In my past post, I mentioned a few ways in which –for me– GTD tends to fall short. What I didn’t expect was the dozen […]

My thinking very often tends to the relentlessly high level. I can reduce any problem or situation to an unanswerable philosophical question. I am the poster child of analysis paralysis.

It’s true that you will run into problems if you never stop and look at the bigger picture, but take it from me - it’s possible to go too far in the opposite direction, and it’s utterly crippling. I’m sure you understand this. As you say, it’s the old top-down vs. bottom up debate. You can’t ensure that you’ll find the correct balance for your situation, but you can ensure that you’ll get nowhere if you spend all your time looking.

Based soley on word of mouth in the blogosphere, I’m working on implementing GTD myself. Right now I’m not worried about bigger picture, because I’ve already spent far too much time thinking about it.

Thanks for the clarification. False alarm.

Conceptually, I think the solution is in the welding of GTD and 7 Habits at the 20000 feet level (areas of focus). I would equate these with Covey roles and anything 20000 feet and above is based on a 7 Habits approach, and 19999 feet and below is best served by GTD (projects and actions).

The Covey compass (roles & goals, big rocks, etc.) would be incorporated into the week’s hard landscape on the calendar.

The thing that really is hard to reconcile between the two is Covey’s time matrix (do Q1 and Q2 only), and GTD’s “track even the small stuff to get it off your mind” approach, which could involve Q3 or Q4 activities.

I also think there’s a little guidance to be taken from Sally McGhee’s book “Take Back Your Life!”, which is GTD’s separated-at-birth twin. She organizes projects and next actions around meaningful objectives, which could also be equated to Covey roles and goals. Worth a read as well, if you’re trying to fill in the gaps in GTD.

and instead of reading i can get to sleep each and every night with the lord’s prayer.. it’s about surrender, forgiveness and… and most of all letting go. it’s no secret, but I also recommend deep breathing. simple things to keep you sane in stressful times.

btw. thanks for fixing the washing machine sweetie.

This is why I try to incorporate both Covey and Allen into my routine. The problem I have with Covey is that it’s too high-level for my daily work, interruptions (etc.). That’s where GTD fits in. I still agree with and re-read Covey to get back to the mindset that I think you’re talking about.

As for the GTD zelots, I don’t think Mr. Allen nor Mr. Covey wrote their respective books as the end all, be all methods of “getting things done.” IMHO, they wrote them to provide tools to help people be more productive and resourceful in their own lives on their own terms, not to be the new savior of all that is organizational.

Take and use what works for you personally. For example, I use Covey PlanPlus for Outlook for the macroworld planning I like to do: Who am I? (compass, roles) What do I want to accomplish in my life (goals, roles). Who is important to me? (roles). WHy are they important (roles, goals, and compass). Covey provides good tools and philosophy to help break down the big picture items into smaller chunks, which can then be drilled into by the GTD methodology.

But both philosophies overlap. The best tools, (and GTD abd Covey are just that, TOOLS) leave many ways to accomplish the same things for the very important reason as to allow customization, adaptability, and versitility.

Another point is that the five steps to project planning highlighted in the GTD book, can very well work for planning one’s life as well.

There is also a good post by Steve Pavlina on this:

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/the-essential-missing-half-of-getting-things-done/