Most of the time we focus upon the control aspect of our personal organization system. In fact, in my mind this is one of the key differences between GTD and the FranklinCovey approach. GTD realizes until you gain some modicum of control over the hundreds of tasks, projects, committments, pieces of paper, etc. that we all have to deal with on a minute-by-minute basis we've really got no space to deal with what David calls the "Horizons of Focus" or the bigger picture questions of meaning and mission. So he advocates starting in the trenches and working your way into a place of "mind like water" where you can deal with the more profound aspects of our existence in an empowered frame of mind.
I found the FranklinCovey approach took the opposite stance and asked participants to start the process by discerning and documenting one's mission and governing values and then extrapolating from them key long-term goals that eventually make their way into the day-to-day task lists of the system.
I believe the difference is significant.
When I clean my actual and email inboxes to nothing it is then I'm free to take a step back and get into what Covey might call the Quadrant II arena where I can suggest proactive ways to improve a project or a key relationship. When there's 150 emails staring at me I'm not too concerned with improving a working system. I'm more concerned about fixing what's broken (the urgent).
I spent some time volunteering to help the unemployed in my local church congregation become gainfully employed. I noticed something similar: people don't have much of an attention span for discussions on spiritual growth when they're not sure how they will feed their family tomorrow. We often must deal with the mundane before we can reach the sublime. Control allows us to gain perspective.
Personal Productivity, Time Management, Effectiveness, Franklin Covey, GTD, Getting Things Done
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