GTD and Outlook 2007

GTD?AND Outlook

?

2007

DavidAllen

A smarter way to work and live

? David Allen & Co. 2002, 2008 All rights reserved.

No part of this document may be reproduced, copied or distributed without express permission from The David Allen Company.

Each copy is licensed to one individual for personal use only.

Getting Things Done and GTD are registered trademarks of David Allen & Company.

Outlook is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Updated for Outlook version 2007.

7Conclusion

8

Speed Key Tips Sheet 2Setting up Outlook Tasks as an Action List Manager

New definitions of “Category” and “Task” (9)

Instructions for customizing your Task view (10)

Customize your categories to work as lists (16)

The best categories to start with (17)

Linking projects to actions (24)

Marking entries private (25)

How to create a Task using the shortcut keys (26)

Using due dates (26)

Working with completed Tasks........................................................................................................................................263Using the Calendar

Time-specific actions (27)

Day-specific actions (27)

Day-specific information (28)

How to create a Calendar entry using shortcut keys (29)

Reviewing your action choices.........................................................................................................................................314Managing E-mail

How to get email to zero (33)

Organizing actionable emails (34)

Delegating through Outlook (36)

Option for categorizing emails ........................................................................................................................................365Other Useful Lists

How it works as a list manager (37)

Some great categories and lists (39)

Capturing information on the go.......................................................................................................................................406Tips about Contacts

Get good at creating new entries (41)

Creative use of search...................................................................................................................................................41Additional resources.....................................................................................................................................................42Contents

1Getting the most out of Outlook (2)

The best practices of Getting Things Done (3)

The need for simple lists (3)

Making your lists portable (4)

Speed up your processing............................................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/065061574.html,

On a BlackBerry, look for the Filter option under the Tasks menu to view your Tasks by category. On

a Palm handheld, view by Category to see your lists by category.

Before choosing a handheld device, we suggest checking with your IT department first to see what device they will support and will allow to connect to your corporate data. Whatever system you end up using, master the basics early on, so that you are on “automatic,” i.e., you’re just using it, not thinking about how to use it, and not trusting your head more than the tool.

page 9Using the Tasks function as a projects and actions list manager works extremely well, if you simplify the View and customize your Categories. In Outlook 2007, Microsoft introduced the idea of the To-Do bar, which is available throughout Outlook. While similar to Tasks, there are some key differences between Task and To-Do items.

A “task” is an item that you create in Outlook Tasks. A To-Do item is any Outlook item, such as a task, an email message, an appointment or a contact, that has been flagged for follow-up. By default, in Outlook 2007, all tasks are automatically flagged for follow-up when they are created, even if they have no start date or due date. Therefore, whenever you create a task, or flag an email message, appointment or a contact, a to-do item is created automatically.

Since GTD does not rely on using “follow-up flags” to determine your priorities (we suggest a trusted inventory of your projects and actions that you review regularly will be the best intuitive measure about what to do), we will be working primarily with the Tasks view in Tasks, not the “To-Do” view for your Action lists. Since Tasks will automatically appear in the To-Do bar, we will be using the “To-Do Bar” as a useful way to work with your Action items from the Inbox and Calendar views, which will be discussed in more detail later in this guide.

New definitions of “Category” and “Task”

Using our method, “Categories” become list titles and “Tasks” are all list items. In other words, the Categories will represent the various contexts (such as “Projects”, “Calls”, “Home”, etc.), and the “New Task” dialog will be the form to enter anything that goes on any of those lists. Assigning a category to a task will organize it onto your lists. The end-result is a powerful action list manager, with all of your work organized and tracked into a logical, intuitive and trusted system. An example of Outlook Tasks, organized as a GTD list manager:

2Action List Manager Setting up Outlook Tasks as an

view, click on the categories button in the Outlook toolbar or