Author
Simone Wong
2019-1-9
Happy 2019! If you’re returning to work,
feeling overwhelmed with all the emails you’ve left untouched during the
holidays – we definitely feel you!
If you’ve come here for a guide on how to
get things done and reach Inbox Zero in 2019, this is definitely the right
place. This article will guide you through:
-
The basics of GTD
-
The power of GTD + Inbox Zero
-
Actionable steps to start your GTD email
system
-
Downloadable 3-step GTD email flowchart
If you’re already familiar with GTD but
interested to know how it works with email management, feel free to jump to Part 2!
Part 1 What’s
Getting Things Done (GTD)?
Getting Things Done
is
a productivity framework for organizing and tracking tasks and projects,
developed by business productivity consultant and author David Allen.
The original book, Getting Things Done, The Art of Stress-free Productivity has been published in over thirty languages globally.
GTD allows you to have 100% trust in
a system for collecting ideas, tasks and projects.
When implemented correctly, it’s a
foolproof method that lets you keep track of what you need to do, should do,
or should consider doing.
What makes GTD so special?
Unlike most
productivity methods, GTD is not about time-saving hacks or quick fixes.
Instead, GTD focuses
on being present, mindful and confident that your current action is the correct
one.
Many of our tasks
and duties, such as creative thinking, strategies, ideas… do not necessarily
take our time – but they take up a lot of room in our brain.
What does this
mean?
When we have
multiple tasks in mind, we lack the mind space to actually focus on any of
them.
This causes us to
feel overwhelmed, stressed, and slowly discouraged to work on important tasks.
But when you have
external storage for ideas, your brain is no longer clogged by future or past
to-dos.
This leaves you a clear
headspace for what you should do right now.
When your mind is
clear, you are calm, focused, present – and able to maintain your highest level
of awareness.
In the age of
constant flow of information, GTD is not just about getting things done, but
meaningfully engaged with what you do.
What’s great about
GTD is that it’s flexible and suitable for any kind of workflow. It doesn’t matter
what tools you use, as long as they allow you to go through the following
steps.
The 5 steps of GTD workflow
1 Capture
everything that has your attention: To-do’s, ideas, recurring tasks… You can use pen and paper, a to-do app, or anything that helps you stay organized. Capture everything so you don’t have to think about it until it’s time to do itagain.
2 Clarify
what you have to do: Break down your ideas into actionable steps so there isno barrier in doing the task. If the action can be done right away, get it done immediately!
3 Organize
your clarified items: Organize these items by category and priority. Assign due dates, set reminders so you will follow up on them.
4 Review
your system regularly: Reflect on your to do list! Look over what your next actionshould be. If you have clarified your list correctly, you should be able topick upcoming tasks accordingly and efficiently. If a task is still vague inthe actions you can take, break it down further. Then give your list anin-depth review to see where you’re making progress, where you need to adjust priorities and how it’s working for you.
5 Engage
and get working! Your system is now set up and your tasks have been broken down in manageable ‘chunks’ with varying priority. You can now comfortably engage with the world knowing all your commitments and knowing what you’re doing right now is the best thing to do.
GTD is about being aware of your commitments, with 2 priorities: what you do now, and everything else. Whenyou trust your system, you can allow your subconsciousness to free up brain space, instead of constantly keeping track of tasks.
Part 2, The power of GTD + Inbox Zero
The average officeworker receives 121 emails daily and sends out 40.
Even if you’re notalarmed by this number, at least you’d know how it feels to stare at the unreadcount in your inbox and think,
‘Well crap. I’m never gonna go through all of this.’
There are countless ways to approach the ultimate dream of Inbox Zero – many focusing on creating folders, filters or multiple inboxes. But first, let’s quickly review the 5 commandments of Inbox Zero, originally coined by Merlin Mann:
1 – Time isprecious.
We won’t be able to take action on every email we receive. Accepting it allows us to concentrate on what actually matters.
2 – 20/80principle:
not all emails are created equal. 20% of our emails consume 80% of our focus. The remaining 80% of less important emails can be quickly handled.
3 – Less is more.
The longer your emails, the more time it takes for you to write them and for your recipients to go through them. Write concisely and straight to the point.
4 – Cut loose of emotions.
Anxiety and frustration can build up when we open a full inbox, but it’s not what we should focus on, but the act of doing.
5 – Set realistic expectations and priorities.
Learning when to say no and what deserves your time is crucial in achieving Inbox Zero.
You’ll quickly realize the basic principles behind Inbox Zero is the same as GTD.
We should focus on what’s important now – and accept that not everything can be accomplished. Instead, decide which emails are your priority.
Part 3 – Set up your GTD email workflow
Now that we have gone through the basics of GTD and Inbox Zero, setting up a GTD email workflow is easier than ever.
We designed the following GTD email workflow incorporating many of Mailbutler’s useful and free features, but they’re entirely optional and only serve as additional helpers for this GTD email system.
Feel free to use any productivity tools you like!
Before you begin:
1 – Take some timeto first unsubscribe from your most recent unwished newsletters. To speed things up, make use of your inbox features, such as Unsubscribe from Mailbutler, that lets you quickly opt out from unwanted email lists.
2 – Decide on how often you want to check your inbox. We recommend you to set up intervals duringthe day.
3 – Time block yourself for these intervals, so you have dedicated and undisturbed times only for your emails.
Disable your email notifications for times you’re not checking them.
4 – Simple 3-step GTD email workflow (Clickto enlarge and download)
1 – Capture
We need to first establish that ourinbox is an in-basket that we need to regularly check in order to stay ontop of things. An actionable email will result in a next step that canbe broken down to smaller tasks.
Your email inbox = where potential tasks, ideas or projects enter your workflow.
2 – Clarify
each email by asking, “Can I do something about this email?”
No: delete or archive it.
Yes: move onto the next step.
3 – Organize.
“Can I do this under 2 minutes?”
Yes: Do it now.
Reply it -> Archive it
If the sent email requires a follow-up, set a Follow-up Reminder, and/or add it with your task manager app .
