About
Hello, my name is Michael Keithley and I am the CIO at UTA. I’m fortunate because I love my job at the intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
All comments and opinions are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer.
GTD for CIOs is a blog that about two things. First, and foremost, it is about how I use David Allen’s Getting Things Done to manage my life. Second, it is a platform for me to comment on the information technology industry and the challenges of being a CIO in todays rapidly changing world. These two intersect because GTD allows me to successfully manage the Information Technology department and I believe it is perfectly suited to any executive or manager anywhere.
If you are a CIO or any senior level technology executive then most likely you have a stressful life with so many demands on your time such that there is literally not enough time in a day to get it all done. I have found an extremely effective way to balance all of the commitments in your life and it is called Getting Things Done or GTD for short.
After attempting various productivity methods over the years, I decided David Allen’s GTD method was the best for how I work and live. Sure, I made modifications to the process so that it suited my needs but the principles are from GTD.. I reviewed and tested my productivity workflow until it left nothing for question. It was important that when I started implementing my process, I do not think, I just do it like a habit.
The other half to any workflow or method is shaped by the tool you choose and I chose Evernote. It was important for me to have a tool that was friction-free getting information in and out of it; and it had to cater to my productivity workflow – how I work and live. It was critical that all my life’s information is in one place, I did not want to hop between multiple applications.
With Evernote, I funnel my information easily into the right buckets, manage my Projects, and do my Next Actions in an effective manner. Now, when I process all my information, there is hardly any thinking – it is just second nature.
What’s the essence of Getting Things Done? GTD provides the most systematic and effective way to manage all the commitments you have to yourself and others. GTD’s key benefit is freedom – freedom from the sources of distraction and stress in your life.
Please subscribe and comment on my posts as this is the best way to make it a conversation.
Twitter – @mkeithley
LinkedIn –http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkeithley
GTD for CIOs 
Michael…
Just sent you a note via LinkedIn. I have really enjoyed reading your blog over the last 30 minutes.
Love to know if you use a Mac/Windows, if Windows would love to show what we have built, and ask you a couple of questions about your use of Evernote.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/208152/make_windows_smarter.html?page=4
David is a great friend has been a great supporter of ActiveWords.
I use a Mac at work and home. I also use iPhone, iPad and Nexus 5. I have been familiar with ActiveWords over the years as I have followed David’s use of it.
Hi Michael. I came across your blog about 6 months back when I learned about GTD. I have started using GTD in my personal life, though I’m yet to follow it 100%. I’m trying (but struggling) to use it in my professional life as the director of a web development group. I feel that there is much more going on a work – many tracking systems, varying priorities, etc. and I find it harder to implement there. I want to thank you for all of the great insights. Your posts provide some great information that I think will help me as I continue to work on using GTD in my life.
-Mike Lawrence
Mike – it is comments like this that make it all worthwhile for me to do this blog. Please fee free to let me know where you are having challenges so I can address them in future posts. Many (all?) people have challenges and struggle from time to time but once GTD becomes a habit you will have a completely new life.
Thanks for noting that. My middle name is Allan and I made a subconscious slip.
Nice stuff, Michael!
Just found your site today. Going through.
One note: It’s “Allen”, not “Allan”!