Collect Habit: Ubiquitous capture.

Get it out of your head!

• The collection habit is simple:^^ have a very few amount of places to collect information and papers, and stick to that system.^^
  • ^^pick a very simple, portable, easy-to-use tool^^ for capture
  • a small notebook or small stack of index cards... The simpler the tools, the better.
  • and write down any tasks, ideas, projects, or other information that pop into your head. ^^
  • ^^When you get back to your home or office, empty your notes into your to-do list. ^^
• Inboxes:
  • For papers coming to your desk, you should have one place to collect them
  • Your capture tool is another inbox
  • so's email & chats
• The key with this capture habit is to write things down right away, before you forget, and to empty out your notebook as soon as you get home or to work. ^^Don't procrastinate with these two steps, or they will pile up and you will be less likely to do them.^^ Stay on top of it!

1. Process Habit: Make quick decisions on things in your inbox, do not put them off.

   • Process your inboxes (email, physical, voicemail, notebook) at least once a day, and more frequently if needed.
     • Letting stuff pile up is procrastinating on making decisions.
     • ^^When you process, do it from the top down, making quick and immediate decisions. Don't skip over it or put it back in or delay the decision.^^
       • Delete (or Archive?)
         • If you don't need it, trash it. ^^Make this your first choice^^.
       • Delegate.
         • Are you the person who should be doing this? If not, send it to someoneelse and get it off your plate.
       • Do
         • Immediately
           • ^^If the task will take 2 minutes or less, just do it^^
         • Defer for later.
           • ^^If it will take more than 2 minutes, add it immediately to your to-do list^^ to do later.
       • File it.
         • If it's something for reference, ^^file it immediately^^. Don't use a Miscellaneous or To Be Filed file - that's just putting off the decision. Don't let these pile up.
       • In all cases, don't leave the item in your inbox.
         • ^^Delete or file it. Work your way down through each item until your inbox is empty. ^^
         • Note: if you have hundreds of items in your inbox, it might be good to toss them all into a folder to be processed later (and schedule a couple hours to do that), and then start this process with all new items from that point on.
       • Repeat this process, to keep your inboxes empty.
         • If you've minimized the number of inboxes you have, this shouldn't be too hard.
         • ^^Celebrate when your inbox is empty!^^ It's a wonderful feeling.
         • Remember: ^^Don't check them all day long^^ - schedule your processing time - and
         • ^^definitely don't have instant notification on.^^
     • Minimize your inboxes.
       • Every place you have to go to check your messages or to read your incoming information is an inbox, and ^^the more you have, the harder it is to manage everything. ^^ Cut the number of inboxes down to the smallest number possible for you to still function

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   Here's how to process inboxes:

2. Plan Habit: Set MITs for week, day.

   • This is one of the simplest of the ZTD habits, but also one of the most important. Why? Because it ^^gives purpose to your day and week^^.
   • Often we work hard and do a lot, but when we look back on our day, we haven't really accomplished anything.
   • Instead of just trying to crank out a bunch of tasks on your to-do list, ^^you are trying to do the most important ones.^^
   • Sure, you'll also do other tasks on your list, but ^^you're identifying the ones that you really want to accomplish^^ - the ones^^ where you can look back on your day and feel proud of accomplishing something^^.
   • Here's the recommended (High Level) workflow of ZTD:
     1. Each week, list the Big Rocks (most important tasks) that you want to accomplish for that week, and schedule them first.
     2. Each day, create a list of 1-3 MITs (basically your Big Rocks for the day) and be sure to accomplish them.
     3. Do your MITs early in the day to get them out of the way and to ensure that they get done.
   • :hiccup [:hr]
   • Detailed Steps
     • Big Rocks
       • At the beginning of each week (either Sunday or Monday, you choose), sit down and look at your to-do list.^^ What do you want to accomplish this week? These are your "Big Rocks".^^
       • ^^put the Big Rocks in your schedule first,^^
       • ^^Try to keep your Big Rocks to just 4-6 accomplishments per week, at first ^^
       • later, as you get a feel for what you can accomplish, you might be able to add more.
       • Try to be sure to include at least a couple of tasks to further along your yearly goals.
     • Schedule
       • Now ^^take these "Big Rocks" and place them in your weekly schedule. Place only one or two per day,^^ so you aren't overwhelmed.
       • Place them in 1-2 hour blocks, early in the day if possible.
     • MIT's
       • ^^Each morning, decide what your Most Important Tasks are for that day.^^ These will probably be the same as your Big Rocks for the day, although as things change you might have different MITs.
       • ^^Choose about 3 MITs for the day ^^- this could include a Big Rock and a couple other important tasks.
       • Block out time for them early in the day if possible - if you put them later in the day, other things pop up that will get in the way.
     • Complete them
       • ^^First thing in the morning, before you even check email, get that first MIT done. ^^
       • Clear away all distractions, and be sure to focus on only that task until it's done.
     • Look back and say "ahh"
       • ^^If you complete your MITs, you will feel great. ^^
       • Be sure to ^^look back on what you've accomplished and pat yourself on the back ^^- or even reward yourself.

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3. Do Habit: Do one task at a time, without distractions.

   • This is (another)one of the most important habits in ZTD. ^^Emphasize the doing above the system, the tools, the planning, the to-do lists.^^
   • Doing
     1. Choose a Big Rock.
        • First, ^^select a task ^^(preferably one of your MITs) and ^^decide that you are going to work on it either until it's done, or for a set amount of time ^^(say 30 minutes).
        • ^^focus on it to the exclusion of all else. ^^
     2. Get zoned.
        • ^^First, eliminate all distractions. Shut off email, cell phone, Internet if possible (otherwise just close all unnecessary tabs), clutter on your desk^^ (if you follow habit 2, this should be pretty easy).
     3. Timed burst.
        • Then, set a timer if you like, or otherwise just ^^focus on your task for as long as possible. Don't let yourself get distracted from it.^^
     4. Interruptions.
        • If you get interrupted, write down any request or incoming tasks/info on your notepad, or toss the document into your inbox, and get back to your task.
     5. Don't try to multi-task.
        • If you feel the urge to check your email or switch to another task, ^^stop yourself. Breathe deeply. Re-focus yourself.^^ Get back to the task at hand.
     6. Interruptions (The inevitable): There are times when an interruption is so urgent that you cannot put it off until you're done with the task at hand. #[[Intermediate Packets]]
        • In that case, try to make a note of where you are (writing down notes if you have time) with the task at hand, and
        • put all the documents or notes for that task together and aside (perhaps in an "action" folder or project folder).
        • When you come back to that task, pull out your folder and look at your notes to see where you left off.
     7. Relax
        • Take deep breaths, stretch, and ^^take breaks now and then^^. Enjoy life. Go outside, and appreciate nature.
        • Keep yourself sane.
     8. Ahhhh (Celebrate)
        • When you're done, ^^congratulate yourself!^^
        • ^^Reward yourself ^^with a short burst of email or blogs - but limit it to 10 minutes, and then move on to your next task.
          • Don't let yourself get carried away - it's very easy to get off track and wander for hours.
   • Troubleshooting - Still finding resistance to doing the things on your list?
     1. Tiny chunk.
        • Tell yourself you only have to do 5 minutes of work on it. That small amount of work is less intimidating.
     2. Just start.
        • Once you get going, it's much easier to keep going. So tell yourself that all you have to do is start.
        • just fire up your program, and do the first few actions (i.e. start typing). It gets easier after that point.
     3. Reward yourself.
        • Don't let yourself check email (or whatever reward works for you - something that you need to do every day) until you do at least 10 minutes (or 15 or 20, it doesn't matter) on the task.
     4. Get excited about it.
        • If you are excited about doing something, you will not hesitate to do it.
        • What can you do with that revenue? Will it bring you new clients, new opportunities, new recognition? If you can't find anything exciting about a task, consider whether it's really important or not - and
        • if not, find a way to not do it. Sometimes eliminating (or delegating or delaying) the task is the best option.
     5. Stop focusing on negative aspects.
     6. Commit

4. Simple Trusted System Habit: Keep simple lists, check daily.

5. Organize Habit: A place for everything. All incoming stuff goes in your inbox.

6. Review Habit: Review your system and goals weekly.

7. Simplify Habit: Reduce your goals and tasks to essentials.

8. Routine Habit: set and keep routines.

9. Find your passion Habit: Seek work for which you're passionate.

10. A Day in the Life