Implementing GTD with Yahoo! Calendar: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting Things Done or GTD is a popular productivity method developed by David Allen. It aims to help people manage their tasks and projects systematically and accomplish them in an organized manner. While GTD is primarily a paper-based system, many people are looking for ways to implement it using digital tools. Chris Wright, a blogger and GTD enthusiast, has written a two-part article on how he uses Yahoo! Calendar to implement his GTD setup. In this article, we delve deeper into his ideas and provide a step-by-step guide on how to use Yahoo! Calendar for GTD.

Overview of Chris Wright’s GTD Setup

Chris Wright’s GTD setup includes four essential components: calendar, tickler file, notepad, and address book. In his first article, he emphasizes the importance of having a reliable calendar system. According to him, the calendar is the central hub of the GTD system that helps him keep track of appointments, deadlines, and events. He also recommends using a paperless system to update the calendar in real-time and avoid cluttered reminders.

The next essential component in Chris’s GTD setup is the tickler file. A tickler file is a file system that helps users remember to follow up on tasks or events on a particular day. It is a collection of notes or documents that are categorized based on their due dates or urgency levels. In his article, Chris mentions that maintaining a paper-based tickler file can be time-consuming and challenging to manage. To solve this problem, he integrates the tickler file into his Yahoo! Calendar by adding tickler entries as all-day events and prefixing the title of the entry with ‘Tickler.’

Chris’s notepad system is another important component of his GTD setup. He uses a cloud-based notepad, such as Evernote or OneNote, to keep track of his ideas, notes, and to-do lists. He emphasizes the need for a notepad that syncs across all devices to ensure that he can access his notes anytime, anywhere.

Lastly, Chris’s GTD setup includes an address book. He uses a digital address book, such as Google Contacts or Apple iCloud, to store important contact details and information. Having a reliable address book helps him save time and avoid the hassle of looking up phone numbers or email addresses manually.

Integrating GTD with Yahoo! Calendar

In his second article, Chris provides a step-by-step guide on how to use Yahoo! Calendar for GTD. Here’s how you can set up your GTD system using Yahoo! Calendar:

Step 1: Create Task Categories

The first step is to create task categories in Yahoo! Calendar. You can do this by going to the ‘Preferences’ tab and selecting ‘Categories.’ Here, you can create new categories for your tasks and add colors to them. Chris recommends using different colors to distinguish between work-related and personal tasks.

Step 2: Set Up Tickler File

To set up the tickler file, create all-day events on Yahoo! Calendar and prefix the title with ‘Tickler.’ You can create a separate category called ‘Tickler’ and assign it a specific color. Each note should include a specific date to remind you of the event or task.

Step 3: Create To-Do Lists

To create to-do lists, create events on Yahoo! Calendar and prefix the title with ‘To-Do.’ You can assign each to-do list a specific color code and set the duration based on its urgency level. For example, a high-priority task can be assigned a duration of 30 minutes, while a low-priority task can be assigned a duration of 10 minutes.

Step 4: Add Notes and Attachments

To add notes and attachments to your events or tasks, use the ‘Notes’ section in Yahoo! Calendar. You can add links or attachments to important documents, such as PDFs or spreadsheets, to ensure that you have all the relevant information at your fingertips.

Step 5: Set Up Reminders

To set up reminders for your events and tasks, use the ‘Reminders’ feature in Yahoo! Calendar. You can set specific times for reminders, such as 15 minutes before an event or one day before a deadline. Reminders can be sent via email, SMS, or pop-up notifications, depending on your preferences.

Benefits of Using Yahoo! Calendar for GTD

Integrating GTD with Yahoo! Calendar has several benefits, including:

– Centralized hub for tasks and events
– Paperless and clutter-free system
– Real-time updates and syncing across devices
– Customizable categories and colors for easy organization
– Reminders and notifications to keep you on track
– Access to notes and attachments from anywhere, anytime

Conclusion

GTD is an effective productivity method that can help you achieve your goals efficiently. While a paper-based system is the traditional way of implementing GTD, digital tools like Yahoo! Calendar can provide a more convenient and accessible solution. By following Chris Wright’s ideas and step-by-step guide, you can easily set up your GTD system using Yahoo! Calendar and enhance your productivity.