into my Springpad “Inbox”.

2 8pm – empty my daily “inbox”.

Create a task in my “blog” notebook called “research for brainstorm blog” – make sure that:- It is connected with my “next

actions” notebook as well- Got a due date: 12th Jan- Got a category : @internet- Got an alert

Look into my “Next Actions” notebook and do the actual

research and add notes to the task. When task is finished –

remove it from “Next Actions” notebook and mark it as

done.

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Create a task in my “blog” notebook called “Write brainstorm blog” – make sure that:- It is connected with my “Next

actions” notebook- Got a due date: 14th Jan- Got a category : @computer- Got an alert

Write the actual blog and when finished remove the task from “Next Actions” and mark the task as done.

Publish the blog

Celebrate that you get things done!

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Couple of more tips

1. Connect your Google calendar and Gmail with your Springpad – it will create an extra calendar in your Google calendar called “springpad” and can synchronize all your events – very powerful!

2. Connect your flikr account with your Springpad to easy upload and use images

3. Connect your Twitter account to get reminders and updates via your twitter account

4. Follow more Springpad users, share ideas and get inspired!

5. Make a couple of tasks, check list public to share ideas and thoughts – “if you will give, you will get”

6. Set alerts as reminders

7. Flag important tasks that needs more attention

8. Use tags to find your stuff more easily

9. Due to the great synchronization function you can use online, iPhone, Android and iPad so that you always have access to your latest updated information and can collect your ideas directly into Springpad.

10. Do daily, weekly and monthly reviews! – “Next Actions” and “Inbox” need to be reviewed DAILY

More information

For more information visit my site : http://marcel.chaudron.comFollow me on Springpad : http://springpadit.com/ChaudronFollow me on twitter : @chaudron

Image sources:Background image on slide 5 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kogakure/153741685/Background image on slide 8 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/cubagallery/4466636070/Background image on slide 9 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/toshio1/3371395046/Background image on slide 10 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazakar/5127545799/Background image on slide 11 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyshi/2990107950/