More GTD
The CreativePro newsletter that just landed in my inbox contains an article, Getting Thing Done, on using the GTD method to increase your creativity. D. Keith Robinson writes "I believe that a good designer can be made and the skills needed to be a genuinely creative person can come through discipline, learning, and practice, not just god-given talent. Working hard and getting things done can lead to a more creative life, I'm sure of it."
This feels like a little bit of synchronicity to me, confirming the path I've chosen to travel. I'm creative, and I'm okay at what I do, but I want to be exceptional. That means a lot of work, and I've got a lot of projects floating around in my head. As I tend to need a lot of organization and structure in my work habits, GTD seems to work pretty naturally for me. I'm already doing, or am in the process of doing, many of the things that Robison discusses. I'm just working on building the habits.
The process he outlines:
- Capture Everything: Write it all down so you don't have to remember it.
- Focus on Creativity: Remove distractions, concentrate on one task at a time.
- Creative Context: Create project lists based on location (i.e. @home, @office) so that when you have a few spare moments, you can pull up the relevant list and complete a couple of tasks.
- Do a Creative Review: Record ideas, inspiration, and resources as you come across them and then make a habit of reviewing them at least once a week.
- Make a Habit of Being Creative: Set up creative goals and routines. For example, Robison tries to take at least one photo per day and write 1,500 words of fiction per week.
If you're interested in learning more about Getting Things Done, he also provides these links:
Best wishes for creative productivity!