Merlin Mann on Time and Attention (Getting Things Done)

Google Tech Talks
March, 31 2008

ABSTRACT

Merlin Mann is the creator of the Getting Things Done oriented web site 43folders.com and a GTD Guru in his own right. He came and did a tech talk last summer called Inbox Zero which was packed, and can be seen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=z9UjeTMb3Yk (and is highly recommended). This time Merlin is coming in to talk to us about time and attention, and how to maximize both.

If you think you don't have time to come to this tech talk, then you are likely one of the people who needs it most!

Speaker: Merlin Mann
Creator of the 43 folders GTD focused web site and several others. Also regular on the This Week in Tech podcast and Macbreak weekly.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• google
• techtalks
• techtalk
• engedu
• talk
• talks
• googletechtalks
• education

[72gibson]

Why is every google video either recorded inaudibly low, or deafeningly high?

[Leedster618]

Google!! Thanks for the upload of this sweet video, but will you put up the question and answer section too? Or is it too private and google sensitive? The best thing about inbox zero was the Q&A with real people, asking questions the viewers were thinking. Please post!!

[BattlegroundVictory]

Mann might be wiser to stick to something he does know, like putting that mouse hair jell in his hair and spiking it up for podcasts on the Laporte's TWIT network, where he seems to contribute useless commentary on technology and devices Created by people who possess far more vision, work ethic and determination to follow through with their ideas and actually contribute to the culture. This guy is just a bag of hot air.

[BattlegroundVictory]

In the end, Mann could not follow his own advice on how to organize his life in order to "find the time and attention to do [his} best creative work" and finish a book on how to maintain your email inbox of all things. In my opinion, this indicates Mann's lack of discipline and he has revealed himself to be a charlatan fake, one who claims knowledge or skill that he does not have.

[BattlegroundVictory]

Merlin Mann is entirely over-rated and quite derivitive of other so-called "productivity" experts. Interesting that when it came to completing a book INBOX ZERO, for which he was contracted to write by a publisher, he dropped the ball and quit after 2 years. His usual "motivational talks" he is hired to perform at various companies are clearly easier than writing a book and appease his giant ego much better I think, but I doubt they inform his audience much at all.

[adriferr11235]

"Having an entire horizon of stuff you half care about... " - That phrase describes so much of what's wrong with how most of us structure our lives.

[madtrade]

its incredible that google and microsoft on channel 9 cant afford real MIC

seriously even the stupid Fred on youtube is 1000x more pro then you guys!

thous production is your image too !

[TheNationalPool]

I can't really hear anything.

[calebrx17]

@toddkfisher He is not specific because every company is different. His goal is to get people to start thinking differently at the fundamental level and start asking the right questions.