Getting Things Done Part 2: Software

This is part two of my Getting Things Done series. You might want to read GTD: 43 Folders and GTD Part One: The Basics.

I think it is only appropriate, as I recommit myself to Pajama Professional, to discuss GTD (Getting Things Done). I have just recently discovered GTD and am attempting to find the right tools for each piece of my life. In this, the second part of the PJ Pro GTD series, I will take you along on my journey to find the perfect application to meet my organizational and productivity needs.

As I am a sucker for online apps (isn’t everyone these days?), I started my search for the perfect GTD application there. I had a small set of criteria because I wasn’t really sure what I would find:

1. Easy and Intuitive: I didn’t want to spend a load of time learning how to use it.
2. Fun and Pretty: If I am going to dedicate some of my time to a new application I want to enjoy it.
3. Free: My goal this year is to reduce my spending, not increase it to keep organized.
4. Online: I want to use it for work and home or else I’d just use a hipster PDA.

As I did general research about GTD, I wrote down applications that were mentioned in the (seems like) millions of articles devoted to Getting Things Done. There were some applications that were mentioned more than others (most notably Remember the Milk and Simple GTD) so I checked those out first. But I also wanted to do my own digging for the applications that were slightly off the beaten path. Here are my thoughts on just a very small sampling of some of the applications available to help you organize your life.

• Remember the Milk
  
  Perhaps the most mentioned of all the GTD to-do list apps, Remember the Milk is everything it is cracked up to be. It even had some features that I hadn’t considered but would certainly use. For instance, you can send new tasks to your RtM list via basically any wireless device (including your cellphone if you can sent SMS or email) and receive alerts back. You can also use the map feature to see where all your tasks take place. As with most of the online GTD apps, RtM can integrate with your Google Apps to make sure that every little piece of your life is as mobile as possible. Also, for those of you bloggers who want to set a posting schedule, RtM includes support for recurring features.
• Simple GTD
  
  Simple GTD is exactly that: simple. It is okay to look at, includes all the basic pieces of the original GTD system and, honestly, was just a bit too boring for me. I know that this is the sort of application I should use because it will require the lease amount of time to manage. However, I just can’t get away from number 2 on my list of requirements: Fun and Pretty. Function is important, but if I am going to spend all day every day checking in with an application, I want the form to fit as well.
• Gubb
  
  I used Gubb for a couple of weeks quite happily. It is very nice to look at and has some cool features (txt message updates, a five-star system for setting priorities and clickable links in the notes section for easy access). Ultimately, I stopped using it only because it lacked an intuitive method of adding heirarchy to tasks. Many of my projects (This article series is a great example) are large and need to be broken down into smaller tasks. I had the choice of creating a context for each large project or breaking it down into individual tasks and mentally (or through the notes field) keeping track of which larger project to which they belonged. Eventually I realized this was wasting my time and decided to search for another application.
• GTD Outlook Add-in
  
  A collaboration between The David Allen Company and Netcentrics, the add-in that is supposed to make Outlook a GTD powerhouse carries with a hefty price tag: $69.95. With all the free options available, I doubted I’d part with my money for a glorified task list. Luckily, there is a free trial version so I could read all about it and see it in action before I made my final decision.
• Jello Dashboard
  
  This is it. The Jello Dashboard is a free add-in for Outlook. It adds a GTD-style landing page in your application, allowing you to see your email, calendar and tasks list in one place. You can created contexts, projects (with heirarchy) and even have emails automatically sort to action folders based on rules. This application is seriously sweet.
  
  The only problem is I was looking for something that I could use online so it would be at work and at home. However, this app is just too cool and I realized that my home work and work work are so separate that I can use Jello for home without missing anything. I’m still playing with this application so if anyone has any cool tips or tricks related to it please let me know.

There are so many applications designed to work with a GTD system that you are sure to find one that works for you. If you would like to explore more options, I suggest Pricata Dot Com’s very thorough list and comparison of tons of GTD applications.

That’s it for part two of my GTD series. In part three I will be discussing methods of organizing your emails so that you can find what you need and keep your inbox clean.