Zen to Done (ZTD) method: succeed in your projects without stress

At work, you have the feeling that you are not performing well enough. You've already tested a lot of methods to improve productivity, but none of them have worked for you in the long run. Often too complicated or restrictive to set up, you always end up giving up.

It is true that changing your habits is not easy. Today, you are looking for a simple method that will help you succeed in your projects by gradually adopting more productive behavior and changing your daily habits.

Learn about the Zen to Done (ZTD) method.

What is the Zen to Done method?

Leo Babauta, blog author Zen Habits, created the ZTD method based on David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) method. Indeed, he found this method very interesting, but its application was cumbersome and complex. So he decided to create a simplified version that eliminated some GTD problems: that's how the Zen to Done system was born.

According to Leo Babauta, “Zen to Done is a simple system that allows you to be more organized and productive, and to have a more reasonable and less stressful life, thanks to a set of habits.”

The ZTD method teaches you:

• 10 essential habits to be productive, organized and simple;
• how to implement these habits;
• how to organize these habits in a simple way;
• how to simplify what you need to do

The aim of this method is to help you build a habit system step by step. With ZTD, you learn how to improve productivity by focusing on forming one habit at a time.

How does it work?

For this method to work, you need to work and practice each of the ten habits one by one. The goal is to focus on one habit at a time for a month to better master it before moving on to the next one. This way, you avoid dispersing and you will be more successful in reaching your goals.

Habit 1: collect

This first habit consists of writing down all the tasks, missions, and projects that you want or need to complete. To do this, choose a notebook or an application, in short, a simple, easy and easy to use and transportable tool to always have it at hand. The idea is to write down everything that comes to your mind on the same medium to clear your mind and avoid forgetting.

Habit 2: treat

The objective of this second habit is to deal with items that you have collected or that are accumulating. Thus, you must take care of incoming people on a daily basis, i.e. emails, messages, letters, tasks and other requests.

To do this, start at the top of the list and process items one after the other by doing the following:

• process immediately what can be done in less than two minutes (quick response to an email, filing documents, etc.)
• remove what is not useful or important;
• archive or back up items that you want to keep;
• delegate what can be delegated;
• plan your tasks by adding them to your to-do list or on your calendar.

Habit 3: Plan

Make a list of your most important tasks every week. Among these tasks, define and plan each day the three tasks that you absolutely want to do during the day. The idea is to do them at the beginning of the day, when you have the most energy and in order to get rid of them as soon as possible and move on. By planning your tasks, you avoid procrastination and you are more productive.

Habit 4: take action

Complete important tasks by focusing on one task at a time. Avoid multitasking and distractions to be more efficient, and work on your task continuously. To help you, you can use the Pomodoro method.

Habit 5: a simple and reliable system

The Zen to Done method involves using a simple and reliable system that allows you to easily create lists according to context: @travail, @en waiting, @maison, @courses, etc. Avoid unnecessary complications and choose the system that is as simple, reliable, and accessible as possible.

Habit 6: organize

Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author said, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Avoid accumulating emails, tasks, folders, etc. Organize, sort, organize your desk, computer, and files. As a result, you benefit from a clean, tidy and well-organized work environment that is ideal for being more productive. You no longer waste time looking for a document and you have more freedom of mind.

Habit 7: revise

For the Zen to Done method to work, it's essential to review your system and goals every week, month, and year. Analyze the progress made to reach your goals and define the actions that need to be taken to continue your progress. At the end of the year, do an annual review to find out where you are in achieving your goals.

These various regular points are essential because they help ensure that you are making progress towards your goals without being distracted by secondary tasks.

Habit 8: simplify

As you will have understood, one of the foundations of the ZTD method is simplification. Stop filling your days with useless and superfluous tasks, but focus on what matters most. Revise your to-do lists and goals, simplify them, and keep only the ones that are essential and important to you and your projects. Also, reduce the flow of information you receive to avoid spreading out.

Habit 9: routine

According to Robert, routine is a “habit of acting or thinking that has become mechanical.” Establishing routines and rituals on a daily basis helps you to change your habits, to better structure your days, forces you to perform certain tasks that become automatic and allows you to gain in efficiency.

Habit 10: Finding Your Passion

When you are passionate, it is much easier to get on with a task. If you enjoy your work, you'll be more motivated and effective, and you'll be less likely to procrastinate. For Leo Babauta, if you are passionate about your work, your to-do list becomes a reward list. If your passion is a hobby, a hobby, it can be the reward that motivates you to complete your tasks more quickly.

As a simplification of the GTD method, the Zen to Done method allows you to simply organize yourself, change your habits and acquire new ones step by step to be more productive.