The Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology created by David Allen is a popular productivity system that involves capturing all tasks, ideas, and commitments in an external system and then organizing and reviewing them regularly. However, another productivity system that takes cues from the Agile software development methodology is Getting Results the Agile Way by J.D. Meier.
The Agile Way Principles
Outcomes over Tasks
The Agile Way encourages you to focus on outcomes rather than tasks. By concentrating on what you want to achieve, you can be more flexible in adapting to changing circumstances. This principle aligns with agile and lean principles that emphasize doubling down on value stream rather than burning the backlog.
The Power of "3"
The Agile Way also emphasizes the power of "3". The first "3" Meier mentions is the idea of using Time, Energy, and Technique to continuously produce results. He says that if users manage their energy effectively by living with passion regarding their work, they can use their time, energy and passion, to produce better and more quality results.
Daily 3 Outcomes
This principle is simple but effective. Each day, choose three outcomes you want to accomplish. You can extend this concept to weekly, monthly, and yearly outcomes. Review your progress at each interval and adjust your goals as necessary.
Monday Focus & Friday Review
On Mondays, create your weekly outcomes based on your current environment. This approach allows for flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing circumstances. On Fridays, review your progress from the week and learn from your successes and mistakes to continually improve.
The Agile Way is a system based on producing results rather than activities. It is all about reflection and making sure that users are producing results in their days, weeks, months, and years. The system takes the idea that projects and tasks are always changing and requires users to ensure that their plans of action are still valid and producing results.
Focus on Outcomes
The first principle of the Agile Way is to focus on outcomes rather than tasks. By focusing on outcomes, users can be flexible with what they want to accomplish. The system involves setting daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly outcomes. The daily outcomes can be measured against weekly outcomes to ensure that focus is narrowed down for the week. Similarly, the weekly outcomes can be measured against monthly outcomes, and monthly outcomes can be measured against yearly outcomes.
Flexibility and Adjustment
The system encourages users to create weekly outcomes based on their current environment. This approach allows for flexibility and adjustment based on changing circumstances. Friday reviews help users learn from the previous week and avoid repeating mistakes.
Hotspots
Our lives consist of various "hotspots" or areas of focus. By focusing on each hotspot individually, you can avoid giving too much attention to one at the expense of others. Some example hotspots include work, personal, and life frame, which encompasses various aspects of life such as mind, emotions, body, career, relationships, social, hobbies, and fun & entertainment.
Hotspots are different aspects of life that require attention, such as work, personal life, and different life frames like mind, emotions, body, career, relationships, social life, hobbies, fun, and entertainment. Each of these hotspots acts as a backlog that users can scan to find the next best thing to do. Hotspots also help with time tracking, as users can assign time spent in each hotspot and create boundaries to ensure a work-life balance. Users can then track whether they are sticking to the set boundaries and use Friday reflections to adjust and ensure that they stay within the set boundaries in the coming week.
Boundaries
Setting boundaries is key to balancing the different hotspots in your life. Use time tracking to assign time spent in each hotspot and create boundaries for each. For example, you may set a maximum of 50 hours for career and a minimum of 10 hours for relationships. Use Friday reflections to ensure that you are staying within your set boundaries and adjust as necessary.
Conclusion
The Agile Way is a productivity system based on producing results rather than activities. By focusing on outcomes, being flexible, reflecting, and creating work-life balance, users can become more productive, efficient, and fulfilled in their personal and professional lives. The system takes cues from the Agile software development methodology and encourages users to create weekly outcomes, use Friday reflections, track time spent in hotspots, and use the power of "3" to continuously produce better results.
For better understanding, check out this book by the original author.