Living In An Always-On World
How are you in the “getting things done (GTD)” department?
If you are reading this, chances are good that, like me, you live in the “always-on” world, where modern technology has given us the “privilege” of having access to information 24/7. We are relentlessly lured into a virtual environment at war for human attention. The bait is presented via PC’s and mobile devices. It consists of an irresistible, lethal mix of data comprising news, status updates, humour, sex, philosophy, fashion, food, sport, money, and whatnot. Apart from being “always on,” our modern world is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). There are better environments in which to focus on getting things done. I share your pain.
I’ve worn many hats in my career as a team member: design engineer, project manager, corporate executive, sole proprietor, coach, and mentor. Over the years, maintaining a balance between the “always-on” VUCA world of work demands and my personal life has become a constant quest. My number one daily trial is getting the right things done on time. I really noticed the challenge of finding balance as a manager in the corporate environment, tasked with taking ownership of my priorities, deliverables, and needs whilst also looking out for my team and organization. But now, running a small business, I find it even more challenging with limited resources to assist me with getting things done.
Tools That Help Me Get Things Done
Some years ago, a friend handed me a copy of David Allen’s book, “Getting Things Done (GTD) – The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Allen, 2001).” Aware of my challenges in coping with the demanding chaos surrounding me, my friend hoped that the book would assist me. But, I soon realized that reading is a lot easier than implementation. In the introduction to his book, Allen mentions the challenges faced in the daily processing of overwhelming amounts of information. Getting things done is a lot easier said than done. He shares fundamental practices that are required to be executed habitually to master GTD. It took me two desperate attempts spanning several years to understand the book, much energy, and the discovery of a handful of life hacks before I cracked the GTD code. Whilst the book was a catalyst for the next phase in my journey, I also realized there is much more to getting things done than the information, processes, and practices so brilliantly described by Allan.
Reflecting on my journey, several vital concepts and events have helped me crack the code.
Understand and master critical processes and ideas.
Firstly, free up your mind; it’s meant for ideas, not for storage. If this is a mind-warp for you, invest in a device that can link up to your cloud platform (Microsoft 365, for me) which you can use to make notes and record ideas on the go. And/or invest in a notebook and pen and get into the habit of putting your ideas onto paper. Personally, I like to use both an electronic and paper-based solution.
Unlock the power of Organizational Process Assets (OPAs), which capture knowledge, best practices, and resources to enable managers to run their projects and businesses more efficiently. OPAs comprise the artifacts, practices, and knowledge bases that you and your organization use daily to create customer value.
Apply the 2-minute rule (some call it the 5-minute rule) to take care of those small tasks that so often end up as a spanner in the works. If something will take two (or five) minutes or less to do, do it now. Don’t waste time and energy by having to come back to it.
Think like a project manager: approach your work and project from an outcomes-based perspective. Be clear about the purpose and deliverables that you hope to achieve. Capture, Organize & Structure, Prioritize & Tag, then Execute.
Recognize and focus on the Most Important Task (MIT), as a fundamental strategy for personal and professional success.
Cultivate an organizational culture that prioritizes processes that get the job done. As Peter Drucker wrote: “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” No matter how great your business strategy is, your plan will fail without a company culture encouraging people to implement it.
Apply Agile project management best practices in our world with ever-changing goalposts.
Maximize the power of Microsoft Office365
Developing and integrating my custom tools using software applications by Microsoft Office365 has been a game changer. Today I collaborate with my team and clients through
- MS Outlook for communication, follow-ups and my events calendar;
- MS OneNote for getting those ideas out of my head;
- MS Teams for collaborating and communicating with my team and clients;
- MS Planner for implementing an outcomes-based approach to our work; and
- MS To Do for making sure that everyone on the team knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
Develop a Circle of Trust
I have come to a deeper understanding of the importance of “a circle of trust.” I don’t think an individual can master getting things done independently. “The Team” is vital to a productive future in the modern age. In saying this, I am talking about a team of equals, in which members and disciplines are equally valued. I am also referring to a team that embraces Agile best practices, such as Scrum and Kanban disciplines. And, as a manager and leader, I have come to appreciate the importance of a “Coach Approach.” Using this approach enables me to identify challenges and solutions in collaboration with my team members. In this way we all benefit from learning and growing through our experiences.
What About You?
What does your GTD journey look like? Which principles, tools, and experiences have shaped your journey and helped (or hindered) your ability to Get Things Done?
In a recent interview, Yuval Noah Harari (Israeli author) (YouTube, 2024) commented that if he could change something in modern society, it would be to get people to spend more time reflecting on and digesting known information rather than gathering new information. The information you require to Get Things Done is within your organization. Start by focusing on the information and systems that you know.
In Africa, we say: “The road is made by walking.” I can show you the way and support you along the road. Get in touch if you also need help with getting things done.
Leslie
References
Allen, D. (2001). Getting Things Done the art of stress-free productivity. Penguin Books Random House Australia.
YouTube. (2024, January). The Diary of a CEO. Retrieved from Yuval Noah Harari: An Urgent Warning They Hope You Ignore. More War is Coming!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzOJiqN_DpM
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