My Moleskine GTD Set up

May 13, 2011

by marcus

After filling my old Soft Moleskine it was time this week to start the setup of a new Moleskine for my GTD lists. For the last Moleskine I had used this set up here, and of course during the course of filling the book I have tweaked it to my needs.

Starting a new notebook now gives me the opportunity to implement my experiences; and here it its!

I am using again a soft cover large ruled Moleskine for it as it gives me more space to write things down.

Step 1 – Page Numbering

As many others of you, I have numbered the pages, starting from the first double page and only numbering the left page of the two. The first double page is numbered “1″, and number “2″ goes not on the right page, but on the next double page. Following this through the complete notebook, this method gives me 95 numbered double pages and leaves the very first and very last page without a number. The first page I want to use as Index page and I have left the very last ruled page blank for any important references

Step 2 – Calendar for reference

I have printed and cut off the Moleskine Travel Calendar from the MSK Template page (you have to create an account with Moleskine.com to log in) and have taped the calendar for the current and the coming year onto the very last page just opposite the back pocket.

Step 3 – Mapping out different sections

Based on my experience using the last notebook (1 double page for every single GTD context) I have now decided to assign more double pages to each context:

- Each of my direct reports get 2 double pages (having 6 direct reports, this brings me to (double) page 12 (@name1, @name2, …)
- Starting on double page 13 my boss gets 4 double pages (@boss)
- Another 4 double pages are then assigned to my regular Service Center Meetings (@Service Center Meeting).
- For my Team Meeting with my direct reports I have given another 4 double pages (@Team Meeting). This brings me to double page 24.
- Double Page 25 -27 is reserved for my @Team Leader. This finishes all my contexts
- My Waiting For’s are on double page 28 – 31; and my Someday-Maybe are on page 32-34.
- Then follows my Next Action Area from page 35 to open end (well, not completely …)

.Every of these contexts get a specific color and relating tab. My directs reports get a red tab, my boss a green one; meetings are tabbed in yellow and Team Leader gets another red tab. Waiting For are tabbed blue. All these tabs “run” down the side of the page.

The Someday/Maybe section is double coloured (this year I decided on red and grey) and tabbed along the top side of the page and the Next Action section gets another blue tab (just one) on top of the page.

Having more than just one double page gives me more freedom and space to note down things without setting up the same section again further in the middle of the notebook. When I have completely filled one section, I simply go the end of the Next Action Section, maybe leave another double page or so and create the new section as a follow up from the already filled pages. I mark it in the same colour as before and move the tab from the previous to the next mapped out section. In my old notebook I have crossed out the filled pages or even stapled them together to avoid skipping through them again.

One last section I want to point out. As experienced GTD’ler you might have missed the Project section.
My projects are starting from the last double page and move “backwards” or towards the middle of the book. To begin with I have mapped out page 95 -92 (4 double pages) for them and I intend to space out each single page into 3 parts and have therefore 6 project per double page. This gives me the change not only to list the projects, but also to note down a few comments for each.

I hope you find this explanation helpful!
I have used several webbased GTD versions before which was fine to use at the time. Since I moved job, I do not have WiFi in the office anymore and therefore a webbased solution does not work anymore while I am in meetings. Therefore I have switched back to paper and I am very happy with it.

Let me know what kind of system you are using!