43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Importance of the right tools for using GTD consistently

Just wanted to throw some thoughts on the table to get some other feedback on regarding GTD as it intersects with software/web apps.

How important is it to have the right tools, i.e. the killer app, for doing GTD?

My own thoughts

I waver between two ends of the spectrum on this one. On one hand, the right software can't fix lazy and undisciplined. On the other, I have seen the effect that really great software has had on certain aspects of my productive life.

GMail has transformed my use of email, Google Docs has allowed me to work on documents anywhere, Qt has allowed me to design realistic GUI prototypes quickly, Picasa has allowed many of my non-computer-literate friends to get more joy from their pictures, and most importantly, Quicksilver has completely changed the way I use my Mac.

Yet I consistently find myself avoiding my weekly review, collecting my thoughts, or processing things, and falling back to "I'll do it when I think of it" because all the software and web apps that I've used, including the one I wrote for myself, have enough of a barrier of entry that eventually I stop using them.

Could it be that there's just no killer app for GTD to fit my lifestyle, or maybe it's just the lazy, passive part of my personality that keeps me from participating in the GTD process?

wood.tang's picture

Exactly

My point was just that with great habits, you can do it with any software. But the habits have to be solid first.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »