Monthly Archives: September 2009

Getting Things Done

GTD_bookHere’s a quote from David Allen’s, Getting Things Done (2001):

It’s possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control. . . . [There are] two key objectives: (1) capturing all the things that need to get done–now, later, someday, big, little, or in between–into a logical and trusted system outside of your head and off your mind; and (2) disciplining yourself to make front-end decisions about all the “inputs” you let into your life so that you will always have a plan for “next actions” that you can implement or renegotiate at any moment.

I began to follow Allen’s ideas a couple of years ago, but more so in the last month. I’ll have more to share about this “Getting Things Done” (GTD) method as the fall term progresses. But you can start to do something now if you like: sit down with a yellow pad and begin a list of every thing you need to do in all the aspects of your life–school, church, family, relationships, hobbies, household, legal, automotive, financial, and so forth. Try to get it all out. Look around for reminders to prompt you. You can work on this here and there as you get time. Carry a small notebook or index cards in your pocket to capture things as they occur to you.

Next time, I’ll share ideas about what you can do with your list and how it can be the beginning of a new way of maintaining “relaxed focus.

Stay well, do good work, enjoy yourself.

Doc Carney

H1N1 Swine Flu and You (and us)

I just got out of a meeting of the College of Arts and Sciences faculty. Among the many topics of discussion was the current epidemic of “Swine” flu caused by the H1N1 virus. Though you’ve no doubt heard plenty about from the media, here’s a few things from the SOU side of things.

  • Do your best to guard against infection by frequent hand washing and the use of sanitizer. You will notice a number of sanitizer dispensers placed around campus.
  • If you sneeze or cough, do so into a handkerchief or your sleeve instead of your hand.
  • If you have a sore throat, a cough, or if you are sneezing or have a fever, stay home! SOU faculty will give you a week of absences without asking for a physician’s note. It’s better you nurse yourself back to health and that you don’t spread whatever you’ve got. For your Hst 250 work, there’s plenty for you to do at home on the Blackboard site.
  • Get a shot for the regular “seasonal” flu that comes around every year, and get an H1N1 vaccination as soon as it’s available. Those under 50 years old seem to be the most susceptible to the virus, so plan accordingly.
  • This was not mentioned in the meeting, but it’s a big pet peeve of mine: don’t spit in a public place. It is well known epidemiologically that spit is a big spreader of disease. People walk where you spit and then handle their shoes and their food and . . . you get the point. By the way, in the days when tuberculosis was widespread (that is, before the 1960s), public spitting was a crime that carried a pretty high fine. Stop it.

Stay well, do good work, enjoy yourself.

Doc Carney