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Years ago, I received a catalog in the mail from a company called Franklin. Since I have read just about every book out there on time management, including the one based on Ben Franklin's time management methods, I figured it was a system worth looking into. I purchased one of their spiral bound systems and received a big box of weekly binders.

Make a list of things to do, prioritize what needs to get done, check off what actually gets done, start all over again. Oh, yes, sign me up. Then came the leather binders and the pretty pictures, two sheets worth of Franklin Covey. Now I'm supposed to add on my roles, my responsiblities, my goals, my life's ambitions, the tiny steps needed to take to meet those goals.

Sign me up! I carried around my binders, every year trying a different size, a different type of replacement set, nope, still doesn't meet my needs. Wait a second, I'm a computer person, right. Well, let's computerize it. Tried Outlook, tried Organizer, tried Franklin Covey Outlook add on, tried em all.

Now here comes the GTD mindset. Seems familiar enough. Make a bunch of lists, categorize everything I need to get done in the lists, let all the prioritized tasks bubble to the top. Check off what needs to get done, start all over. Didn't I already do this? The problem with organization methods is that they are just that, methods, systems that someone else made.

You need to make a system fit you and the way you think and do things. Unfortunately, I still haven't found mine. But GTD is going to have to do for now. I can at least see what needs to get done without using sticky notes and binders. Getting sick and tired of that red leather one on my desk. I need a change.