TRO and Getting Things Done
How is TRO related to Getting Things Done by David Allen?
David Allen’s Getting Things Done is a contextual productivity system (organizes tasks by context or situation). If you’ve tried it and see its incredible potential, you’ll especially appreciate Total, Relaxed Organization by Priacta.
TRO is the next generation of contextual productivity. TRO unifies and improves on the best ideas from many great thinkers like Allen and Covey, with GTD-inspired principles as its foundation. TRO gives you the best of all these worlds and more, yet it is simple to use.
What are the specific advantages of the TRO approach?
Total, Relaxed Organization takes GTD-type principles to a whole new level of ease and power:
- No Massive Pile to Process. David Allen tells you to put everything in a giant pile and process it all before you start to feel control. It’s too daunting. TRO gives you much faster visibility and control.
- No Scanning Long Lists. Traditional GTD-style lists are unprioritized and huge. TRO fixes that without sacrificing the “mind like water” benefits of GTD. Choosing next actions is almost automatic!
- No 1-Hour Weekly Reviews. TRO weekly reviews so they are just 5 minutes and fun! By contrast, standard GTD weekly reviews are 1+ hour and stressful; most people just won’t do them.
- Automatic Follow-Up. TRO “Waiting For” items don’t require separate tracking and reviewing like they do in GTD. They automatically stay on track. Plus, TRO trainees regularly report back to you without nagging.
- Stop “Falling off the Wagon.” TRO teaches an easier, self-rewarding approach, then follows up tenaciously until your habits are second nature [click here for live proof].
- Relax in a Crisis. TRO isn’t a treadmill. You’ll learn powerful strategies for bloated inboxes or work surges where typical GTD-style “processing” becomes overwhelming.
- Balance Your Life Naturally. With TRO, harmonizing all areas of your life is simple and natural.
- Goals and Projects Stay on Track Automatically. Focus naturally on your Most Profitable Activities. You move almost unconsciously towards your highest goals. No need to scan a huge Projects list!
- Productive Right Now. Unlike GTD, which usually takes some time to master, TRO gets you fully trained and in control in one day (full-time) or a few days (part-time). You actually get work done as you learn.
- Step-by-Step Directions. Precise instructions give you a simplified approach with no guesswork, no false starts, and no hunting for solutions.
- Tool-Smart. Instead of GTD’s “tool agnostic” approach, TRO explains exactly how to put your exact combination of task manager, smart phone, calendar, and email system to work. You’ll know the exact features to use, how to sync tasks to your smart phone, how to adapt for your smart phone, etc. (The tool combination is important—a simple list of instructions for your task list isn’t enough.)
- Email with Less Stress. Email processing is fast, fun, and relaxing. Your email communication channel stays unclogged; tasks are captured quickly. Easy “Inbox zero.”
- Greater Sense of Accomplishment. TRO automatically gives you a short daily punch list. You see what you know you need to do, so you have a strong sense of accomplishment.
- No Wondering “How?” Expert coaching or coach backup (you choose) is just a call or email away. “Call in the cavalry” at any time for mentoring and answers.
- All the Answers. TRO training includes details for tough situations where you are usually left hanging, like filing unusual project support items, processing client/prospect files, tackling complex research project files, and retiring strange piles of “stuff.”
- Don’t Shock Your Wallet. A wide range of TRO self-training and coaching options meet all needs and budgets, from CEOs and executive teams to students.
- Guaranteed! TRO is backed by Priacta’s Total Satisfaction, 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
Read our client testimonials for a better idea of what this can mean for you.*
Online Training Questions
Trouble logging in or using TRO Online Training
The first time you access TRO training, you need to create a new account using your purchase email. Look for “Register” (opposite the “LOG IN” button) on the login page or Click Here to sign up. (You can’t reset your password until after you have created your account.)
Log in to TRO Online Training using the email address of your TRO Online Training account. By default, the email is your purchasing email. It will only be another email if you changed your profile after first signing in.
Other problems are rare. However, if something isn’t working for you, email us at [email protected]
How long is my access to TRO Online training valid for?
You will be able to access your TRO Online Training for a full year after you start your training. This lets you use your TRO Online Training as a post-training reference.
How long does online training take?
You move through it at your own pace. The training remembers where you left off.
It’s much more than a training. It actually leads you through the transformation. So, the time depends on your office, work needs, reading speed etc. There are many natural stopping points, and you feel relief and get actual work done at each step:
- Learning the simple principles of TRO productivity
- Setting up your apps for TRO
- Gathering or buying materials to transform your office (from $5 to $125
of materials, depending on your tastes and what you have on hand now) - Doing your initial office sweep
- Creating homes for everything
- Learning to “process” quickly, using the stuff you just gathered
- Learning to do simple daily/weekly/monthly reviews
- Learning when and what to “do”
- Setting up your 21-day follow-up to finalize your habits
In all, allow 12 to 20 hours to work through it yourself over a period of days to weeks. If that’s too long, get a coach to customize it and step you through in 8 hours or less with no uncertainty.
What training tools do you support?
Click here for a complete list, plus other options.
Why can't I see my new training tool?
If you switched training tools (like from Nozbe Classic to Nozbe 3+) but you still see the old tool information in the training system, you may need to clear your browser cache. Our favorite instructions for that are found here.
21 Day Follow-Up & Accountability
Why is "21 Day Follow-Up" important?
21 day follow-up turns your new TRO workflow into relaxed, refreshing habit. It’s built into our TRO Online Training:
- It ensures proper, lasting habits as you follow your new routine daily.
- It supplements and follows up on any coaching.
- It assures these typical results.
Does a coach help with the follow up?
We strongly recommend it. Adding a coach makes a huge difference:
- You have a “lifeline” to your coach for any problems or questions (Skype, email, phone),
- The coach holds weekly check-ins (10-minutes) to fine-tune your system.
- They hold you accountable as you master your new habits.
- You get the best possible change, as quickly as possible.
To add a coach, choose or upgrade to any remote or on-site coaching option.
When does "21 Day Follow-Up" start? How does it work?
You decide. The option appears in the training system when you’re ready. Breaks are allowed for vacations, illness, etc. You also control the starting date, work schedule, and any pauses. See below for pausing instructions.
Daily 21-day follow-up emails are sent with links to your daily reports. There, you’ll:
- Measure your progress with “key indicators” (a few quick numbers).
- Compare your progress with typical milestones. (“Am I on track?”)
- Review key TRO principles as needed.
- Learn advanced principles for even better results at just the right time
It’s fast, simple, and online where you can review it later. If you miss a report, you’re reminded by email daily until you take care of it.
What about conferences or breaks during the 21 days?
Conferences, breaks, and sickness are part of real life and a real training opportunity:
- 3-day weekends or days off aren’t a problem. (Initial training sessions should be consecutive if possible.)
- If you travel, no problem. We help you set up a new “portable office,” so working, training, and follow-up on the road is even helpful.
- A vacation of a week or less, at least one week after your training is not a problem. Put your follow-up on hold while you’re gone (see below). Your inbox will grow while you’re gone, but that’s OK—it’s good “triaging” practice. Work always has stops and starts, and your new TRO workflow will handle them.
- If multiple week-long breaks are likely (delivery of a baby, vacations), schedule your training later, when you’ll have more uninterrupted time.
How do I pause 21-day follow-ups (or turn them off)?
- Log in to TRO Online Training.
- Click Accounts tab at top right.
- Click Edit Account.
- Scroll down to 21-Day Follow-Up, and change Date of Next Email. (Or to turn it off forever, uncheck “Please send me 21-day follow-up emails.”)
How do I pause progress reminder emails (or turn them off)?
- Log in to TRO Online Training.
- Click Accounts tab at top right.
- Click Edit Account.
- Scroll down to Progress Reminder Emails, and change Date of Next Email. (Or to turn them off forever, uncheck “I may need extra motivation to complete my training. Please email me if I am not making progress.”)
Remote Coaching Questions
How does Remote Coaching work?
It’s an amazing, Priacta-pioneered process. You send quick digital images of your workspace to your coach (including the insides of drawers and under your desk!) Your coach uses those pictures as a map to ask the right questions and help you create your new workflow. (“Tell me about that pile of papers on the shelf behind you….”) Then the coach uses world-class remote desktop sharing tools and your own web browser to walk you through software setup and watch you as you process tasks, emails, projects, etc. All you need is a speakerphone or bluetooth headset and a smartphone for snapshots. No webcam required.
How well does Remote Coaching work?
It works brilliantly. It has proven just as effective as on-site training at roughly 1/3 the cost. It works because:
- You prepare just a bit before being coached,
- Your training can take place over several days,
- You are looking at the papers on your desk instead of the coach’s face, and
- The coach doesn’t get in the way physically as you move around and use your keyboard (both of you can be “at the keyboard” at the same time).
What if I use special software or tools?
The TRO Online Training is customized automatically for a growing number of task managers, calendars, email clients, smartphones and tablets. Your coach is an expert in all these tools. If your tools aren’t yet directly supported, TRO Online Training (and your coach) tells you how to choose the best methods for the tools you have.
Questions about Total, Relaxed Organization
What is Total, Relaxed Organization (TRO)?
It is radically-effective personal and team productivity. See this detailed description. See also TRO and Getting Things Done.
I don't use Windows or Outlook. Can you train me?
Yes! We actively train on Mac, paper planners, smart phones, or any TRO-capable tools of your choosing. TRO works with almost any platform.
Do I need to use a particular planner or software?
No. We train on Windows and Mac, and TRO works with most planners and tools: Franklin Covey, Day Runner, Outlook, paper lists, your favorite GTD software, smartphones, PDAs, Tablet PCs—use what fits you best. We research and train on a wide range of software. However, some tools have definite advantages over others, so discuss your needs with a coach. We’ll adapt the training to fit your tools and style.
Will TRO training try to change me?
We (and you) build your solution around you. Total, Relaxed Organization is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We help you adapt sound principles to the natural flow of your day. Because your personal systems will match the way you work, the results feel natural and the training sticks.
That said, TRO Training is about lasting change, so you will learn new principles and apply new skills. Without such positive changes, nothing in the world can remove the stress of poorly managed time.
Cost, Guarantee, and Upgrades
How much is TRO training? Is it worth it?
Total, Relaxed Organization™ training is an investment that pays you back for the rest of your life. (Average time reclaimed: 600 hours/year.) How much is that extra time worth to you, year after year?
Is your training guaranteed?
Yes. All Priacta products and services are backed by our Total Satisfaction, Money-Back Guarantee. You can try out TRO coaching or training with complete confidence.
How do I see all the TRO training/coaching options?
See the Total, Relaxed Organization page for a quick summary, and the TRO Remote Coaching page for options and prices.
How do I upgrade from one training system to another?
Upgrading is easy. Just go to the TRO Online Training page to purchase access, or the TRO Remote Coaching page, then choose the correct upgrade option. You are charged only for the difference in cost. (Prior purchase is verified during and after check out and order processing.)
On-Site Coaching
Where does on-site coaching take place?
1-1 coaching happens in your own office. If you have more than one office it happens in your main workspace. Your coach carefully observes your work environment and your working style to help you make the necessary changes on the spot.
For teams, you choose the most comfortable training setting. A conference room with a projector is ideal.
I'm a busy person. How do I make time for this?
You’ll get a lot done. On-Site TRO Training does require that you accept no calls, no interruptions, for at least one full work day. (Remote and self-training is more flexible.) However, you will get a lot of your day-to-day work done because we take a “learning by doing” approach.
How do you change habits in one day?
Training lasts far beyond just the coaching session. Premium coaching includes up to 30 days of unlimited coach follow-up by Skype, email, and phone as needed to keep you on track until you “own” the system.
Get More Information
Can I Talk with a Coach?
Yes. The first session is free (up to 20 minutes, a $60 value). To schedule, you can press the button to the right to contact a Priacta certified coach.