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Product Reviews:
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity |
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Summary: Would prevent you from getting things done...
Comments: I purchased this book since it has such high reviews on Amazon. Unfortunately, all the book supplies are obsessive techniques on how to organize your tasks. Still, you would come up with them yourself anyway as they are all basic common sense.
If anything, taking the time to read this book takes precious time from your schedule to really get things done...
Sorry, however after reading this book I am not more organized than I have been before, and my tendency to procrastinate is still alive and kicking... |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: A pamphlet would have sufficed.
Comments: David Allen's Getting Things Done system is actually quite useful, however you certainly do not need to read this book to implement it. In fact, reading the book might turn you away from the methodology as it did me.
There are definite, glaring problems with Allen's style. For example, he relies heavily on hypothetical cases, often providing examples that are similar. This makes for a dull, repetitive read, and the simplicity of the examples makes the repetition seem a little offensive.
Also, the illustrations in the book are practically useless. there is only1useful figure (a flowchart) in the whole book. In fact, Allen recognizes the significance of this flowchart by presenting it in3different places (see pp. 36, 120, 139 of the paperback)!!
In short, save the $15. If you are serious about developing a methodology, go to your friendly local bookstore, grab this book off the shelf, look at page 36 (or 120, or 139), memorize the flowchart, replace the book, and leave. If you feel guilty not purchasing the book after gleaning this insight, then head over to Amazon Marketplace and purchase my Used-Like New copy for a great price (with super quick shipping!!). |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: A great self-help book for those who want to knock off1of their new year resolutions
Comments: This is a great book. I was skeptical of these self-help books however after I got it as a gift for the new year last year, I found it to be helpful in changing the way I handle my work. I found myself happier and less stressed and having more free time from the advice in this book. Well worth it!! |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: greatbye Franklin Covey and Daytimer
Comments: Finally, the1true organizational system that focuses on outcome (productivity) instead of process. It actually clears your mind.
Throughout the years, I have received formal and recurring employer sponsored training in both Daytimer and Franklin Covey organizational and time management system. These were primarily paper based approaches. While clearly capable and expansive (if not expensive) systems (when properly trained), they engage you in processes that can be overwhelming. Simply assembling the planner systems can be a chore that seems to never end (folders, sections, paper based contacts, project management tabs, task tabs, delegated tabs, A-Z filing system, calendar, goals tabs, priorities tabs, personal vs. business tabs, the list goes on). I often found myself more engaged in assembling and reassembling the system more than anything else. By my conservative calculations, I must have spent at least $3,000 on various paper based systems over the last 5 years; not including software integration attempts (all failed).
The GTD system breaks through the aforementioned paradigms and views ething in your life as "stuff" without regard to whether it is personal or business. Essentially you have1intake point for ething. From there, you decide where to place your "stuff" until it is actionable. I will not bother getting into all the details in this review as there are many websites dedicated to the GTD philosphy that can do a much better job.
Suffice it to say that the GTD system is analagous to an ever changing task list. I use toodledo.com to manage my task list using the folder system in David's book. Toodledo.com integrates with my Iphone so that I always have my task list with me ewhere I go. It is important to note that appointments and meetings are treated as tasks and placed in the Agenda folder.
The book is an easy read and there is an incredible amount of supplementary material on the web. Just Google GTD. |
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Summary: Some useful information, however not that great of a book
Comments: This book is about organization. It says little about prioritization and time-management. It contains nothing about actually *planning* or *doing* anything. The system boils down to making elaborate "what I need to do next" lists for e project you want to accomplish in your life, and to review and update these lists often. For e item on your list, either trash it, delegate it, save it for later, or just do it. It's great advice if you find yourself stuck at a roadblock or overwhelmed by a sheer number of tasks.
According to the book, pretty much e project consists of an endless string of simple tasks such as "call X", "email Y", and "attend meeting with Z". Unfortunately the book barely discusses the planning required for difficult jobs that involve significan notly more time and forward thinking than accomplishing the almost all immediate step. It's all about "go go go" and "do do do". If you have5minutes to spare, it's time to check your list for a call you could make or an email you could write. The resulting productivity strikes me as borderline manic. If you need to keep a folder of Post-It notes in a filing cabinet to deal with your spouse (as the book suggests), you've got problems.
Regarding the actual text, the book is too long (only Chapters 4-9 are needed, the rest is self-referential filler), too general, and written condescendingly in an annoying office-speak lingo that will make anyone who actually *does* work for a living (ie: not management) cringe.
If your path to inner bliss involves relying on your CPA to remind you when to purge your tax archives so you can free up your mind to relax with a glass of chardonnay by your koi pond at sunset, then you will love this book. |
