Comments on: Why Google Reader and GTD Don’t Mix

By: Ken Clark

Ken Clark — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:17:59 +0000

Glenn — thanks for the note. I do think your “radio” analogy is correct. One of the points I was trying to make here was not that I want to think of RSS as an inbox, but instead that most RSS readers embrace the inbox paradigm instead of the radio or stream view of the world. Imagine if your Twitter client pinged you with an unread count – it would be horrible, and you could never catch-up; yet that’s just what RSS readers (still…) do.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:28:20 +0000

Hi,

Do you really see your RSS feeds as an inbox? That must stress you out! I see RSS more as “radio”. I tune in once in a while, mark posts I find useful, and just quit the browser. Same thing with podcasts. I never bother going back to listen to old episodes, I just skip to the latest.

By: HOWTO: Get Things Done in General | MentalPolyphonics

HOWTO: Get Things Done in General | MentalPolyphonics — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:56:11 +0000

[...] issue is that Google Reader doesn’t work well with GTD. I need to figure out how to separate the feeds that are inboxen from those that are “maybe [...]

By: Ken Clark

Ken Clark — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:28:03 +0000

Hi Jared, Yes and no. The next gen of web apps like Twitter, FriendFeed, etc. are based on streams so if you are reading news feeds via those services, yes. However I am not aware of any traditional RSS readers, such as NetNewsWire and Google Reader, which have implemented a streaming model as of yet. One site that you might want to check out is called streamy, which acts as a front-end to Google Reader and I believe does "stream" news content. I have only briefly looked at it, so can't say 100% how it works.

By: Jared

Jared — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:38:31 +0000

Are there any RSS Readers that actually implement this model?

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:59:45 +0000

Great tips.
For implementing GTD you can use this web-based application:

http://www.Gtdagenda.com

You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.

By: Ken Clark

Ken Clark — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:12:22 +0000

Absolutely. I have had a couple false starts with GTD, but right now am in a really good place where I have a nice system that is working well for me. As far as email is concerned, I get my inbox to zero (at least for work email…) every day. Once you get a system in place that works for you and good habits formed, you can do it.

Here’s where to start:

First, read Merlin Mann’s article on setting up a “DMZ” inbox to get a clean start. This is the best way to just start fresh:

http://www.43folders.com/2006/01/04/email-dmz

Second, read his post on “the inbox makeover”. This goes through the basic strategies on how to manage email:

http://www.macworld.com/article/44327/2005/04/tipsinbox.html

Finally, if you really want to do the deep dive on email mastery, go to his website and check out the whole Inbox Zero series:

http://www.43folders.com/izero

Good luck. –Ken

By: Gina in VT

Gina in VT — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:54:18 +0000

Does the GTD thing really work for you? Is your email inbox really not cluttered? I ask because both my personal and work email inboxes are in the 1,000 + range and it’s overwhelming to even think about how to fix it. I think I have that book and skimmed it once, but I don’t think I have embraced it very well! I need to do something though… my email is out of control.