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43f Podcast: David Allen on interruptions
Merlin Mann | Nov 6 2006
Productive Talk #06: Interruptions 43 Folders and The David Allen Company present the sixth in a series of conversations that David and Merlin recently had about Getting Things Done. Summary
Grab the MP3, learn more at Odeo.com, or just listen here (after the cut). Merlin's commentsIn this episode, David makes the excellent point that if interruptions are a baked-in part of your job, they shouldn't necessarily be seen as a Bad Thing. It's just something you need to prepare for by "clearing the decks" in a way that opens you up for the opportunities and game-time input that new information can bring into your world. Something not to miss -- David is just truly a whiz at changing gears based on his own system. If new stuff interrupts what he's currently working on, he scoops all the current work back into "pending," and basically says "Bring it on!" As I mentioned in the interview, watching David work like this took me back to Martin Ternouth's paper-based system, which turns on a couple key, GTD-esque ideas: 1) you're only ever working on one thing at a time, and 2) everything current gets emptied and re-evaluated daily. I think it's that jog between in-the-moment work and frequent review that really makes a system like GTD work. When (not if) interruptions arise, you trust the system to hold your work in situ, and then your reviews ensure you never miss a beat. And, finally, although we didn't get into it as much as I'd like, I really think it's important to understand and distinguish between interruptions as opposed to distractions. In other words, there are those things that immediately need our attention in life (poopy babies, family emergencies, buildings on fire) versus those notifications, pings, and existential shovelware that we've chosen to accept (*waves at RSS feeds and AIM*). So, if you're feeling overwhelmed by interruptions, make sure you've done everything you can to reduce the noise. In other words, consider clearing your own decks today for the serendipity and kismet that might be coming your way this week. To paraphrase Thomas Edison, sometimes interesting opportunities arrive dressed as a huge pain in the ass. Listen to Episode #06 of Productive TalkGrab the MP3, learn more at Odeo.com, or just listen from here:
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 Hello Merlin! I am an avid...Submitted by Jan Gundtofte-Bruun (not verified) on November 11, 2006 - 12:11pm.
Hello Merlin! I am an avid listener of your podcast, and this last one made me want to ask this question. I hope you'll have time for a response! :) Paper vs. digital vs. both --- how to do both in unison? You and David were talking about handling one's 'system', and it should not matter if it's on paper or digital. A bit later, you acknowledged that many of your listeners are IT workers. Personally, I'm a programmer; so inevitably, some of my tasks are computer-based, while others are definitely not. My question is, how do I track both these separate domains in one system? I fear using two task lists (one paper, one digital) because they'll get out of sync, or I won't be looking at the right one. Your approach of "use folders on the desktop, and close 'em if you're willing to be interrupted" won't be easily translated into a computer's desktop, because everything is in that one application (in my case, Lotus Notes), and not so easily grouped, closed and reopened. Merlin, please help! » POSTED IN:
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