GTD Zen, rollabind edition [Updated!]
[Update!] I’ve updated the template below and packed it in a weekly set. I’m going to print off a few copies and sell them. Interested?
I’ve been dabbling in the GTD world for a long while, with mixed results. Given my interest in web2.0, you’d think I would be a power user of some online GTD apps like SimpleGTD. Not so. As useful as these things are, I find that they suffer from a major handicap : I’m not online 24 hours a day. (Until I get my iPhone2.0, but that’s another day).
Most users would simply compensate by keeping a paper copy with them at all times and syncing when online. This was simply too complex for me. Instead, I’ve been using good old fashioned paper & pen. Sadly, even this requires a bit of optimizing.
I wasn’t happy with notebooks, as I couldn’t add/remove pages. I didn’t want to carry a 3-ring binder, either. What to do? Rollabind!
This technology isn’t new, but I think it’s pretty slick. Using small plastic discs and a special hole puncher, I now have the best of both worlds : a portable notebook that gracefully allows adding/removing pages. Splendid!
Not stopping there, I downloaded the D*I*Y Hipster PDA and David Seah’s compact calendar, remixed Benjamin Franklin’s measures of virtue, threw in a SWOT chart, and now have a custom GTD solution that works great.
Always one to share, here is a PDF of the pages I use. Feel free to remix and use as you see fit (credit goes to the above sources). If you’re interested in the rollabind system, I’m a proud owner of the special hole puncher and would gladly help you get started.
Filed under frugal, hack, work : Comments (2) : May 20th, 2008 by tadfad
May 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am
After seeing this thing in person this morning, I will say I’m intrigued. One thing I always worry about when going to a completely paper based solution is that it isn’t searchable. How are you separating projects? Do you have a running to-do list or just a to-do list for each day?
How much would you charge to make one?
Cheers
May 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
True, paper does not offer search (yet). That said, this system gets you most of the way. On the second page (meant to be printed on the reverse of the daily plan) you have standard ruled lines and a margin for sections/tags/callouts. This at least offers some degree of meta-data for your paper planner.
The other feature is the weekly review where you look over the 5 sheets from the week and make note of the important stuff that you’ll want in the future. If need be, you could repeat this process with a monthly, quarterly, or yearly summary to help you keep track.
I haven’t priced out a commercial model, as I’m encouraging DIY. (But it would probably be in the $20 range)