Author: Deepa Govind

Deepa Govind is a work from home professional since 2007, and prefers to call herself as a Homepreneur®. She is a Zoologist by education, Blogger by hobby, Freelance Virtual Assistant by chance, and Homepreneur® by transition So you see...Things pan out differently, So be brave and explore. Keep the better ones, best is yet to come
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Work Smart Not Hard: 5 Reasons to be a part-time Virtual Assitant

Part-time jobs usually invoke the image of students working behind the pizza or fast food joint counter. Then, there are people who do two or more jobs, especially over the weekend to keep their family going. Students tend to love this hands one experience while on job, and enjoy the interaction they get with their customers. Moreover, the students always have the option of quitting the fast food job as the college resumes for the next academic year. The managers also do not seem to mind. A fresh supply of workers is always available.
However, this is not the case with people who are forced to work on two jobs for personal and professional reasons. For these people it is not a matter of choice, but that of sustenance. Factory and construction workers, and teachers often also work part-time during evenings and/or weekends. It is indeed a tough life. Sooner or later the stress shows in their performance at workplace.
With affordable PCs and reduced internet costs, it is possible to have your part-time work at in the comfort of your home. Have you ever consider working as a virtual assistant on a part-time basis? There would be no more double commute, and so much less stress. As you will be back home after your regular job, you will feel mentally more relaxed to handle your part-time job. No more traffic jams and road rage during those late night commutes.

  1. Leverage your skills :-
    I believe every person has at least three marketable skills. The trick is to identify them and tap into it so that you are duly rewarded. This could be something you are good at, like a hobby. For example, if you are a teacher, you would also be adept at writing tutorials and other instructional documents. So, take a second look at your skills and identify three most marketable ones. Every skill has a market, and there is a client for every market.
  2. Networking is the key :-
    Having decided to work as a part-time virtual assistant, you need to set the ball rolling. As most of the work happens via interent, networking is the best way to get the word out. This should be easy once you have identified your key marketable skills. Do not spend more than a couple of hours for networking, or else you will not have time to work on the actual assignment
  3. Part-time is not full-time :-
    When you start on your part-time virtual assistance, from home ie after your regular office hours, does not mean you have to continue working until past midnight. Like any other part-time job, stick to a schedule. Otherwise, it will be very hard on the family. Family comes first, not the job. You are working for the family, so enjoy your time with them, you deserve it.
  4. One bite at a time :-
    The allure of accomplishing more in less time is great, and many fall into the trap of biting off more than they can chew. This is a sure shot recipe for a failed part-time venture. When faced with two offers at the same time, accept the one that suits your schedule or skills, and, either request a later date to start on the other, or politely refuse to work on it. This will show you are forthcoming and responsibile and clients respect that in a virtual assistant.
  5. Work smart, not hard :-
    Searching for jobs at job-portals drain valuable time and energy, which you can otherwise use to deliver results that compliment your skills. The trick for being a successful virtual assistant is in working smart, not hard. You can either choose to scout for jobs at these job portals, or act smart by getting in touch with sources that can provide you with assignments that match your skills.
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Reflection of Success – A Virtual Assistant’s perspective

Most small business owners look out for assistance on their niche area of business. But they are wary of using skilled professionals as their virtual assistants for the fear that , they might have to engage them for a fairly large duration of time ( 100 – 200 hrs ). However, this may be true for some virtual staffing agencies, it definitely does not hold true for most of the independent service providers, aka independent virtual assistants.

Being independent providers, virtual assistants are flexible with their time. Depending on the need of the project, a genuine virtual assistant would provide you an estimate of number of hours required to complete the said project, and also provide you with the projection of “pay per project” cost. Given the choices, it should not be difficult for you to decide the method that suits best for the project , and the urgency of its completion.

Unlike any other business, this too has a catch. This is. . . you need to be completely upfront with the requirements of the project. Make a complete list of requirement and the projected results that you wish to attain from a virtual assistant. Include maximum details that will allow the virtual assistant to work on the project without having to get back to you every other day during the course of its execution. And last but not the least, try to avoid last minute inclusions to the task list by saying, “Can you do this one more thing, and this, and this”. While most Virtual Assistants would comply, it is still a bad business practice.

As a small business owner, I understand how much your business means to you. You have invested more than just money to see it thrive and flourish. Similarly virtual assistants are skilled people who have invested in their time and skill so as to provide services over the internet. Unlike other professionals, Virtual Assistants also have working and non-working hours. We do take our weekends off but we also take our work more seriously, because, the success of your project reflects our success in executing them for you.

Deepa’s
Virtual Assistance
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Being a Virtual Assistant.

A simple search in google for the term “Virtual Assistant” might lead to a conclusion that anyone with a computer , internet connection and a decent knowledge of MSOffice can be a virtual assistant. However this is the popular notion, this is far from truth. Unlike other profession, this too requires careful deliberation and in-depth research and information gathering – sharing – and eventually learning.

Being a Virtual Assistant almost happened to me by accident. My educational background and academic credentials, did give me a fair chance to involve in the corporate environment. But , for various multiple factors on a personal level, I could not progress with my corporate dream. I was bombarded with advice from self proclaimed know-it-all on do-at-home, data entry jobs. I knew my skills were worth more than that.

A casual glance at this article on Virtual Assistants kindled the spark and I rolled up my sleeves and got into research. I had to separate the chaff from wheat from what Google has placed before me. It was about 2 weeks of rigorous search and cross references, and more googling, when I finally came to a conclusion on what virtual assistance is all about. Having a computer, internet and MSOffice skills does not even begin to define virtual assistance.

MSOffice suite caters to those virtual assistants who are inclined towards publishing articles and e-books. For these Virtual Assistants, MSOffice is indeed the most needed tool for their business. But for the rest, MSword , and MSexcel will allow us to keep track of events for a certain project and compile reports. So you see… there is more to virtual assistance than just MSOffice skills.

Most Virtual Assistants show case their resume which reflects “I – can – do – anything – that – can – be – done – online “.This gives the impression that “They have lot of time – but nothing to do “. I really feel sorry for them, because , either they have been badly advised, or they are less-informed. Friend, take this from one VA to another. Start by being your own virtual assistant, before becoming someone else’s VA. I am sure that you must be have at least three strong marketable skills as a virtual assistant. Tap into those skills and showcase a demo in your profile. You are not begging for job, neither are you a distraught employee. Express confidence in your resume by being self assertive. By deciding to be a virtual assistant, you are stepping into the path of entrepreneurship.

Virtual Assistants are self motivated individuals who have decided to provide services (over the interent )for a decent remuneration. Virtual Assistants, in addition to their respective skills, also have to manage finance, PRO , marketing all by themselves. A Startup company employs at least 5 -10 people to take care of these activities separately. But with virtual assistants, this is a one man / woman show. This should only emphasize the fact that Virtual Assistants are not just “on call or a stand by temp” who is always at your disposal. Virtual Assistants command more respect than that.

Deepa’s
Virtual Assistance
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Outsourcing – The Elephant in the Room

Outsourcing is often represented in the popular media as an approach for cost-cutting in large organizations at the expense of job loss in various sectors. As these facts stand, they represent only a small part of the whole picture. It is, of course, a sensitive subject–emotions rage over outsourcing on blogs and in other media outlets. With all due respect to to workers who have lost jobs, I humbly request you to stand back and try to look at the bigger picture.
To help make my point, I wish to cite the story of four blind men attempting to comprehend an elephant by touch only. One stated that an elephant is of cylindrical shape, the other insisted that it is long and rubbery, another maintained that it is just a huge bulging structure, while the last insisted it is only a few inches thick with hairs at the end.
Like these men and the elephant, we often have a largely blind approach towards outsourcing. Each person in the above story is correct in his own way, or, should I say, from his perspective. But it takes vision to put the pieces together and arrive at a complete picture that conveys each perspective as part of the whole.
There is a historical precedent for this kind of response. When the industrial revolution was first in progress, machines were sabotaged. The working class believed that their employers would maintain their output volume by using machines and cutting labor. Why would any company maintain a steady volume, if they can double it with the combined efforts of labor and machines in half-time? Even though the industrial revolution saw job cuts during its initial days, it was only a transitional period. Later, more factories began to emerge and a larger work force was employed to run these machines, thereby increasing the productivity volume.
It may sound preposterous that job-cuts as a result of outsourcing are only transitional. But I have come across both people who have lost jobs on account of outsourcing as well as companies calling back employees to handle responsibilities that augment increased productivity. The catch is the company might not call back an employee for the same exact role. There will be a redefining of roles and responsibilities.
So, the onus is on us to understand and foresee these changing roles. This requires a paradigm shift of our mindset and our approach to the issue. Although this might be difficult given the current circumstances, it is not impossible. Resilience is the need of the hour.
We respect your perspective, but humbly urge you to hone the vision that will allow you to see other perspectives, too. Share your perspective with us, and we will share ours. Perhaps we can piece the elephant together and succeed at taming it too.

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About Me

V A – Profile
You might be expecting carefully drafted profile content here. I have to admit, there is nothing of that sort. I am going to tell you about my skills, just as they are, and if you find them suited to your needs, I am just a click away.
Best case scenario: – We become business associates
Less best case scenario: – We can be good pals ( like the one we bump into every morning at the local coffee shop.)
Either case, it makes me happy to know about you.
My Academics:-
I hold a Life science post graduate degree from the MS University at Baroda, Gujarat, India. APTECH introduced me to computers & software through their Higher Diploma in Software Engineering programme.
I am Good at:-

Blogging
I am an avid blogger, Blogging since June 2006. Take at look at some of my personal blogs while you are sipping coffee. Note that none of my blogs have Google ads, and my blogs donot generate any revenue. I try to update them as an when I get a break from my Virtual Assistance Routine. These are for light reading only.

  1. Horizon within us
  2. Appreciating poetry
  3. Documenting Inspirations
  4. Some Template Tips
  5. தொடுவானம் நம் உள்ளத்தில் ,Tamil Blog (Tamil is the language spoken in the Tamil-Nadu state of southern India.). . . and of course
  6. Deepa’s ( This blog)

Update on : 10 Oct 2010 : The contents of the above 6 blogs have been officially consolidated under this url.– http://demo.cbatechnologies.in/homepreneur–
Zoho Creator Applications :-
I can create custom web applications in Zoho-Creator that allows you collect and process data tailor made to suit your needs . Let me know you requirement, I shall have a demo for you ( No, I do not charge for the demo.) . However the completed zoho product will include user manual and a how to kit , and this one is not free (Hey ! Zoho is indeed a free product, but my services come for a fair price). I know I can do it for you, because , I use zoho myself to keep track of projects and other things with my clients.
So, Feel free to tell me whats on your mind.

Deepa’s
Virtual Assistance
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Momepreneur– 5 techniques to Follow your Career & Kill the Guilt

The female workforce is constantly having to make choices between career and family. After investing heavily both financially and emotionally in their education and building their careers, motherhood can often complicate even the most well-laid plans. Whether plagued by pangs of guilt while sitting in the board room when her child is under the babysitter’s care, or fears that she is no longer able to concentrate on her job during those late night meetings, it is an unenviable position for a mother to be in. Not to mention, she may face ridicule from judgmental colleagues and supervisors who doubt her ability to juggle home life and her work load.
However high paying your job might be, it is certainly not worth your skill and time if you have to face this kind of pressure, day-in and day-out. You stand the risk of diminishing self-esteem coupled with an unhappy work and home environment. Sometimes a little soul searching can help you realize you are really worth much more than what you’ve gotten credit for.
In jest, it is sometimes said that women have a “built-in multi-tasking chip”. But jokes aside, this does seem to make sense when you take into consider all that is expected of modern women. I remember seeing a promotional video telecast on Mother’s Day. It showcases a 5 year-old trying to draw pictures of the members of her family. The father is portrayed seated at his desk, working. The brother is portrayed playing soccer; the sister is portrayed by the phone. But when it comes to drawing her mother, the little girl is so perplexed, that she ends up drawing her mother with 8 arms, which seemed to speak volumes to me.
It is time for you to do some thinking and put your skills , and time to good use while keeping your priorities straight.

  1. Your Talent : –
    • Isn’t this the reason you were hired in the first place ?
    • Do you still retain the spark , the love for what you do ?.
    • How close do you follow the developments in your area of expertise?
    • Does your job continue to use your talent, or have you been under utilized?
    • Does your salary justify long working hours. ?
  2. Your Time : –
    • Do you have to commute for more than 2 hours to reach your work ? ( That makes 4 hours a day and x gallons of gasoline per week. Do the math)
    • Does your commute mean, you are compromising on your sleep? Without a decent 8 hrs sleep, you are burning the candle at both ends.
    • Do you have at least 2 hours a day , just for yourself ? And no multi-tasking…just for yourself. Sometimes even doing nothing can be a great energy booster. If the answer to this is a resounding “NO”, then your time is being abused, by you and by others.
    • Do you bring your work home ?
  3. Your Money
    • Do you have enough funds in the family account to manage for at least 3 – 4 months, if you decide to take a break from work ?
  4. Your Plan
    • Go over the financial implications and intricacies over and over again
    • Will you be able to acquire 6 uninterrupted hours per day , by working from home ? Could be 3+3 or 2+2+2 or 6 straight hours.
    • Do not go overboard and fall into the trap of thinking ” I can work for 10 hrs, I save on commuting time”. You fail to consider telephone calls, un-announced guests , sales people and other unforeseen interruptions.
    • Do you have the resources that supplement your talent and time? Like, Uninterrupted internet connection , voice mail among other things.
    • Do you have the determination “Not to work beyond my 6 hours” ? After all, what is the point if you are toiling for 10 hours a day. You might as well work at the office.
  5. Your Resources :- YOU CAN..
    • Devote 2 hoursrs ( out of 6 hourrs), to identify potential clients who can use your skills over the internet.
    • Plan the type of work you are willing to handle, and, prepare documentation
    • Maintain a log of your work activities right from Day-1.
    • Keep Personal and professional correspondences / contacts separate.
    • Get yourself a paypal account ( or look into other options )to receive funds
    • Get in touch with sources that can give you a steady stream of work, without having to scout for them yourself.

Motherhood is a wonderful thing. But this does not mean that you have to compromise your career goals. All it requires is a little preparation and lot of perseverance to achieve your objectives on personal and professional levels. Your family is already attuned to your current work schedule. They do not interrupt you at work when you are at the office. So it will take some time for them to realize that when mom is working from home, she is actually working. A little fine tuning of the family schedule should eventually give you at least your 6 hours of work time.
You will now be a “work at home mom”, not an on-call employee. This means you gain control over your time and make it truly yours. You should never feel guilty about doing things for the sake of your family and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your aspirations either. It is time to stand back and contemplate the larger picture. This will motivate you to gain control and give you much needed perspective.

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A Surprise that Met me Half way Across the Globe

It was not until I started drafting this post, I realized that it is already two years since I first posted at Horizon. There have been a frenzy of activity when I used to make 3 posts per day, and , also the times when there would be no postings for more than 3 – 4 months. I have come across some wonderful people along the way like Ramdas , Vishesh , Priya , Arthi , Kumar , Ramya , Shiva , ExpatGuru , Prashanth , Marcia , Bruce , Alex , Lisa , Frederick , and many others through blogger.

Here I must mention that the seeds of acquaintance bloomed into friendship on account of an unwritten code of ethics that each of us followed up to the tee. None of us have requested the other person’s personal details, and we do not flood each other’s inbox with mindless fwds. If only the rest of the cyber-population would follow this, internet would be a much safer place. But then, where there is light, there is shadow.

Slowly, without even realizing, I began to stray towards niche blogging. Poems by Priya , Vishesh , Arthi , & Shiva had such a strong influence on me, that even before I knew it, I was penning my own poems as comments in their blog. Unlike prose, poetry is not mindless chatter. It requires deliberation and involvement of intelligence and intellect.

Priya and Arthi continuously insisted that have my own poetry blog where I can keep a record of the verse that I had penned in reply to their poems. They would reason with me telling that , “With every new post, the previous post and its comments gets buried deeper and deeper into the archives. There is no way you can get back your poems even if you really wanted to”. It took them almost 2 months of gTalking to convince me and ” Appreciating Poetry ” was born.

Many of you might be wondering over the lack of activity at ” Appreciating Poetry “. It would be dishonest to say that I am no longer inspired. I am more than inspired.. I am awed. Presently, I am in europe, and the hotel wifi is highly unpredictable ( connectivity lasts from 10 min to 2 hrs only per day). And for poetry, I require to stare right into those words, only then they would rhyme intune with my thoughts. With limited internet, it was becoming extremely difficult for me to “connect with poetry”.

Imagine my surprise, when one fine morning I see a mail from a fellow blogger ( who pens extremely lovely poems) enquiring if I will still be here in Europe. She further outlines her plans to drop by even though it is a bit detour for her. Unmindful of the fact that I am browsing from a public terminal, it was toothy-grin. Plans were laid and schedules were discussed. We have exchanged mails and had voice chat over gTalk in the past. But, never for once we requested photographs, not wanting to inadvertently offending the other person. I would call this as a tech-age-pen-friend. I was so filled with excitement the night before; it was well past midnight when I did manage to get some shut-eye.

I must say, even if we lived across the street, we would hardly recognize each other. All that was required was a squeaky “hi” from both of us, and instantly we were transformed from strangers to long lost friends. For once, our spouses were spellbound and had no idea how to react. Little did we imagine in our wildest dreams that we would meet halfway across the globe. The plan was to drop by for an hour, but eventually stayed up until dinner. Oh …boy ! we did enjoy those moments.. Didn’t we Priya ?

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Selective Outsourcing: – A Strategic Perspective

The outsourcing industry typically encounters two types of investors. Those who are willing to outsource few of their business operations, and know how to do it, and, those who nourish an inclination to outsource, but also harbor doubts because of stories about potential that portray outsourcing disasters. This (second) group of investors, falls into the category of people who would want to see for themselves if outsourcing will work for them, without relying on unreliable third party information strewn all over the internet. This means, they are willing to take the risk, but want to form their own opinion out of experience, and not draw conclusions from the contents of studies, websites and blogs.
“Selective Outsourcing” is aimed at building trust and establishing compatibility between the investor and the outsourcing partner before any long term agreement is reached with mutual consent. This means, while the outsourcing partner works on specific modules, the investor retains control over the overall function. Payroll Management is an excellent example of Selective Outsourcing. Payroll is classified as an HR responsibility. The concerned personnel has to account for each salary component such as leave policy, performance pay, overtime compensation, increment policy in accordance to labor laws, etc. for every employee in the system. The figures need to be meticulously entered and painstakingly double checked to avoid any mistakes, all under the pressure of delivering the completed report before 72 hours of salary due date. Many companies are wary of outsourcing their complete HR operations, but are more than willing to outsource the payroll management.
Payroll Management is time consuming, repetitive and a critical time-bound task. The HR department is under tremendous pressure.This creates a backlog at other HR functions. By selectively outsourcing their payroll management system, companies have saved time, money, and valuable man-hours that can now be channeled towards other HR activities that directly affect the company’s overall performance, such as recruitment and induction training, workforce management, grievance redressing and welfare schemes.
Selective outsourcing is also considered to be the most practical way of identifying the right kind of outsourcing partners. Let us consider a case, where you, as the Investor (or Small Business owner) have a series of graphic demands. With several self proclaimed graphic experts all over the internet, it gets hard to identify, who is actually qualified. In this situation, instead of handing over the complete list graphic needs to a certain “expert”, you can check them out , by having them handle just a part of your graphic needs, eg. a logo, a banner, an icon. Each will be considered as a separate project. This will allow you to evaluate your “graphic expert” on the following grounds:
Reliability:- Does the person deliver what has been promised ?
Acceptability: – Does the end product meet your requirement?
Compatibility: – Does the process of deployment and delivery suit both of you?
Communication: – Are response time and other things satisfactory to both?
In other words, Selective Outsourcing allows the investor to see beyond the “all or nothing” approach to outsourcing, and to see the development of customer specific strategies that are tailor made to suit the investor’s needs.
Steve Cameron, senior vice president of managed services at Steve Cameron, senior vice president of managed services at Siemens Business Services on his interview with IT Business Edge says,

“The number-one benefit our clients are seeking is cost savings through the innovative application of the selective service. This also gives the client transparency in the cost structure because of the fixed scope of the selective IT element under management”


t has been noted that about 80 % of Irish businesses use Selective Outsourcing in one way or another. The Outsourcing Evolution remarks that several companies struggle with the costs associated with printing and have opted to use selective outsourcing to fulfill their needs by using the services of Outsourcing partners like Ergo
A Survey conducted by Watson Wyatt predicts that steadfast growth in Selective Outsourcing will be seen among small and medium sized business in the coming years. Companies need to step back and take a broader look at how outsourcing can work towards the overall benefit of business by employing the Selective Outsourcing Model.

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Zoho Creator :- Only intuition, no programming.

It has been a while since I posted anything here. I was waiting for something worthy enough that is usable and feasible. I must say, my wait did not go in vain. I came across Zoho Creator, and have been trying it out for the past 6 months before making my first post about it here. I proudly admit the fact that I have integrated Zoho into my actual working environment, which has taken the load of report maintenance off my shoulders. These days, I spend only 2 hrs a week to consolidate my report. I use the free version, but sure have the plan to switch to business version soon enough.

Zoho Creator is one of the many products in the Zoho Family. ( I shall be talking about each of them in upcoming posts). ZC allows you to create forms that can be embedded in website and blogs ( see below). The data collected via this form is stored within your Zoho-View section

The advantage of Zoho lies in the fact that

  1. There is no huge download or installation.. Because this is a WEB APPLICATION
  2. The Registration is free
  3. You need not have any programming knowledge
  4. The interface is exceptionally intuitive
  5. Drag – and – drop allows you to design custom forms
  6. Logical flow of events will guide you to do the scripting.
  7. Embed the form in your blog and collect data
  8. Various choices on how you wish to process the data collected ( HTML, Excel, JASON, AJAX, Pdf , ) for novices and advanced users alike.
  9. The feeds can be integrated into feed readers, HTML displayed wthin iframe,.. possibilities are immense.
  10. Applications can be shared with any number of users ( say you have created the application and want you friend to moderate the content… go ahead and share it)

Here is the catch :-

  1. Only 5 Applications allowed for free users
  2. Unlimited Application for premium users + Custom Logo integration.

What you see below is a Form that acts as my GuestBook. Feel Free to share your thoughts with me.

Application Name : – Personal ( This has abt 8 forms, one is shared with you here)
Form Name : – GuestBook.

All you have to do is, Enter the details and submit. Take a look at the HTML display of data collected using Zoho Form.

I shall tell you more about creating custom forms using Zoho in the coming days.


You can develop a simple form like Guest Book , which has minimum scripting ( auto date ), or , developing a complex form that allows you to generate and send email-verification code right from zoho form, which involves more complex scripting.

Bloggers have long loved interaction with their readers. After all, isn’t that why we enable comments? Here is something to take this level of interaction a step further. How about developing a custom application to cater to your needs?. Well, if you feel lack of programming knowledge, and the mind boggling software installation ( not to mention the price) is pinning you down, not anymore. Try Zoho Creator, I am sure you will eventually end up using it. So, how about hsaring what you have in mind… ? ?

Your appreciation is my motivation

From Deepa’s Template Tips

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GTD – Getting Things Done ( Your way)

Before we delve into the principle and tools of GTD, it is my responsibility to tell you that GTD® is the acronym for “Getting Things Done ®“, and is the trademark of David Allen Company
Don’t we all have our deadlines to meet, personally and professionally ? Isn’t it a common scenario that you contemplate and decide to complete a certain report over your morning cup of tea, but by the time you reach your office, you are so engrossed in the immediate activities to an extent that, compiling the report literally slips out of your mind until it is time to head back home ?. I was a victim to this kind of scene up until recently.
While I was blog hopping, a casual glance at Getting Things Done , cleared my mind to such an extent that it feels like opening your window overlooking the beach: Fresh air not only penetrates the room, it permeates into your thoughts too. So, allow me to share what I have learnt about GTD in the past few weeks.
GTD is something that will push us, or rather motivate us from “Must do a task” to “Actually doing it”. You cannot just think “Must eat this apple”, and not actually eat it. Understanding GTD will allow us to become better performers, as we will be actually doing the things that we ought to be doing.
The principle behind GTD is … our mind is filled with plethora of thoughts, and every passing second we are putting more thoughts into it. We believe that our mind records the thought and remembers it for us. This puts lot of pressure on our mind, and that is why we end up with a “burnt out feeling”. If we would transfer our thoughts from the mind to an external medium ( say a notepad, physical or digital ), then this act would free our minds to give more attention to actually doing the task.
To quote from Wikipedia at Getting Things Done
GTD rests on the principle that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them externally. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks.
GTD is a 5 phase process, and takes practice for at least 15 – 30 days initially to get used to the idea, after which it becomes a habit.
PHASE 1 :- Record your thoughts now
PHASE 2 :- Collect them at one place
PHASE 3 :- Organize them as natural flow of events
PHASE 4 :- Review on resources
PHASE 5 :- Do it now
We have a wide range of GTD tools before us, and perhaps some of you might be already using them without realizing that they are infact GTD tools.
PHASE 1 : Record Your Thoughts Now

  1. Stenographer’s Note Pad:

I have them all over the place with a pen tied to the binding. This does not give me the excuse to “I will write when I find a pen”. So, if anything is on my mind, I would write it down, tear off the page and put in my pocket. This also works when I am on the move, and does not require wifi connectivity.

  1. Handy MS Excel :

I have an Excel window open while I am working at my desk. The rows and columns are already in place. All that is expected from me is jot down my train of thoughts, which usually follows after reading an email. Nothing elaborate here, something like, “Request for project specifications from Mike”, or , “Collect agenda from Stacy”, or “Remind Joe about module submission,”etc . Do not forget to write the date on top.
So, one is digital while the other one is not. Yet both gives me complete flexibility to progress with the next phase of GTD without depending too much on internet connectivity.
PHASE 2 : Collect Them in One Place
My thoughts are safely recorded but strewn all over a >notepad and Excel sheet. Just as one would “collect one’s thought” before delivering a speech, I have to collect my thoughts into a single streamlined course of action before acting on them. It is here I actually “Think about how to do this task”.
Now, in a new sheet in Excel, I write down the course of action in order of their execution. On a typical day, my task list will look something like this.

Mike Request Specification email
Stacy Collect Agenda
Joe Remind module submission phone
Team Upcoming status email
Me Research on Product A internet
Me Compile report
Boss Submit report

For actions to be taken on later date, I add a new column and note the date. Btw, Having dates also helps to keep track of events along the timeline.
PHASE 3 :Organize Them as a Natural Flow of Events
There is nothing much to do here, if you would perform Phase 2 with due diligence. Plus, Excel always allows you to insert a new row in between tasks.
PHASE 4 : Review the List
This is like double-checking to see if anything has slipped out while writing them down.
PHASE 5 :Do It Now
Well, Now is the time. You no longer have excuses for not doing the things on your list. Handle one thing at a time. Remember to add a new column that says “Status” and write “DONE” in big bold red color once you have finished doing it.

Mike Request Specification email DONE
Stacy Collect Agenda DONE
Joe Remind module submission Phone DONE
Team Upcoming status email DONE
Me Research on Product A internet In Progress
Me compile report Pending
Boss Submit report Pending

It really feels good to see so many “DONE” items in the list. Believe it or not, once you get used to doing this, you just cannot wait to get “DONE” across all the things in your list.
The best thing about GTD is it really “Gets Things Done”. But there is a catch – You have to make a conscious effort towards Phase 1 and Phase 2. If you fail these two phase, then you fail at GTD.
Tell us about how you organize your daily routine. The idea is to “get things done”. If a system works for you do share it with us. We would like to know. Do you use sophisticated GTD tools , or do you have a “Back-To-Basics” approach?.

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