Black Belt Productivity

As I write this post, I am taking a break from packing for a week long trip. My wife and I are leaving tomorrow morning to fly to New York for a fun week with friends. A week or so ago, I started thinking about GTD^® and the trip. Amazingly, GTD even can help up me prepare for such a journey.

Few things are as frustrating as that nagging feeling that you forgot to pack something you will need. The good news is…we do not have to feel this way.

A few nights ago, I sat down, while was still relaxed about the trip, and took pen to paper and put down a list of things I knew I would need. I separated them into two lists. One list is for my check bag, that will have my clothes & toiletries in it. The other was for my carry-on. I am taking my laptop with me, so I will be using the bag I normally carry to work with me.

For example, some key things I want to make sure I have in my laptop bag are…

1. Pack a power cord (I typically just plug in at home. So I need to remember to pack it so I can do the same at the hotel)
2. Ethernet cable
3. Wireless card
4. Wireless mouse
5. USB cord for my digital camera (I am not listing the camera itself because my wife will actually pack it in her stuff)
6. Battery charger for the digital camera
7. My Rotring Core rollerball
8. Joon New York pen catalogue
9. Book to read
10. The folder that has all of my trip info including the hotel voucher and the NY “City Pass” booklet.
11. IPod Nano & accessories

This is not the complete list, but you get the idea.

The point is, since I took the time to jot down a list like this, my packing experience is much less stressful. Prior to my GTD conversion, I would be stressing out the two nights before the trip thinking I am forgetting something. And inevitably, I would forget something important. Some of you have been there, I am sure. How frustrating!!!

For those who travel a lot for business, it would benefit to have a standard list to help pack for any trip. David Allen does this himself. He has an article about it on his website here. Keeping a list like this that you can pull from reference will save a few brain cells every time you pack for a trip.

The emphasis on list making in GTD is very helpful in a lot of areas to work toward that stress-free state or “Mind Like Water” that David talks about in his books.

-Jason