I agree - many of us try to complicate action by creating complex systems to organise our actions, and then we spend so much time and energy on the system, not leaving enough of either to complete our actions!

Have you heard of The Daybook? As far as I can find it’s the simplest system for organising yourself. You don’t need to charge it or turn it on, you don’t need to attend a seminar to learn to use it, there’s no shuffling of pages, and you never run out of writing space. My husband and I created it for oursleves a decade ago now, and then others wanted it too. Check out our website at www.qapublishing.com.au for more info.

And if there’s no organising system that helps you to get things done, then you really need to look at yourself. It might be that you’re dominated by a part of your personality that just loves procrastination or is afraid of achievement. But the good news is you can learn to unearth a part who loves to act! If you’re into the psychology behind what determines our behaviours, including our ability or inability to act, then check out my web site www.voicedialogue.com.

It is refreshing that the discussion about Execution has begun. In my world we talk about “strategy execution” or instead of just getting things done - we look at how you get the right things done. Which is the balance between strategy and execution.

The companies who do this well have balanced, growth, superior overall performance and less CEO headaches.

I have posted some free podcasts and templates on my blog at http://www.ceowise.com/category/business-insights/

Out casts are in a series format because of the depth of the subject and we try to keep all of our shows to less than 15 minutes.

Hi,

A simple yet complete gtd system is gtdagenda.com

As with the last update, now Gtdagenda has due date for tasks (you’ll see in the calendar on the right if you have tasks due today), task notes, and Email & Print support.

Dan.

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...

I have fairly modest expectations of the people I work with (I have learnt I have to) but I am constantly surprised by them.

Having people react other than with slack-jawed amazement, ridicule or open aggression to a suggestion that it would be good to operate in a way that is summarised as “They specifically requested my assistance because they liked having clarity about what needed to happen.” is a little dream of mine.

Oh well. I can dream that one day my workmates realise that confusion ambiguity, missed deadlines and forgotten tasks are NOT “The way it is everywhere.” and a symptom of a problem that has (fairly easy) solutions.

I dabble at GTD but simple don’t have enough different tasks to make the effort worthwhile and in a culture where it’s “Do it now or safely forget it (because everyone else will forget who was to do what and when)” and the concept of dates beyond ‘tomorrow’ is an abstract notion similar to imaginary numbers I find organisational tools and techniques can get you burned as a heretic if anyone catches you using them.

The impressive thing to me is that the business is profitable and the workers reasonably well motivated (with a few notable exceptions). Shows just how easy managing can be in some industries.

gtdagenda.com is what I use.

I don’t know, Merlin. I’m firmly committed to the concept that if I just have enough binders, labelers, files, GTD apps, Webapps, lists, and index cards, I will be able to GTD my way out of the work on my desk without actually doing it.

I’m really not looking to start getting all boring and just doing work. I want to evaluate and test out OmniFocus and Kinkless and Nozbe and RTM and count up whether my @Mac or my @Computer context has the most next actions. That is a great way to fill the time between new episodes of the GTD and 43folders podcasts. I am about to start becoming really productive. I can feel it. It’s palpable.

I completely agree with isaacszy. Having GTD’d my life a few months ago, I find it a constant form of therapy to sit there and twiddle and tweak my way to productivity heaven. Taking time to listen to the 43folders podcasts while readjusting smart folders and honing projects is eminently stress-relieving. And fun.

Thinking Rock is so cool! I can’t wait to see some other stuff that’s to follow up what they currently have done.

Matthew Fauris