Todd Neller’s Non-Cheat Sheet
Essence of the Honor Code:
o Give credit where credit is due.
o Be honest in your work.
Your honor, honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness have great value.
With or without a strong ethical foundation, the best defense is a good offense: Avoid temptation to dishonor
through better time-management and task-tracking habits.
Summary of core practices of David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) system:
o Define and use your inboxes.
First, list all places where you expect to get “stuff”.
Next, throw all of your task-related stuff into these inboxes.
Process them. (See below on how to process inboxes.)
Build a habit of capturing tasks into your system by putting task-related stuff into your inboxes.
o Process your inboxes daily, capturing tasks and appointments. For each inbox item:
1. Decide whether or not to file it. For each inbox item, ask “Is this actionable?”
If it’s actionable for a current priority, go to step 2.
If it’s a reference item for future work, file it.
If it’s related to a possible future task, add it to a “Someday/Maybe” list and file what is
needed.
Otherwise, recycle or trash it. (Circular file!)
2. If not, it’s actionable and we identify the next action.
Make it concrete. What is the next tangible step of progress?
For larger projects, take a few minutes to outline your plan, but the next action should
be concrete, not abstract.
3. Process the next action.
If it would take less than 2 minutes to do, do it now.
If not, should you be doing it? If not, delegate it.
Otherwise, defer it.
o If it’s time-specific, put it on your calendar.
o If it’s to do as soon as possible, add it to your “Next Actions” list.
o Review your system and plans weekly.
At a scheduled, regular time, reflect above and beyond local tasks to consider:
How well the system is working and what can improve?
Is every task is getting captured in your system?
Are larger goals are being pursued?
How well are you serving in your roles, relationships, and responsibilities?
If you want to be productive and successful in big, long-term undertakings:
o Make regular, short, slow daily progress built into your calendar.
o Log your daily progress honestly and reflect on it.
o Share your progress regularly (e.g. weekly) with someone who cares.
