exvigilare

Since I’ve had time to read over the last couple of months I’ve become an advocate of David Allen’s Getting Things Done. I find it to be personally helpful in organizing all the crap in my life. I highly recommend it if you’d like to become more productive, both personally and professionally.

There are a few parts of this approach that don’t quite ring as true as other parts, though. The whole airplane/altitude analogy isn’t really helpful to me, although I can see how it would benefit others. I also think there’s a step missing. Given the recent glut of Christmas presents added to the already-too-full small house, I came up with an additional first step. 1A, if you will.

I’m not even going to copywright it, even though it’s got Sure Fire Money Maker written all over it. It’s yours, take it. I call it Throwing Shit Out. Take a trash bag and stroll through the house. If you step on a Barbie, put it in the bag. Do you spy some quaint arts and crafts project that was really cute for about 5 minutes but is now just taking up space because no one wants to get rid of it? Add it to the bag.

Paper - don’t even get me started on paper. A match might make this go faster, but check your homeowners insurance carrier first. They might not see the humor (or effectiveness).

Don’t throw away any new Christmas toys, but hiding some away for next year is perfectly acceptable. Last year’s presents that have hardly been played with? Feel free to get a bigger bag. I recommend doing this while your spouse is away and the children are otherwise occupied.

But this is yours. Take it.

I’m a giver.