Are productivity systems for everyone?
Is it only certain types of people who benefit from the productivity systems such as Getting Things Done (GTD) that people like me know and love? Or is it that while everyone can enjoy the benefit, but not everyone can see that benefit?
I ask this because the response I get when I talk about or somehow demonstrate my productivity system varies from person to person. Some are fascinated and want to know more. Many are nonplussed. Others make fun.
Does this reflect different people’s ways of working? Or their attitudes to anything even seen as approaching self-help? Does the fact that there are so many productivity blogs and so much chatter about the issue online reflect the types of people that use the internet?
Are the mockers genuinely amused or are they threatened by the idea that they are doing something ‘wrong’?
I guess this goes to the roots of why some people like some things and others prefer other things. My hunch is that systems like GTD appeal to people who like order and being in control. So while disorganised people might wish they were less so, do they lack a crucial je ne sais quoi that would allow them to become more effective?
If the mighty GTD can only touch those who have the right attitude and outlook to accept it, what happens to the rest? Can they be turned toward the light (sounds like I’m trying to convert people, yikes). Or do the productivity systems need to adapt to reach this new audience. If the latter, how?
If I were cleverer I’d have a smart suggestion or four to throw down at this point. But I’m not, so I haven’t. Can you do better? Then don’t dally, drop your thoughts in the comments.
photo credit: Bill Ruhsam
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Dear Pants-On-Faster,
I agree that some people like having order and control. GTD provides a good system to allow these people to get closer to their goal - control.
Other people, like me, don’t feel like we need to be in control of everything. We are happy to leave things a bit free and loose. We react to things as they happen. This doesn’t mean we don’t get things done (DGTD); important decisions will always have to be made whether you have them in a list or not. The less important things will work themselves out, or don’t really matter. Also, sometimes the best things happen spontaneously, and maybe you don’t want to cut that out of your life.
People like me will actually feel more stressed if we were forced to operate using something like GTD. In a world which is dominated by such a huge amount of demands and pressures, with not enough time to fulfill them all, you have to decide: do I want to try my hardest to do as much as possible in this time, or will I admit that some things will not get done.
Everyone is different, and GTD is fantastic if you like using it and really feel like you get the benefit, but don’t expect everyone to feel the benefit. It’s certainly wrong to think that people who don’t use it are somehow ‘missing out’.
Right, that spontaneous rant took a little longer than expected. I’ve got a “shit load” of stuff to do now. If only there was some way to organise things!
Michael
I’m glad to see people using CC licensed content! Especially *my* CC licensed content.
To respond to your question: I think that there is a set of people who look for organization and naturally gravitate to “systems” such as GTD. Others don’t care. I like to visualize this like the graph of the tangent function; on either side of the tipping point people slide off farther and farther from each other.
You can only come to GTD (or other system) by yourself. Proselytizing has very little effect. If a person doesn’t recognize a need, they’re not going to make any changes.
The only exception I can see to this rule is by forcing a particular system on a team by the reigning management, but I’d question the utility of that. Again, if people don’t see a need, they’re not going to buy in. One approach is to convince them that in order for *you* to function well, *they* need to supply you with data/tasks in a manner which fits your system, then slowly try to have them adopt that system as the best way to mesh with you.
No, productivity systems are not for everyone.
But those who want to excel at something, either in their profession or business, must know that being organized is crucial. Choose whatever system you like and you can use, but choose one because if you are not productive and organized, you are surely competing with someone who is.