I tend to get overwhelmed with day to day life at times… I’m sure everyone reading this feels the same way at times too. You plan on getting certain things done in a day, but something else always comes up and not even 1/2 your “to-do” list gets done. Well, that’s me too, but when I get overwhelmed I tend to just procrastinate. In the end, even less gets done than I had initially planned.

I get over 1,000 emails a day, maybe 200 of them are emails that are actually worth reading, but a good deal of those 200 are actually important; some require responses, others are just good to have for reference in the future, while still others maybe I want to think about and get back to. The problem comes when I’m trying to find those emails that I want to get back to later, or I’m searching for an email that I “put away for reference”. My current email inbox has about 20,000 messages in it; about 20 other folders have another 100 – 200 each.

My office desk and filing cabinets seems to be the same as my email inbox. Anyone who knows me well knows that my office always tends to have piles and piles of “stuff”; and probably several Pepsi cans (Diet Pepsi now) and Coffee Cups from my favorite coffee shop. The problem, again, comes when I’m trying to find something; I can never find it.

Even worse, is my mind. I tend to file away things on a mind-stored “to-do” list, but when I go back to that to-do list, I always forget something. Usually, the item that I have forgotten is the most important and like a blunder at the computer, I’ve somehow overwritten one of my “business to-do” items with a somewhat unimportant item like, “Pick up ice cream at the store for Tori”. Unfortunately, the important business item – “Create an assignment estimate for -important client-” – has been forgotten and I only am reminded when that client calls me to ask where that estimate is. Then it’s time to put out a fire, “The estimate’s on the way, I’ll have it to you by end of business today.” Ok, time to do three days worth of work in 8 hours. Fire put out, but the feeling of being overwhelmed comes back fast. As another example, I KNOW my VISA credit card bill is due on or around the 5th of every month, but somehow 1/2 the time I foget to send out the check before the fifth. I usually remember on the 5th, because that’s when it’s due, and end up paying $7.00 to do an online transaction, rather than just mail a check and pay the postage. Now, I’m not saying I’m forgetfull, I’m just saying that other things always come up that take over my current being and some things tend to go by the wayside. I’m done with that.

Mr. Allen, I’m with you. Now tell me HOW I do that.

While flying from LaGuardia (LGA) to Akron (CAK) a few weeks ago, I was reading a recent issue of MacWorld. I came across an article about techniques for organizing your email inbox – God, do I need help with that. They kept referring to the “GTD” method of organization; Ummm. What’s that? I later found out that it’s “Getting Things Done” is a method devised by David Allen, a productivity coach primarily for high level business professionals. (You can read part of the MacWorld articlehere and more about David Allen’s GTD method here.).

So I picked up his book, actually, I ordered it on his website along with a CD of him reading it – so I could listen while driving; David Allen doesn’t believe in calendars, but I still picked up more refill pages for my Franklin Covey binder, an organization technique that I have started using and stopped using more times than I can remember. And for the next week, I’m going to dedicate myself to getting organized and Getting Things Done.

About the author

Kevin Michael Reed
Kevin Michael Reed (Google+, Facebook) is a fashion & beauty photographer and producer/director based in New York City and Los Angeles, CA. He is the President/CEO of RedFOG Visual Media, a production company in New York City, and a partner in Passion of Photography, Inc, a company dedicated to teaching photographers and sharing our passion through charitable causes. Kevin has lectured and hosted workshops throughout the United States and the world teaching photographers the business and creative sides of photography. (Kevin's Fashion & Beauty Photography Portfolio can be seen here).