Overloaded with ideas, emails, and responsibilities? This week, GTD® coach Meg Edwards shares practical ways to clear your capture tools and inbox, and step back for clarity so you can regain focus and control.
Dealing With Capture Phase Overwhelm
If your capture tool is overflowing with ideas and tasks, don’t feel like it’s a problem unique to you. In this video, Meg shows how to:
- Keep every idea that comes to mind without cluttering your lists
- Organize with greater clarity so the best ideas rise to the top
- Know when to act and when to let ideas incubate
- Turn someday/maybe items into a practical next actions when the time is right
Making Your Inbox Manageable
Getting to Inbox Zero is a top goal for many new GTD practitioners. In this video, Meg shows how one client turned a chaotic inbox of 25,000 emails into a calm, organized workspace. Key takeaways:
- Stop working out of your inbox. Use a trusted tool to manage your work instead.
- Archive ruthlessly. Most emails aren’t actionable, but don’t delete everything. Archiving keeps you organized without losing important info.
- Clarify and organize regularly. Keep your inbox stress-free by processing emails consistently.
- Leverage the weekly review. Even if daily clearing isn’t realistic, aim for inbox zero weekly to maintain control.
Step Back to See the Bigger Picture
Even experienced GTD users can feel overwhelmed when new responsibilities are foisted upon them. In this video, Meg shares a client story where a surge of family obligations felt paralyzing.
However, the breakthrough wasn’t about working faster. By stepping up a level and reviewing their areas of focus and responsibilities, they were able to:
- Identify new accountabilities without feeling overwhelmed.
- Translate responsibilities into clear projects and next actions.
- Create a realistic plan for discussion, delegation, and execution.
- Approach their inbox, notes, and list with a calm focus, knowing everything had its place.
Quote of the Week
“If more information were the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” – Derek Sivers
Overwhelm is universal. Share this newsletter with a colleague.
Cheers,
GTD Focus
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