GTD Cafe: Writing it Down- Paper or Plastic?

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Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint

An absolute GTD core principle is to write things down. “Capturing” your thoughts on paper (or via computer, voice recorder, etc.) I’ve found that it’s too easy to let thoughts build up, each time under the guise of something like, “I’m sure I’ll remember that later.” Unfortunately, that gem of a thought rarely comes back home. That’s why writing things down makes so much sense.

Check out Laura Stack’s article about the capture habit. Worth a quick read.

GTD Cafe: How Parenting Teaches us to Focus

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint: Exploring the Spiritual Side of Work

I fear that Penelope Trunk is missing out on something. In case you don’t know her she is the author of Brazen Careerist, a thoughtful blog that is all about work and life. She’s intense, smart and very much to-the-point. So much so that some people love her stuff and others…well, you get the point.

I don’t always agree with Penelope but she speaks from the heart and does offer some truly brilliant career advice. This post of hers bothers me though.

She talks about parenting as difficult, occasionally boring and often unsatisfying. She cites evidence of this that she says backs her up.

The Missing Link

What I think Penelope is missing is a sense of contemplation. Contemplation cannot be easily measured just as parenting cannot be summed up in a Harvard Business Review article. I know of no metric that calibrates one’s contemplative(ness). Just as it is intuitive that a mom-dad family unit makes the most sense for kids, being a contemplative parent just seems right. When you develop a pattern of screaming at your kids, you know deep down that there’s something that’s “off” about what’s going on.

I’ve witnessed three child births and while I did not have the “religious experience” that I’ve heard others dads speak of (I was much too nervous for that!), it was nothing short of mind-blowing. To later hold your child and have him/her stare back at you, no blinking necessary, is nothing short of incredible.

Ordinary and Contemplative Moments

Most nights, I will just wash up and go to bed but occasionally, I’m reminded of the treasures that await as I walk upstairs to the children’s rooms. I watch them sleeping for just a few seconds and see the face of God.

As Mother Theresa described the poor as “God in his distressing disguise”, I wonder if parenting provides us with a string of contemplative moments. Moments that allow us to see the very presence of God in something as innocent as a child.

Contemplation is good. It’s been described as “the long, loving look at the real” and it can apply to nature, to one’s work or to the face of a child. It’s probably what each of us can use more of- more frequent loving looks at what really matters in life. So, for Penelope and any other parent out there who feels stressed or out of place spending time with your kids, see it as a contemplative moment.

Sometimes contemplation is the most important “work” we can do.

GTD Spin

So what’s GTD got to do with parenting and contemplation? I think it comes down to one word- focus. When your attention is wholly on one thing at a time, you’re more likely to really crank at whatever you’re doing. I believe that this ability to focus chunks of attention is a very contemplative habit.

Related Post

What You Can’t Expect from Email

GTD Cafe: How to Get Things Done Around Your House

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint

His name is Bob and he’s a landscaper. A super nice guy who works his tail off and has a beautiful home. He also happens to be my neighbor. What makes Bob more than a blog post is that he’s constantly working on his yard. Cutting down trees, trimming shrubs, planting grass. Makes sense since he’s a professional.

Each year, I watch Bob ramp up in the Spring for what will be another round of yard projects and each year I fantasize about what it would be like to really Get Things Done in my own yard, which isn’t shabby in its own right. As I watched him spread some grass seed yesterday while our family was sitting down for dinner, one thought crossed my mind…

Game on.

This year, I plan to use the GTD methodology to go from project plan to project done. I wrote 9 Ways to Take the Stress Out of House Repair for LifeHack and a quick review of that article is a good primer for anyone who owns a home and is trying to do some repairs.

For me, I’ll use the following (simple) system for this year’s projects:

List projects now and as they come into my head; put them in one place so it will be easy to find them.
Collect photos, ideas, etc. in two places. In my journal, I’ll keep the master project list and insert clippings from the newspaper or magazines. On my MAC, I’ll use Evernote for web clippings. My iPhone version of Evernote will also come in handy.
I’ll then sketch out a tentative time frame for my projects, prioritizing them in a fluid way that allows for flexibility. In other words, in the Spring, I’ll do X and in June, I’ll tackle Y.
I’ll also use some key dates as benchmarks. My daughter’s first Communion party will be in May so that’s a good date to keep in mind. July 4th weekend is also key as we’ll have folks over, etc.
Get it done. By not tackling four projects at one time, I’ll aim for one project from start to finish, then move on to the next one.

I’m thankful for my neighbor. Without him, I might not have the motivation to do some home improvements that will ultimately make our yard more enjoyable. How about you? What’s your system for getting things done around the house?

Resources for the Road

GTD at Home: Your Family Can Get Things Done

Michael Sampson: Applying GTD at Home

Kelly Forrister: Building Your GTD House

GTD Cafe: 10 Ways to Collaborate in a Down Economy

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint

Collaboration is hot once again, but this time for more dire reasons. People are fighting to keep their jobs and scared of losing their livelihood. With a down economy, collaborative folks have an advantage. With each act of collaboration, they add value to themselves and expand their sphere of influence.

Here are 10 ways to collaborate in a down economy:

Prepare more thoroughly for meetings. This may seem basic (and it is) but too many folks simply show up and forget that they also have to show out. By reviewing meeting minutes, asking insightful questions and being nice to colleagues, the collaborative guy/gal gets more done via meetings.
Follow up wherever and whenever needed. Think of all of the areas at home and at work where you can follow up. The next time you promise to do something (”let me get back to you” or “I’ll send you that email contact”), write it down and then process your notes later in the day.
Go the extra mile, especially when it’s not expected. Do the small things that separate you from the average worker. Make the call, write the note, do the research. Surprise others with your exemplary customer service.
Reach out to those who are struggling. Few things are remembered more than when a person reaches out to someone in need. Attend the funeral, viewing or memorial service. Aid someone who is having a tough time.
Line yourself up for a hot project. What new endeavor at work can you be a part of?
(Work) outside the box. You’ve heard of thinking outside the box? Now try working outside your own facility by doing freelance work on the side. This is a great way to stay fresh in your field and earn some extra income.
Social network with people you’ll never meet. Experiment with Twitter if you do nothing else in the next year. David Allen has been on Twitter for nearly two weeks and has 100,000 followers. That’s a wow in my book.
Publish for people you want to meet. Volunteer to write an article for someone or some organization that you enjoy. Many articles that I’ve published have come as a result of me reaching out to the publisher. Don’t wait for someone to discover you- become discovered through your own ingenuity.
Blog because you can. Blogging expands the creative capacity and gets things off your chest. Try it out via Wordpress.com or Typepad.com.
Listen empathically when you’re tempted to give up. Above all other steps, be a listener. As someone who wants to collaborate, it’s critical that you actually care about those around you. People can spot a phony. Dig in, get to know those around you and let your listening be a vehicle to care for them on a deeper level.