... think about actioning my to do list

My to do list would make David Allen cringe. This is odd because as someone with mild OCD I'm a big fan of the concept behind the GTD (Getting Things Done) methodology: removing tasks and actions from the mind by keeping a record of them either on paper or electronically.

I have all the GTD tools: the filing system (daily, yearly, A-Z), colour coded post-it notes and cards for recording actions against life areas (home, work, kids) and of course the book. And for the last year I've also followed David Allen on Twitter reading some of his links with great interest.

'Yes' I think, 'I'll start doing that.' But what is it that stops me from actually getting on with it, from getting things done?

Basically, I take the Why Don't You approach and 'go out and do something less boring instead.' Why sort out my filing when I could join my 6 year old on the zipwire in our garden? And do I really want to categorise all the things I need to do on different coloured cards, stored in different folders? Well yes I'm the sort of person who'd love it, but I'd much rather be cooking and listening to The Boss or Radio 2. It's not that I'm totally dismissing the GTD system merely assigning it to a yellow postcard for action another day.

I get that if I actually organised myself in a GTD way, I might have more time to read, go to the cinema, sit around with girlfriends or maybe take on another client. But the problem is, I manage to fit these things in around my slightly chaotic approach to life and every now and then I get to treat myself to a day of sorting, shredding and filing.

As we have 30 people joining us for a party on Saturday I feel it would be wise to do an office clear out before then, if only I didn't have the tree to decorate, Christmas school plays to attend and a family gathering in the Midlands for the annual Christmas present exchange. That said, I've got a few spare minutes...maybe I'll check out these lovely filing products first...JIC (just in case).