Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.
Kids and targets
soprina | Apr 23 2007
I'm brand new to GTD, I've just opened the door by listening to Merlin's productive talk comp podcast. There are a lot of things that are in my head that I know I need to organise and simplify, things that i passionately want to do/accomplish...BUT! No matter how many lists I make or ideas I capture I can't change the fact that I have small children with big demands on my time. So I suppose all I can do for now is plod along knowing I will get to those things when I can. The hardest thing is ignoring my music. But I can't record or practice while the kids are awake because they need my attn and I can't make that much noise when they're asleep. We are not in a position to build a studio or hire a nanny like Jonathon Coulton who Merlin interviewed recently on The Merlin Show, so for now that just has to be on my to do in the future list. But then when I really think about it, I'll be back at work next year and the kids will still be home when I am, so where and when does the reality of this dream happen. I think I was happier when I was just thinking I'd get to it once they're at school. Now I feel like I need a plan. Good grief. I'm also studying again right now and I'm trying to get into this GTD mindset to improve my performance there too. Maybe one thing at a time, but that doesn't seem to be the GTD way, thats letting things fall through the cracks. Any suggestions from GTD experts out there! 4 Comments
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 As a novice w/ GTD,...Submitted by Tekneek on April 25, 2007 - 3:56am.
As a novice w/ GTD, one thing that is helping me so far (even with things I know I can't implement right now), is to have a little brainstorming session about what "next action" might get me closer to being able to accomplish that goal. Even if that is still something I can't act on, I usually feel a little better about it and file it away until the next review. Often, by the next review, I can either come up with some new ideas or my goal seems a little more in reach than it did the last time I filed it away (or both!). I don't think GTD (despite the name) is about getting everything done RIGHT NOW, it is about getting all your THINKING done which will then lead to getting things done. But if you don't use it to get all this thinking done ahead of time, you won't be ahead of the game and prepared to get those things done when the opportunity comes, because you might not even know what that opportunity is. I have found a lot more things possible than I thought when I was able to break them into tiny steps/next actions, and you feel better about things when you are at least making SOME progress on them in some way. It still might take as long as you originally thought, but tiny steps toward your goal may make you feel better than doing nothing and hoping it will all come together some point down the road. » POSTED IN:
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