Productivity Formula: GTD + "12 weeks a year"

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

2015 was an unexpectedly productive year for me. There have been so many positive changes this year that have not happened in the past six years.

Let's start with the fact that I have enough desire for growth and development. The problem is that by nature I am more of a dreamer and planner than a doer and plowman. It's easier for me to admire new ideas and plan endlessly than implement them. Therefore, the upward movement was difficult and slow.

12 weeks a year

But at the end of 2014, the book “12 weeks a year. How to do more in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months. A very loud headline makes my skepticism shout no less loudly. But if a book is about an interesting topic and about something new, then why not read it? At least a few first pages.

And just from these first pages, the authors began to dispel skepticism with reasoned arguments, research and common sense. The theory is speculatively correct, beautiful and inspiring. But the best test for any theory is practice, which I immediately took up.

Have I done more in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months? It's hard for me to say. I will say one thing for sure: now in 12 weeks I do more than I did in 12 months before! And for me it came as a surprise, because I couldn’t believe that such a thing was possible.

I will say right away that this is not a quarterly planning system. This is a different way of thinking and even - to some extent - new tools. “12 weeks a year” allows you to change the way you think and learn how to act correctly. The system helps you focus on those methods that are necessary to achieve high results.

Within the framework of the article, it is impossible to describe the system itself and the reasons for its effectiveness. Therefore, I advise you to read the book (you can) or attend a free webinar, which will be held as part of the online training "" at the SmartProgress platform.

GTD methodology: nowhere without it

So, in order not to mark time, there is a system of "12 weeks a year" ("12-week year"). And so that the endless stream of incoming thoughts, ideas, tasks and projects does not drive you crazy, you need a methodology to increase the personal effectiveness of GTD. After all, no matter how purposeful and independent we are, no one has canceled the routine yet. As it turned out, these two systems of self-organization are very harmoniously combined and complement each other.

GTD helps us to have a free mind for creativity and at the same time not miss anything, keeping us from rush jobs, punctures and stress. "12-week year" - not to lose focus and dedication. To put everything together, structure, not get confused and have quick access, I use the MyLifeOrganized computer organizer.

MLO: collect and organize

If you do not know about this organizer or have no idea how to work with it, read the articles about and. Here I will tell you about the task processing algorithm.

It all starts simply: ideas and thoughts come to us, tasks, projects appear and are sent to the basket. At the right time, we disassemble the basket, make decisions, structure, assign contexts, distribute to projects.

We deal with the routine according to the classical laws (David Allen), but for the symbiosis of GTD and the "12-week year" it is necessary to create a special folder and context. Let's call them simply - 12. All projects and tasks for the "12-week year" fall into the folder. We need the context to create tabs and views. There should be five of them.

1. All projects and tasks of the "12-week year"

The tab is done by simply focusing on folder 12 and pinning the default view. Everyone chooses the structure of the folder to taste. I organized it by areas of life: spirituality, family, professional activity, health, development, everyday life, relationships …

2. Unplanned

Like the previous one, it is created using focus, but a filter is applied to it, filtering out all tasks and projects for which any time period is selected. Opens at the end or beginning of a “year” (every 12 weeks) to plan for the next “year”. We do this by simply specifying the "Year" value in the task properties. Each such task disappears from the Unplanned tab and appears in the Annual Plan tab.

3. Annual plan

The tab is created from the To-Do list, to which the filter is applied: the context is 12, the goal is "Year". Helps to plan actions for the month. Everything is done as simply as in the previous case: for purposes we change the “Year” to “Month” and the task, disappearing from this tab, appears in the “Monthly plan” tab.

4. Monthly plan

To create it, use the previous tab, changing the value from "Year" to "Month" in the filter. We open the tab once a week, select tasks for the next seven days and set the goal for them “Week”.

5. Weekly plan

This tab differs from the previous ones again by filtering by the "Target" property. And here it is - "Week". We look at it every day, or even several times a day to determine what to do for today. We mark the completed tasks.

It may seem that this is all - unnecessary body movements that only complicate the achievement of the goals of the "12-week year". But in reality it is very difficult to keep focus, and it is the presence of quick access to clear lists that helps not to be distracted, not to waste time analyzing and searching, while avoiding unnecessary stress.

If something remains unclear for you, ask questions in the comments and sign up for the webinar. See you.