Managing personal projects: From GTD to PARA

Ever feel like you're drowning in a sea of to-do lists, sticky notes, and unread emails?

You're not alone. In today's hyper-connected world, managing personal projects can feel like a full-time job in itself.

What if I told you there's a way to turn that chaos into calm, and even find a bit of joy in the process?

Join me as I share my journey from overwhelmed procrastinator to productivity enthusiast, and discover how two powerful systems—GTD and PARA—revolutionized the way I approach personal project management.

The landscape of personal productivity has changed dramatically since 2001, as has my approach to task management. With smartphones now central to our lives—from online banking to mindfulness apps—the way we handle personal projects has evolved significantly.

While I've hesitated to share too many productivity hacks (the more efficient I become, the more I take on), I can't deny the dopamine high of getting things done.

Getting Things Done (GTD)

For the past decade, I've been a GTD practitioner. David Allen's book, published in 2001, simplified how I dealt with the overwhelming piles of paper on my desk. Before GTD, I relied on sticky notes and sporadic, stress-inducing lists.

GTD turned task management into a game with simple rules:

• Gather all loose papers into one pile.

• Sort each item into categories:

  • Trash

  • Archives

  • Someday/Maybe

  • Projects (tasks requiring multiple actions)

  • Next Actions (single-sitting tasks, grouped by context)

The key rules: Only do tasks that take 2 minutes or less immediately, and always identify the next action for each project. If it takes more than 2 minutes put on list.

While GTD was revolutionary, it had limitations in the digital age. As I digitized my lists, I found myself organizing more than doing. The context lists became unwieldy, and the system struggled to adapt to the digital workflow.

Email Management

I now manage six email accounts (business, foundation, personal, purchases, banking, and reading) through Apple Mail, emptying all inboxes daily except for the reading account.

However, as my digital life expanded beyond email, I realized I needed a more comprehensive system.

Introducing PARA

As the digital age advanced, I found myself needing a system that could better handle the complexities of modern work. That's when I discovered Tiago Forte's PARA system, which adapts GTD principles for the digital era.

PARA organizes all data into four categories across devices and platforms:

• Projects (time-bound tasks)

• Areas (ongoing responsibilities)

• Resources (interests without commitments)

• Archive (completed or inactive items)

This system addresses the inefficiencies of searching for information across various storage locations. Forte recommends limiting active projects to 15, though he allows some actions within areas.

Weekly Review

Another crucial aspect of both GTD and PARA is the weekly review. This practice ensures that you stay on top of your tasks and projects, preventing things from slipping through the cracks. You have to do it. Empty all your inboxes, virtual and physical.

Inspired by Forte, I've adopted a digital-focused weekly review:

1. Email

2. Calendar

3. Desktop/Downloads

4. Notes

5. Tasks

After brief forays into paper task management lists, I've switched back to digital programs, namely to Things. While Things has some limitations, it offers a simpler alternative to more complex tools like OmniFocus.