17. implement GTD

To do these 43 Things, I will want a Getting Things Done implementation that works. My most recent implementation worked reasonably well through the semester, but now I'm looking for a method that will take me into the work world. It will likely involve a PDA rather than a three-ring binder.

There is one low-tech tool that I won't be giving up anytime soon: The Crescent Moon Mind Map. Traditionally, the waxing moon (new moon growing to full moon) is considered a good time to start projects or to help them grow. The waning moon is the time to complete things.

Since I tend to have more energy for starting projects than for finishing them, I find it conducive to completing things if I organize my life around the moon phases. New moon to new moon is a bit less than a month, so the waxing moon lasts about two weeks and the waning moon lasts about two weeks.

Within a few days after the new moon, I make a mind map of the things I want to accomplish in the next month, thinking about what I can start or grow during the waxing moon to finish during the waning moon.

Many print calendars display the full and new moons. I put them in my PDA calendar at the first of the year.

The Old Farmer's Almanac has several tools for moon watchers. This visualization shows the moon phases through the month. Another tool computes the moonrise and set, so that you will know when you can see it. There is also a nice listing of the names of the moons.