GTD - Not the Best Lifestyle for Teens
Recently, I’ve been trying to get into this lifestyle of GTD (or Getting Things Done), through reading websites such as lifehack.org and reading books related to GTD such as The 4-Hour Workweek. I have enjoyed reading the websites and books, but have come to the realization that I can’t really follow them completely.
There are a couple main reasons. The first reason that I see, is that I can’t do things like control my school schedule, or quit it all together (like it would be done in The 4-Hour Workweek). Also, I think that not Getting Things Done is perfectly okay.
I’ve come to that realization when I was writing down on sticky notes tips that I found from lifehack.org and The 4-Hour Workweek, and realized that they aren’t to useful to me. While it may be a good idea to check email not in the morning, and at 12:00 and 4:00, I don’t need to. It’s not impacting my life negatively, as currently I have the whole day free to do what I want (as it is summer).
There isn’t much more to say, other than that while there may be some tips that can be useful (I’ve learned how to take more efficient naps, and how to win a kickboxing match through technicalities, for example), but all of them can’t really be followed.
But, either way, I recommend you read The 4-Hour Workweek, lifehack.org, and I have yet to purchase Getting Things Done. Also, I’m excited for OmniFocus, as I have been trying to find a solution to get myself more organized, as opposed to my sticky note system I am using now.
If you have a suggestion for me to Get Things Done as a teen, then leave a comment.
Update: This is purely my opinion and my experiences. If you’ve found a way that works for you, I would like to hear it.
Conner Downey is a young blogger from the East Coast. He likes to blog, listen to music, browse the internet, and do many other things too. He writes for
15. June 2007 um 15:16
Yeah, I find the whole GTD ideal to be very gimmicky.
15. June 2007 um 17:00
Greetings. Yes, GTD can seem gimmicky if you do not have a lot of things to do. Especially when you are younger and “not getting things done” really is okay. There will come a time (like when you go off to college, or get a “real” job) when you will need organizational skills.
Try the GTD Primer at Black Belt Productivity. Then hit the lens at Squidoo, there are tons of resources for you to check out.
And feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.
17. July 2007 um 10:53
I personally think GTD is over thought and over analyzed. I am a teen and I’m productive by just writing down what I need to do and eventually doing it.