Why I Moved from Getting Things Done to the Time Sector System
GTD and Me #
I first read David Allen's "Getting Things Done" not long after it was first published in 2001. I found David's system to be so compelling that I read through it with blazing speed. After I finished, I immediately started over so that I could give it a close read and actually implement his system for my own life. There was so much about the system that made sense to me:
- The notion of a "trusted system", rather than our brains, to hold our tasks.
- The focus on easy, low friction collection of thoughts, ideas, and tasks into that "trusted system".
- The recognition of different working contexts.
- The simple, powerful idea of a "next action" for a project.
Over time, I modified and augmented this system to suit my needs, but the core characteristics and processes I used came directly from Mr. Allen. At the risk of patting myself on the back too hard, I was a productivity black-belt. I got a lot done with minimal stress and frustration. No routines slipped through the cracks. I felt good about my goals and my progress. Friends and colleagues began to recognize my skill and would casually ask me for tips. My ability to coach others grew to the point of starting my own moderately successful, but short-lived, side business as a productivity coach.
During my work coaching others I started to detect some cracks in the foundation of my processes. Managing contexts, projects, and lists felt heavier and heavier to me. I started using some parts of the system less and less. Much of my work felt less like a "project" and more like a shapeless cloud of work that I needed to do. My frustration grew and my focus slipped.
Enter Carl Pullein and The Time Sector System #
I had been follwing Carl Pullein on Youtube for a number of years and I've appreciated his no-nonsense approach to managing lists in Todoist. His way of working aligned well with Mr. Allen and I incorporated some of his ideas for myself (and my previous clients).
Mr. Pullein's set of goal and task management coalesced into his "Time Sector System" which I've adopted. Here's what I love about it and why I feel like it's more modern, sensible, and usable than any system I've come across for one simple reason.
It puts "time", not "projects", at the center of your planning. In GTD, your focus was centered around projects and the tasks inside them. The calendar (your time) was a supporting tool. In TSS, your tasks, areas of focus, goals, and planning are built upon the time you have available.
It may seem subtle at first, but it's a sizable shift. It removes a significant amount of weight from your daily and weekly reviews. The "organizational scaffolding" around my tasks, goals, and projects is much lighter, easier to fine-tune, and faster to review. It's more like riding a bicycle and less like driving a car.
I highly recommend reading Mr. Pullein's book, watching his videos, or taking his course. All available at his website. (This is not an affiliate link, just a personal endorsement).