The problem with The Weekly Review is
The problem I have with Getting Things Done is The Weekly Review. I read in someone’s sig that “if you aren’t doing the weekly review you aren’t doing GTD” which is largely true. But TWR is something that has to be done in a fairly sizable single chunk of time. It isn’t something that you can break down into smaller pieces and tackle bit by bit.
I think that is the reason why many people fall off the GTD wagon is because they don’t do the TWR more often. So any ideas of making the TWR easier and more bite-sized? Or do you disagree with me that TWR is the weak point of GTD?
I’ve been trying to get my head around the weekly review, and I’ve been a bit turned off by it for the same reasons – large time investment. However, I’ve tried to bite the bullet and commit the 2 hours every week (I’m using Allen’s recommended ’2pm Friday’ regular time). The biggest pluses are a) getting IN to zero, and b) confidence that my projects and someday/maybe lists are complete. Also, as I said elsewhere (http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/2005/08/actually-getting-things-done-with.html), I’ve found the mind sweep to be very helpful when my head is full of negative thoughts and feeling overwhelmed. I just start blasting out items and pretty soon I’m feeling better. In fact, in addition to doing the sweep weekly, I do it as needed during the week, usually at night when I’m having trouble getting to sleep.
matt
Hi Matt,
I’m usually quite good at getting IN to zero, but that’s cause I can do it bit by bit. I’ve got a good handle on the filing aspect of GTD but still the Weekly Review is a task that I keep putting off. Reading your blog, you’ve been GTD’ing since May (it also took me a little over 2 months to do the first clean sweep). How long have you been biting the bullet on TWR? The reason I ask is I believe that unless it is easier, you can force yourself to do it through sheer willpower for a time but human nature dictates that you will slowly veer off-course.
That may sound like an excuse but it isn’t. I am just in the camp that believes the worst advice to combat procastination is “too work harder, to have more discipline”. Like the “ticket on the forehead” trick, I believe that if you make things easier and foolproof the discipline side of things will largely be taken care of.
GTD recommends that you do filing as it comes in (which I do) and should be fun (which it is almost). It also advocates NAs which are the smallest next physical action you can take to move a project along. I’ve found this helpful too (eating an elephant, one bite at a time). So why can’t the key element be broken down?