43 folders challenge

I’ve decided to give my 43 folders a chance. As from today and for a month I’ll use them as methodically as I can. At then end I’ll report on how I did.

Current projects

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have a current projects file where I keep handy all the documentation of the things I’m working at the moment. The way I use it is: for each open project, I write on top of a manila folder with pencil the name of the project and collect within all the pertinent documentation. I use pencil because these folders aren’t really my filing folders and I recycle them all the time. These folders are a way to keep handy documents I’ll need for a meeting or an errand during the next days. Once I don’t need that particular document, I either file it or discard it. My current projects file is not really my in-box tray nor a filing folder, but kind of a “waiting for” collection bucket. Eventually, when I’ll come back to use my 43 folders regularly, I intend to keep in here only the folders for open projects that are not date-bound.

My 43 folders

About more than a year ago, when I found Merlin’s 43folders website, I got re-motivated to apply more seriously the GTD methodology to my work. Before that, I would only try to follow as often as possible David Allen’s process flowchart*.

Living the moment

I read in J. Lepelletier’s book on personal development* the tale of L. Tolstoi: “Three questions”. Lepelletier mentions it as an important example of living the moment.

In summary, Tolstoi reminds us that the most important time is now, the most important task is the one at hand and the most important person is the one in front of you. I can’t agree more with this.

Three questions

Three questions
by Leo Tolstoi*

IT once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid, and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.

A year of Excel “next action” list

    I’ve been using an Excel file to keep track of my next actions (n.a. from now on) at the office for over a year now and it has been of great help. Thanks to tomrokey over the 43folders forum (or board, choose your favorite term) who sent me a copy of his.

A GTD day

(topic idea from the 43folders forum)

    I haven’t yet fully integrated GTD in my everyday routine, but as our beloved Flylady would say, “baby steps, baby steps”.

GTD (Getting Things Done) « o método para conseguir que as coisas sejam feitas »

June 2nd, 2006. Update: because I'm just too curious to see who's interested in this post, I'm allowing comments to be posted. So please, feel free to drop a line if you passed by and/or are interested in GTD resources in Portuguese.