Productivity.
It’s a subject that is becoming increasingly important as we continue forward into the internet age where information is more easily and readily available. While easier access to information is great, at the same time it’s also becoming easier than ever to become distracted. We’re not just talking about the latest cute cat video on YouTube either. There are many things that on the surface may seem harmless but can in actuality be detrimental to working efficiently. These include checking Twitter, your RSS news feed, or even emails.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with taking mental breaks throughout the workday—and let’s face it, it’s necessary—but being able to maintain your focus and tackle your to-do list efficiently will leave you happier and feeling more accomplished at the end of the day. What’s more, this applies not only to the workplace, but outside it as well with family, friends, events, and errands. We hear of many ways people attempt to keep their focus during the day, varying from tackling their most dreaded task first, to timed work-break cycles, and for the telecommuting crowd, even setting their home router to block certain websites (such as Facebook, Twitter, or Digg) during certain times of the day. All of these methods have their own pros and cons, however in this post I’d like to take a specific look at productivity itself.
As luck would have it, people have been studying the art of being productive for a very long time now and have come up with many ideas on the subject. If you’ve looked into productivity lately, chances are you’ve seen or heard of a book (and methodology) called Getting Things Done written by David Allen. His methodology revolves around sorting tasks beyond simple prioritization, also taking into account the context required for each item. There is also strong emphasis on breaking down larger tasks into smaller pieces, as well as frequent reviews in order to keep your to-do list relevant. Overall, it is a fantastic strategy for accomplishing tasks efficiently and with the least stress.
Since this methodology (and others) have gained attention, many software applications have been created to help implement them. For a long time I used a program called OmniFocus ($79, Free 14-day trial, Mac only). However recently I’ve switched to a program called Things ($49.95, Free 15-day trial, Mac only) because prefer it’s interface. However, there are many alternatives that can be used on Windows and Linux, or even across all three with a web-based application called Remember the Milk. Regardless of your preferred application to implement the GTD method, your life will surely be less stressful and more productive as a result.
