Comments on: 26 Reasons Not to Use GTD http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd the inteserection of geek and money Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:05:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Robert http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-1035 Robert Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:54:37 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-1035 Great article! Unfortunately, however, many many people are trying GTD and Aleen is selling lots of books and raking in the bucks because I suppose it "promises" to be the silver bullet for the problem they face i.e. task management and task scheduling. I tried GTD and I can tell you I did 6 hours a day of shuffling and 2 hours of actual work and I saw the declining financial results of my business as I was using it. Not good. I have found the silver bullet for my needs and that is a program called "Taskline" - it automatically schedules your work for you based on deadline and priority and it has made me as productive as I have ever been. (No I have no affiliation with the company who makes it). The difference with using such a clever program and GTD is that with GTD is 80% organizing - 20% doing - with such a clever program as Taskline it's one click a day generating your schedule and (for me) 12 hours a day actually working!! But... I will tell you that overall the times when I was most productive was about 10 years ago when I didn't use any kind of scheduling system or todo list at all and I just did what had to be done (what my intuition told me to do) and you know what - that is what works best! Great article! Unfortunately, however, many many people are trying GTD and Aleen is selling lots of books and raking in the bucks because I suppose it "promises" to be the silver bullet for the problem they face i.e. task management and task scheduling.

I tried GTD and I can tell you I did 6 hours a day of shuffling and 2 hours of actual work and I saw the declining financial results of my business as I was using it. Not good.

I have found the silver bullet for my needs and that is a program called "Taskline" - it automatically schedules your work for you based on deadline and priority and it has made me as productive as I have ever been. (No I have no affiliation with the company who makes it). The difference with using such a clever program and GTD is that with GTD is 80% organizing - 20% doing - with such a clever program as Taskline it's one click a day generating your schedule and (for me) 12 hours a day actually working!!

But... I will tell you that overall the times when I was most productive was about 10 years ago when I didn't use any kind of scheduling system or todo list at all and I just did what had to be done (what my intuition told me to do) and you know what - that is what works best!

]]> By: Tommy http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-973 Tommy Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:13:51 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-973 Point 13, about trusting instinct, is particularly important. I scribbled more on that here: http://www.darklingwood.com/2009/06/why-gtd-getting-things-done-doesnt-work.html Point 13, about trusting instinct, is particularly important. I scribbled more on that here:

http://www.darklingwood.com/2009/06/why-gtd-getting-things-done-doesnt-work.html

]]> By: Tim http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-833 Tim Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:36:41 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-833 Thank you for this list. There are many other reasons as well that GTD doesn't work. It actually creates more stress for most people, and more confusion, as the obsessive types end up with endless lists. They even have lists of lists, and they argue about the best way to organize them. GTD is a closed system, as the new books about GTD are the same as the old books. There is no progress as it is based on a cultish mindset. Most of the blogs promoting GTD, are people who are making money off GTD. Its hype. Some of them are also members of MSIA religion, who are promoting it for that reason, and they promote books by John-Roger to their clients. Here are some other links, with some good points about why GTD is not helpful. David Allen: The master of getting thing done - July 1, 2007 http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/07/01/100117066/index.htm David Allen - GTD - John-Roger - MSIA - Insight Seminars http://ww w.factnet.org/discus/messages/1/19604.html?1143714430 http://www.booktalk.org/post42557.html Kona's Dad: GTD a Cult? http://konasdad.blogspot.com/2006/11/gtd-cult.html Thank you for this list. There are many other reasons as well that GTD doesn't work.

It actually creates more stress for most people, and more confusion, as the obsessive types end up with endless lists. They even have lists of lists, and they argue about the best way to organize them.

GTD is a closed system, as the new books about GTD are the same as the old books. There is no progress as it is based on a cultish mindset.

Most of the blogs promoting GTD, are people who are making money off GTD. Its hype.
Some of them are also members of MSIA religion, who are promoting it for that reason, and they promote books by John-Roger to their clients.

Here are some other links, with some good points about why GTD is not helpful.

David Allen: The master of getting thing done - July 1, 2007
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/07/01/100117066/index.htm

David Allen - GTD - John-Roger - MSIA - Insight Seminars
http://ww w.factnet.org/discus/messages/1/19604.html?1143714430

http://www.booktalk.org/post42557.html

Kona's Dad: GTD a Cult?
http://konasdad.blogspot.com/2006/11/gtd-cult.html

]]> By: Kaleo http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-552 Kaleo Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:58:46 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-552 Couldn't have put it better myself. GTD is so focussed on planning and reducing everything to context and next action that I am sure I am not the only one who finds it tedious and impractical. How many of us are actually so tied down to a given context that we cannot get something done unless we are there? How many of our projects have one and only one next action that can be done *next*? I find that my mind is project-oriented. Maybe it's because I'm self-employed and creative and not "anal." I use a very simple system. I have tasks organized by projects. If a task has a due date I give it one. If it's urgent I give it priority. So, instead of wasting time breaking everything down into contexts and next actions, I organize by project instead of context. Under each project, I have a list of relevant tasks. I tag tasks as described above. When I get down to "work", I look at my list of projects. I pick the project that I need to work on, then scan the list of tasks for that project and pick one to do. Check it off when it's done and go to the next one in that project or another one, if I so wish. Couldn't have put it better myself. GTD is so focussed on planning and reducing everything to context and next action that I am sure I am not the only one who finds it tedious and impractical. How many of us are actually so tied down to a given context that we cannot get something done unless we are there? How many of our projects have one and only one next action that can be done *next*?

I find that my mind is project-oriented. Maybe it's because I'm self-employed and creative and not "anal." I use a very simple system. I have tasks organized by projects. If a task has a due date I give it one. If it's urgent I give it priority. So, instead of wasting time breaking everything down into contexts and next actions, I organize by project instead of context. Under each project, I have a list of relevant tasks. I tag tasks as described above. When I get down to "work", I look at my list of projects. I pick the project that I need to work on, then scan the list of tasks for that project and pick one to do. Check it off when it's done and go to the next one in that project or another one, if I so wish.

]]> By: graft http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-516 graft Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:59:37 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-516 "We’ve already pointed out that most people naturally prioritize their work by waiting till the important stuff becomes urgent, then panicking and getting on with it. If GTD works, then you’ll lose the focus that panic can bring. And if it doesn’t, why do it?" With that attitude, why even bother making your bed? "We’ve already pointed out that most people naturally prioritize their work by waiting till the important stuff becomes urgent, then panicking and getting on with it. If GTD works, then you’ll lose the focus that panic can bring. And if it doesn’t, why do it?"

With that attitude, why even bother making your bed?

]]> By: Betsy Wuebker http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-501 Betsy Wuebker Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:47:59 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-501 Planning how to get things done will never replace just simply doing them. There are really only two outcomes to consider: do it, or not. Like Yoda said, there is no try, and GTD is a try. Planning how to get things done will never replace just simply doing them. There are really only two outcomes to consider: do it, or not. Like Yoda said, there is no try, and GTD is a try.

]]> By: AC http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-500 AC Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:19:53 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-500 I just tripped over this article (linked in another article) and I just wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! In my attempts to read the GTD book, I've found the overpopulation of the pages with little sidebars and information bubbles to be ridiculously distractive, rigidity of this system to be discouraging, and the re-naming of simple things as "buckets" and so on to be a desperate bid at innovation. Most of your points are thoughts I've had while trying to read the book (especially your first point!), yet when I try to point out to GTD cultists the flaws in the system, I feel rather like I'm pointing out that the emperor has no clothes. I just tripped over this article (linked in another article) and I just wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! In my attempts to read the GTD book, I've found the overpopulation of the pages with little sidebars and information bubbles to be ridiculously distractive, rigidity of this system to be discouraging, and the re-naming of simple things as "buckets" and so on to be a desperate bid at innovation. Most of your points are thoughts I've had while trying to read the book (especially your first point!), yet when I try to point out to GTD cultists the flaws in the system, I feel rather like I'm pointing out that the emperor has no clothes.

]]> By: Miltos http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-409 Miltos Thu, 22 May 2008 03:48:49 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-409 As with any system, method, approach, or perspective, GTD doesn't have to work for everyone and it doesn't have to be used exactly as documented. GTD is a collection of ideas and suggestions around managing to-do's and information in your life. Take what works for you and throw out what doesn't. And if none of it works, then look elsewhere. It's interesting how our culture always tries to pursue a "one size fits all" solution, when history shows us that it's just never going to happen ... ever. There are people for whom GTD works fantastically exactly as laid out in the book. There are people who experience no stress whatsoever about piles of paper and massive e-mail inboxes and could care less that GTD even exists. It's all good. As with any system, method, approach, or perspective, GTD doesn't have to work for everyone and it doesn't have to be used exactly as documented. GTD is a collection of ideas and suggestions around managing to-do's and information in your life. Take what works for you and throw out what doesn't. And if none of it works, then look elsewhere. It's interesting how our culture always tries to pursue a "one size fits all" solution, when history shows us that it's just never going to happen ... ever. There are people for whom GTD works fantastically exactly as laid out in the book. There are people who experience no stress whatsoever about piles of paper and massive e-mail inboxes and could care less that GTD even exists. It's all good.

]]> By: Dan Gtdagenda http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-286 Dan Gtdagenda Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:45:15 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-286 You have some valid points. That's why when designing my application http://www.gtdagenda.com I only kept in mind 2 of his ideeas, contexts and next actions. Those I felt were the best in the book. You have some valid points.

That's why when designing my application http://www.gtdagenda.com I only kept in mind 2 of his ideeas, contexts and next actions. Those I felt were the best in the book.

]]> By: Matt Ellsworth http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-97 Matt Ellsworth Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:04:03 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-97 I have been reading the 4 hour work week - its a great book - and it explains a lot of why things like GTD are not great. I have been reading the 4 hour work week - its a great book - and it explains a lot of why things like GTD are not great.

]]> By: K Stone http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-91 K Stone Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:56:29 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-91 Like anything else, I've taken the best and left the rest when it comes to GTD. You're list is very good. GTD is not the end all be all. It's got some good concepts, but I still call my to-do list a "to-do list." I mean, come on! That's what it is! :) Nice job. Like anything else, I've taken the best and left the rest when it comes to GTD. You're list is very good. GTD is not the end all be all. It's got some good concepts, but I still call my to-do list a "to-do list." I mean, come on! That's what it is! :)
Nice job.

]]> By: Kevin Crenshaw http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-89 Kevin Crenshaw Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:50:00 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-89 Fortunately, you don't have throw out the baby (valid principles of workflow management) with the bathwater (GTD, a specific implementation). There are alternatives that solve many of your concerns, plus these others: 28. GTD generates a lot of stress when processing emails, which means something is amiss. (The issue: Your email inbox is both a communication channel and a source of tasks. "Processing" by itself takes too long to keep that channel open and flowing properly.) 29. David Allen says "work intuitively" from our lists. Sorry, most people can't be intuitive with a list of hundreds of things. Their mind shuts down as they scan their tasks looking for the best one. 30. There is no mechanism for balancing areas of your life within your day. In fact, a recent TIME magazine article quotes David Allen as saying you should have everything in one list since you are one person. Do you really want to see a list with personal phone calls when at work? 31. Some things fly at you and need immediate scheduling into the day without going through the whole collect/process/organize bit. 32. It takes up to a year to fully master GTD. Only the brave and very motivated will make it. The failure rate is very high. 33. The book lacks practical, detailed instructions for a whole host of real-world situations. Example: File drawers with mixed resource and action items (e.g., research notes). 34. You're on your own to figure it all out. Who do you call when you grab something from your inbox and say: "What do I do with THIS?" (See http://www.priacta.com/Coaching/Training_FAQ.shtml#TROGTD) "Vanilla" GTD just doesn't address these issues. One system that does is Total, Relaxed Organization (TRO). (Well, it doesn't solve the problem of "jargon". Sorry!) (See http://www.priacta.com/TRO) Kevin Crenshaw, Executive Coach, Priacta Fortunately, you don't have throw out the baby (valid principles of workflow management) with the bathwater (GTD, a specific implementation). There are alternatives that solve many of your concerns, plus these others:

28. GTD generates a lot of stress when processing emails, which means something is amiss. (The issue: Your email inbox is both a communication channel and a source of tasks. "Processing" by itself takes too long to keep that channel open and flowing properly.)
29. David Allen says "work intuitively" from our lists. Sorry, most people can't be intuitive with a list of hundreds of things. Their mind shuts down as they scan their tasks looking for the best one.
30. There is no mechanism for balancing areas of your life within your day. In fact, a recent TIME magazine article quotes David Allen as saying you should have everything in one list since you are one person. Do you really want to see a list with personal phone calls when at work?
31. Some things fly at you and need immediate scheduling into the day without going through the whole collect/process/organize bit.
32. It takes up to a year to fully master GTD. Only the brave and very motivated will make it. The failure rate is very high.
33. The book lacks practical, detailed instructions for a whole host of real-world situations. Example: File drawers with mixed resource and action items (e.g., research notes).
34. You're on your own to figure it all out. Who do you call when you grab something from your inbox and say: "What do I do with THIS?"
(See http://www.priacta.com/Coaching/Training_FAQ.shtml#TROGTD)

"Vanilla" GTD just doesn't address these issues. One system that does is Total, Relaxed Organization (TRO). (Well, it doesn't solve the problem of "jargon". Sorry!)
(See http://www.priacta.com/TRO)

Kevin Crenshaw, Executive Coach, Priacta

]]> By: Mark Goodson http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-87 Mark Goodson Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:05:16 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-87 Gotta agree that I'm getting a bit sick of the whole GTD thing. Just too ubiquitous now. Gotta agree that I'm getting a bit sick of the whole GTD thing. Just too ubiquitous now.

]]> By: Duncan http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd/comment-page-1#comment-86 Duncan Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:49:29 +0000 http://www.geekpreneur.com/26-reasons-not-to-use-gtd#comment-86 27. Just wait for the next Fad to come along. We've had SMART goals, 7 habits and win-win thinking. This is just one more fad. If you wait a while it too shall pass. 27. Just wait for the next Fad to come along.

We've had SMART goals, 7 habits and win-win thinking. This is just one more fad. If you wait a while it too shall pass.

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