Getting Things Done desktop backgrounds
UPDATE: There is now a second series of Getting Things Done desktop backgrounds!
I just finished reading Getting Things Done
(If you haven’t read of or heard of this book, you shoud jump on it immediately. Reviews/related sites: To-Done, 43Folders, Lifehacker’s GTD section, Del.icio.us/tag/GTD, Amazon, David Allen’s Definition of GTD)
While I’m not implementing the system in full (no paper inbox, no 30-day / 12-month tickler file), there were lots of little chunks that I wanted to re-read over and over because they helped “snap” my mind into a productive state. I created a desktop background for my laptop to help me focus when I’m feeling frazzled—then realized a week later that maybe others could benefit from the same thing as well.
So—here’s my series of Getting Things Done desktop backgrounds, available in a variety of sizes to fit your screen resolution.
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Choose one project.zip [410kb | preview]
Choose your actions.zip [287kb | preview]
Get rid of negative feelings.zip [375kb | preview]
Things on your mind.zip [373kb | preview]
Each zip file contains versions at 1900×1200, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1440×900, 1024×768 and 800×600. If you’ve got a request for a wonky resolution I don’t have here, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to oblige.
UPDATE: It seems that most of the world doesn’t utilize OS X (I was shocked too) and therefore doesn’t have access to their desktop via Expose like I do. Shari came up with the great idea of having the GTD messages open in a Firefox tab, slideshow-style. I wrote some basic HTML pages to link the images together; you just click the message to go to the next one, and it will loop back to the beginning.
To use, unzip to your desktop (or wherever you want), and open index.html in your (tab-enabled) web browser.
Download: GTD Slideshow.zip [105kb]
REQUEST: I’ve gotten a few requests for additional backgrounds; I’d really love input from people on what GTD messages they’d like to see. These four spoke to me the strongest—what passages from the book “snap” you into a productive state? Share in the comments, thanks!
NEW SIZES: New widescreen resolutions available (thanks for the suggestion, Michael) - now in 1680×1050 and 1900×1200. I have also added these resolutions to the “complete set” files above.
Download: GTD backgrounds 1680×1050.zip [141kb]
Download: GTD backgrounds 1900×1200.zip [160kb]
Also, thanks for getting me onto del.icio.us/popular—I appreciate the link love!
Since I rarely see my desktop, I used these as screen saver slides instead. I could use a lot more, too. I could always make my own, but these look really nice.
Thanks!
Douglas: Glad you can get some use out of them. I’ve got OS X, so with Expose I can slide all my apps out of the way for a few seconds to get a “refresher” (and I keep an icon-free desktop for the most part).
If you’ve got any specific messages you want created, just let me know and I’ll put them together. I just started thumbing through the book to create a second series of backgrounds.
I rarely see my desktop either. I made these into a small webpage that’s always open in my Firefox tabs and I can rotate through them. They look great. Great idea, Jacob.
I think I’m gonna stick these around my whiteboard.
Very attractive design :)
Very nice design ;)
Hi Jacob, Very nice job. Since you asked about alternative size, :) , my Cinema display is 1900×1200, and my wife’s 20″ iMac is 1680×1050.
Jacob, thanks for the contribution. Great design, and I am looking forward to the new slides that you`re working on!
Michael: I’ll whip those up today and post them.
Everybody: Thanks for the compliments!
I sympathise with your picking and choosing parts of the GTD system, I did not use my tickler file and had to returned the 43 folders to the stationary cupboard. I have used other components of the GTD system, such as Next Action and I carry my Hipster PDA everywhere as a method of collecting thoughts.
Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for or not, but here are some concepts I’d like to see spelled out neatly and in a retainable manner: - what makes a vertical view and what makes a horizontal view - what the different elevations focus on
These are the things I see written out and I vaguely get them, and when I read the descriptions, I do get them, but then they slip away so they’re once again just vague notions.
You’ve worded your backgrounds so well, I was wondering if you could do your magic on these topics also.
Thanks for the updated sizes Jacob. Much appreciated!
This may come as a shocker, but Other Systems let you view your desktop, too.
Windows: right-click on task bar, select “Show the Desktop”.
KDE/GNOME: no such luck, but you can put a different image on each desktop, or have them rotated every N minutes a la slideshow.
Korinthe: Not a shocker, but if you’re telling me that right clicking on the task bar and choosing “Show the Desktop” is as easy as hitting F11…
thanks for these. great to look at. i’m subscribing, and looking forward to more.
Nobody’s mentioned 1280×1024 resolution yet? It’s the default size for most (non-widescreen) 17″ LCD monitors I’ve seen (and use).
Michael: Isn’t it possible to use the 1600×1200 one but “shrink to fit”? I think that should work and not screw up the image.
I do my own gtd desktop.
You can see here http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmauesrocha/230400524/
Thanks for these… I modified the original files to center the images top and bottom and side to side and also fixed the links so that these will now work in for Windows desktop (tested in 2000 only but should be fine with others)
http://www.promotionplusinc.com/slideshowIE.zip
The links to the zips seem to be broken.
the links to download the GTD wallpapers (choose one project, chose one actionm etc) go “404″ … any chance you can send me the updatede URL?
Sorry about the issues with the links going 404—I’m trying to figure out why. I haven’t changed anything, the files are still there, etc.
The links should be working now.