Did you know that Google Sheets can be a nifty hub for productivity? In this article, we’ll show you ways on how you can exploit Google Sheets to do more meaningful things in less time.
1. Google Sheets as Your Getting Things Done Hub (GTD)
Getting Things Done or GTD is a highly popular system for personal productivity developed by author and productivity consultant David Allen. It’s a methodology that unburdens your brain of having to remember every task you have to do while also helping you decide on which things to do first. GTD allows the routine of productivity to be less stressful so you can focus on working, not remembering.
We will not dive too deep into the principles of GTD but we will show you how to implement it using a Google Sheets template.
Step #1 – Capture. Type down whatever crosses your mind. It could be a task or an idea. Committing it into your spreadsheet means you won’t lose track of it. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, write it and you can organize it.
Step #2 – Clarify. Identify whether the item you captured is a task you should do, a whole project, or a reference material. A task is something actionable in one step; a whole project is a bigger undertaking which takes multiple steps; or a reference material that can be useful later. For this template, we’ll use dropdowns!
Step #3 – Organize. Distribute the things you’ve captured into the right place .Events go to your calendar, single-step actions to your to-do’s list, or even a database. This step is usually done together with step 2 but it’s useful to know the distinction.
Step #4 – Review. This is an ongoing process. You will want to regularly look over, revise, or update your lists or projects. Declutter your inbox. If things have already been organized
Step #5 – Do. Work on the most important, urgent, or relevant items on your list.
2. Using Google Sheets as Your To-Do List
A to-do list is a simple checklist of things you have to do. This could be a list of items you have to complete for work or your personal life. It can be a component of a more complex GTD system like we’ve mentioned in #2 or it can be a standalone, simplified list.
Some fields you’d like to add for your tasks include area of focus, priority, due date, and task status.
3. Organize Your Data Using Google Sheets
Don’t be intimidated by the word database. You can organize all sorts of data in Google Sheets and avoid the visual clutter you get when you use your phone’s crappy default notepad.
Here are some productive database use cases of Google Sheets you could try:
- Bookmarks. Collect, sort, and organize the URL of websites you wish to visit later and add descriptions unlike your browser’s built-in bookmarks organizer.
- Warranty Receipts. Don’t lose track of your warranties again and when they expire!
- Billing Statements. Organize all your personal or work credit card statements in one spreadsheet so you can easily access them when you need to.
- Self-study Manual. Create courses by organizing files, links, and text into one spreadsheet according to field or material
Conclusion on Ways Google Sheets Can Increase Productivity
Today you’ve learned magnificent use cases for Google Sheets that can sky-rocket your productivity. Implementing basic Getting Things Done methodology is a very rewarding experience for you and your time. Using Sheets as your database for educational or financial material is a great idea to stay organized with your personal or work affairs.
Looking to make the most out of Google Drive? FileDrop is a powerful Google Sheets and Docs add-on that allows you to drag and drop files into spreadsheet cells with automatic linking and adds them to your Google Drive. Install FileDrop for free using this link.
The nifty thing about FileDrop is you’ll be able to supercharge your GTD or database sheets by adding files on a drag-and-drop basis. You can even organize those files later as they are connected to your Google Drive account.
Learn more by visiting FileDrop.
