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Adios, Google Calendar – Why I’ve Made the Switch to Pure Analog GTD

By , on Sunday, January 14th, 2007

Moleskine Large Notebook - for Project List

Over all of the previous iterations of my GTD system, Google Calendar has always been a common thread. While all my other tools moved toward paper-based solutions, I always stuck with Google Calendar because it was (almost) as “always-on” as my paper tools. I could add events and get alerts from my cell phone, from anywhere. It also offered several other capabilities that I only utilized occasionally (the ability to add guests to events, automatically map locations, etc.). It was easy to use and a very slick tool, but Google Calendar didn’t meet two hard-and-fast criteria I have for my GTD tools (which I’ve managed to successfully apply to the remainder of my selection of tools):

  • Fast, Fast, Fast – I like knowing that, at any moment, I’m capable of writing something down or writing something in my calendar. Keying “Saturday 8am-9am Meet Bob for Donuts” into my cell phone ends up taking me quite awhile, especially considering how fast I can write it down. The calendar was quick, but handwriting in a paper calendar is quicker (at least, for me).
  • Always Available – Granted, there hasn’t been a time in recent memory that my cell phone hasn’t been available for manipulating my calendar. But, the more I think about GTD and what the methodology is trying to accomplish, the more I realize that digital solutions simple aren’t as well suited for the job as paper tools. My hipster PDA and moleskine calendar won’t ever run out of batteries and are far more durable than a PDA.

So, in conclusion, another run-down of my (now moleskine-ridden) GTD toolset:

  • Moleskine Memo Pocket (Wallet/Hipster PDA)
  • Moleskine Large Notebook (Project Lists)
  • Moleskine Pocket Calendar
  • Fisher Space Pen, Pilot G-2 Mini
  • Filing Cabinet/Folders for Reference and Support Materials

Did I mention that I make my living as a computer programmer? I spend more time in front of a computer on a given day than the vast majority of people, and I’ve still chosen NOT to base my GTD system on technology. I think that’s something of a testament to the quality and scalability of paper-based systems, don’t you?

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  • http://gtd.marvelz.com/blog gtdfrk

    First of all, I enjoy reading your -recently discovered- blog. As you know, I am also trying to keep other GTD enthusiasts informed about my very own experiences with implementing and using GTD, especially trying to create the perfect set of GTD tools. I really like to read about your permanent switch to analog GTD tools, after struggling with various digital/analog hybrid solutions. I’m still very much in this phase, moving away from digital tools to completely analog and back to a hybrid solution (at the moment). I hesitate to give up my custom Excel-based GTD system because it “synchronizes” beautifully to my PocketMods and it allows me to dynamically and efficiently sort, filter and group my next actions and projects (I tend to have long lists of both actually).

  • http://www.crawdaddycove.com Crawdaddy

    It IS truly fascinating that a professional “techie” like yourself would make the complete shift to a paper-based GTD system. I am not a professional techie, not even close, but I’ve been crusing along with my Palm-based GTD system since 2001, when I first read Getting Things Done and attended a two-day David Allen seminar. However, your article is pretty powerful and it makes me wonder if I would implement all the components of GTD even more completely if I went the “analog” route. I have ALWAYS been someone who loves a pad of paper and pen with me at all times, as a thinking tool. Perhaps I’ve been limiting myself (and slowing myself down) all these years….. thanks for the interesting new insight. By the way, my paper/pad of choice is a 5″x8″ pad of 100 sheets of white graph paper, made by ampad (www.ampad.com). And I have tried scores of pads. These have me hooked.

  • brett

    Thanks for the responses guys, I always appreciate the feedback!

    Crawdaddy – I think because I work with technology so much, I’m able to see where it breaks down more easily than others (though, that may just be delusion of mine). While I feel terribly at home in front of a keyboard, I feel equally at home with a stack of notecards, a pad of paper (like this one, which you may have seen when buying yours: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inkedmn/358907778/ ) and a pen. I value simplicity and you can’t get much more simple than the same stuff they used 100 years ago.

    Cheers!

  • http://www.tsblog.org mark

    Close!

    Use Google Calendar as the master calendar – just think: annual reminders like birthdays and you’ll see what I mean.

    For the Luddite in all of us, you HAVE to have a PocketMod: http://www.pocketmod.com

    I make a new one every week – one piece of paper in my pocket does the job and it’s fully customizable. I tossed a perfectly good PDA (the electronic kind) for this marvel.

    Yup.

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