  photo credit: jazzmasterson |
Lately I’ve been working with a few tools that help me streamline my various tasks and workflows. Over the next few posts, I’ll dive into them and my reasons for using them.
First off, the Two Minute Timer.
If you’ve been been under a rock for the last few years then this reference to David Alan’s book, Getting Things Done
Process
When processing a bucket, a strict workflow is followed:
- Start at the top.
- Deal with one item at a time.
- Never put anything back into ‘in’.
- If an item requires action:
- Do it (if it takes less than two minutes), OR
- Delegate it, OR
- Defer it.
- If an item does not require action:
- File it for reference, OR
- Throw it away, OR
- Incubate it for possible action later.
If it takes under two minutes to do something, just do it immediately. The two-minute rule is a guideline, encompassing roughly the time it would take to defer the action formally.
All right then, you’re up to speed on the Two Minute Rule. The tool I’ve been using to help me keep track of two minutes isn’t the ‘official’ two minute timer, rather an un-official one created with .NET.
Elegant in its simplicity, the Two Minute Timer works. Plain and simple. Easy to read, and easy to use. Not much more to say but that’s part of beauty. It simply works.
Related posts:
- Did you Get Things Done? Measuring productivity with RescueTime.
- Networking — what’s it all about…
- Mini-Book Review: A Case of Exploding Mangoes
- A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything
- A great tool if you’re writing on a deadline
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For implementing GTD you might try out this web-based application:
Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version is available too.
As with the last update, now Gtdagenda has full Someday/Maybe functionality, you can easily move your tasks and projects between “Active”, “Someday/Maybe” and “Archive”. This will clear your mind, and will boost your productivity.
Hope you like it.
Hi DanGTD,
That looks interesting, I’ll have to take a closer look at it…thanks for letting me know!
I love the 2 minute rule. I get so many things out of the way when I use it. A timer is a great idea, otherwise it’s easy to get sidetracked from processing. This one looks the goods.
Hi Journeyer,
When I do my morning scan and processing, I find it invaluable to start a timer. As you said, it’s too easy to get sidetracked. It also forces me into a sense of determination…‘Must get this dealt with inside of two minutes!’