Eventualism 101

One of the many things I keep hearing from the masses that keep up with me here is a quick way for people to start practicing Eventualism right away. First off, let me stress that you can’t just jump in to the practice of Eventualism; it would be like performing the Polar Bear Swim in untested waters. Only the crazy and elderly people that need to prove that they’re not “elderly-like” would do this. Rational people would slowly dip their toe in to check it first, and then eventually get in.

But, to give you some talking points to take away with you and get you going, I’ll give you some of my talking points written out in this article – therefore making them “writing points” instead. Just promise you’ll take this list and find a way to put some real Eventualism in there. Throw me a bone, okay?

1. Spread out your inboxes.

Don’t have a piece of software for your capture device. Get five. Don’t have a Moleskine. Get 3. Where are your 13 plastic inbox trays? Not using MobileMe to sync up? Give it a go. You need to throw your stuff everywhere. That way, you get things done in an eventualistic manner – and no one can accuse you of not writing things down. Even if they do accuse you of losing things, you can at least point out it was an organized form of lost. Which is better than where the television show of the same name is right now.

2. Bring on the email.

Solicit email from everyone and keep it. Become an Email Pirate and you’ll be on your way. This can be one of the most effective ways to eventualize efficiently. Also, have lots of email inboxes (as alluded to in #3) – it will enhance that efficiency even more so.

3. Increase your cable channel subscription.

Television is a great tool when you’re an avid Eventualist, but it’s of very little use with a limited amount of channels. Sure, you can rent movies (even Apple and NetFlix make that a more GTD-friendly activity now), but with so many channels available to you now, why not take advantage? There are so many channels out there now that you can spend hours of getting things done eventually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additional channels will also expand your cultural horizons, whether you like it or not. Remember, television eventually does more than provide you with programming – it provides a good washing of the brain. Advertising and Joan Rivers take care of that over a period of time. Soon enough, with more channels you’ll be broke and decked out in cheap jewelry – man or woman.

4. BYO – Brew your own.

Another important ally in your quest to become more eventual with your productivity is “the drink.” And what better way to save money and use your time over a longer stretch of time than to brew your own beer or wine. The process of actually making the beer takes weeks alone, and then you end up with a vast number of bottled goodness that will take you as much time as you allow to drink. Since it’s considered a hobby it’s not as widely scorned as hanging out at the pub or bar, either. Plus, you can do it in your basement. Awesome.

5. Study the circle.

This one could be the biggest help to get you going. A circle goes in circles, which is where you need to go when you “live the Life Eventual”. The Olympics are a classic example of an organization who has studied the circle very well. They’ve incorporated five of them in a design that allows constant eventualizing to take place – both within the events and also with those who end up watching them (see #1). Forget the oval, skip the square – the circle is where it’s at when you’re a true Eventualist.

These 5 tips should get you on your eventual way. As for me, I’m off to meditate now.