Getting Things Done on Linux: My Trusted System

The "Getting Things Done" methodology of personal productivity - invented and popularized by David Allen - revolves around around keeping lists and a daily calendar. Your lists should be full of "Next Actions" and allow you to keep everything written down and out of your head so you feel less stressed and worried about forgetting things you need to do.

David Allen allows for you to use anything from note cards to complex shell scripts to maintain your lists and calendar, as long as they are immediately accessible to "capture" ideas as they come into your head, and as long as you trust them completely. You can't be stress free if your information storage system (paper, or digital) doesn't work!

My System

I've devised a trusted a system on the Linux platform for personal productivity that has worked fantastically well for me for the past few years. The main components are the Evolution mail and calendar client, and my Palm T|X handheld computer.

All my capture is currently done on the Palm. I record my tasks as I think of them into the handheld, and check them off when done. When I'm at home, I sync with Evolution (a flawless process under Linux, by the way). In Evolution, I can do more "big picture" calendering, and I can even convert my emails to tasks that will be synced by to my Palm T|X with a simple right click action.

The reason that this system works so well for me, and the reason it might work just as well for you, is portability. The Palm T|X is an ultra portable device, and if you have Treo cellphone/PDA combo model, you've got one up on me! The key is being able to capture tasks and calendar items at any time, quickly, easily, and into a system where you'll be able to retrieve them with equal facility.

The desktop component, Evolution, is great as a backup system for my data, as well as for access online (it syncs with Google Calendar!). Honestly, there's a lot to like about my system. In fact, if I had a Palm Treo, I might not ever want to change!

Problems With The System

Since I don't have a Treo, I end up carting around a cellphone, PDA, wallet, pen, & pocketknife. This would be fine, except I personally get uncomfortable with bulging pockets, so if I ever need to carry anything extra (my iAudio 7 mp3 player, for instance) I'm instantly feeling bogged down in gadgets. Also, being an artsy type, I used to carry around a Moleskine plain notebook for jotting down poem and song ideas, but know I just don't have the pocket space! Yes, I carry a man-bag, but I still don't like not having my essentials with me when I don't have my bag (like when I'm just running the supermarket).

My Palm T|X is also aging...the screen and battery life are not what they once were, I get very frustrating with entering data with the often inaccurate handwriting recognition (this is made even worse by the old touch-screen). The on screen keyboard is equally clunky.

While Evolution is a fantastic program in many ways, something about it just doesn't seem me. I feel like I'm forcing myself to use it, because it's not quite what I'm looking for.

A New System?

The weak point for this system is really the Palm T|X. I could get a new gadget (a Treo) but I'm short on cash, so that probably won't happen. Unfortunately that means I really need to reevaluate my system for getting things done. Pen and paper seems hard to manage, but digital solutions are tied to the desktop computer or computer with internet access, and I need my info all the time, not just at coffee houses and internet cafe's! I'm looking into online services that can send you text messages (like iwantsandy.com) as reminders. Maybe I'll just have to print out my schedule every day to take with me...in any event, there's tons of GTD focused software out there for Linux, so I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something as effective or even more effective than my current personal productivity system on Linux.

Do you follow the GTD methodology of personal productivity using the Linux platform? What's your trusted system?