Created small presentation to teach a colleague how to use "Getting things done" to keep his inbox empty, and process all his emails in an efficient way.

1. Getting Things Done
An Interpretation For Handling E-mails
Edward Crain
10 July 2012
Source image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/n3trunner/4116254391/sizes/z/in/photostream/

2. INTRODUCTION
David Allen (=author of Getting Things Done)
The Problem;
Almost everyone I encounter
these days feels he or she has
too much to handle and not
enough time to get it all done.

3. INTRODUCTION
David Allen (=author of Getting Things Done)
The Promise;
You can experience what
the martial artists call a
"mind like water" and top
athletes refer to as the
"zone", within the complex
world in which you're
engaged.

4. INTRODUCTION
Why are there so much
things on your mind
anyway??
Source image: http://www.greenbookblog.org/2011/01/31/mental-spring-cleaning/

5. INTRODUCTION
you haven't clarified exactly what
1
?
the
intended outcome is

6. INTRODUCTION
you haven't decided what the very next
2 physical action step is

7. INTRODUCTION
and/or you haven't put reminders of the
outcome and the action required in a
3 system you trust
Source image: http://cloud2.nl/aanmelden_reminder_service

8. MASTERING WORKFLOW
The 5 stages of mastering
workflow
Source image: http://www.goeievraag.nl/vraag/dominostenen-dominoday-geteld.4115

9. MASTERING WORKFLOW
Collect all things/ "stuff" that command
1 our attention
Source: http://jannetje.punt.nl/index.php?r=1&id=460580&tbl_archief=0

10. MASTERING WORKFLOW
Process what they mean and what to do
2 about them
Source: http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-1502093-stock-footage-pressed-piece-of-car-handling-with-special-machine-scrap-metal-industrial-

11. MASTERING WORKFLOW
3 Organize the results
Source: http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/toastmasters-speech-2-organize-your-speech/

12. MASTERING WORKFLOW
Review results as options for what we
4 choose to do
Source: http://businessislamica.com/2012/02/16/quarterly-review-results-for-dow-jones-islamic-market-

13. MASTERING WORKFLOW
5 Do
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

14. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

15. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Collect all stuff
1 Every open loop must be in your collection system
and out of your head.
You must have as few collection buckets as you
can get by with.
You must empty them regularly.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

16. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
2
Per item; Is it Actionable?
No
It's trash, no longer needed.
No action is needed now, but something
might need to be done later (incubate).
The item is potentially useful information that
might be needed for something later
(reference).
You need
a trash basket and <Del> key for trash,
a "tickler" file or calendar for material that's incubating,
and a good filing system for reference information.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

17. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Is it Actionable?
3 
YES
If it's about a
project: You need to
capture that outcome
on a "Projects" list.
Tip: A Weekly Review of
the list will bring this item back
to you as something that's still
outstanding. It will stay fresh
and alive in your management
system until it is completed or
eliminated.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

18. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Is it Actionable?
4 YES
What's the “Next
Action”?
Next Action = the next
physical, visible activity
that needs to be engaged
in, in order to move the
current reality toward
completion
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

19. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Next action options:
1. Do it. If an action will
take less than two
minutes, it should be
done at the moment it is
defined.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

20. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING “STUFF”
Next action options:
2. Delegate it. If the
action will take longer
than two minutes,
and you are NOT the
right person to do it;
delegate it to the
appropriate entity.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

21. WORKFLOW OF PROCESSING "STUFF"
Next action options:
3. Defer it. If the action will take
longer than two minutes, and
you are the right person to do
it, you will have to defer acting on it
until later and track it on one or
more "Next Actions" lists.
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

22. PROCESSING E-MAILS
How can I apply this technique processing the
overload of e-mails I receive every day??

23. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
E-mail
INBOX

24. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
E-mail
DELETED
ITEMS

25. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
E-mail
Create Someday/
Maybe folder
The e-mail of an
interesting conference
next month, can be put
in the folder "Someday/
Maybe"
Source: http://www.advertolog.com/hornbach/print-outdoor/diy-attitude-mongoloid-10985505/

26. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
The e-mail with project info
you would like to hold for
reference, can be put in a
specific reference folder
for this project
Create inbox
reference
folders

27. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
Just Do It!!!

28. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
The e-mail you have sent to ask
someone to do an action, can be
put in the folder "WaitingFor"
Create
WaitingFor
folder

29. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
Create
NextActions
folder

30. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN INTERPRETATION
The action "preparation for an
important meeting next
Thursday";
Schedule 2 hours in your outlook
calendar next Wednesday to do
the preparation
”
Put actions
> 1 week
on calendar

31. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN EXAMPLE (WEBMAIL)
Next Actions
Someday
Maybe
Empty!!
WaitingFor
Reference
Folders

32. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN EXAMPLE (OUTLOOK)
Next Actions
Someday
Maybe
WaitingFor
Empty!!
Reference
Folders

33. PROCESSING E-MAILS – AN EXAMPLE (OUTLOOK)
Next Actions
(Prioritized
using
"Categories")

34. THANK YOU FOR
VIEWING THIS
PRESENTATION!!
QUESTIONS OR
REMARKS??
Please contact me!
At edward@crain.nl