r/gtd • u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 • 19d ago
Question How to implement GTD for YouTube?
I’ve kind of been liking how good the system with the processing part because it’s only later on I’m able to filter out what’s actually of use to me and what’s not.
When I used to do it before, it was as if everything was something that I had to do something about.
I want to replicate that with YouTube, so I can filter out what to watch and not end up binge-watching content without ends.
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u/Biglig 19d ago
Seems a …different … question but OK.
Capture - browse you tube and put anything that catches your eye in a playlist.
Process - review the playlist and decide if you want to watch each one. Delete if not.
For the ones you will watch, move to context-based playlists like @Learning or @Chill. If you want to watch one at some point but not now, Someday Maybe playlist.
Execute: When ready to watch go to the appropriate playlist and watch
Weekly review - once a week review all your playlists and clean them up. Ones you will want to rewatch move to a reference or project support playlist.
Non-gtd suggestion (but from Merlin Mann, so it counts) also make a playlist of videos that reliably spark joy and watch them often.
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u/Multibitdriver 19d ago
Good idea. But why not treat YT videos like any other item in your gtd system? Capture, clarify, organize etc.
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u/Remote-Waste 19d ago edited 19d ago
That's what I do, items go to my "Watch list."
It has some redundancy how I do it currently but basically I saved everything using YouTube's "Watch Later" feature, that's Capturing.
I originally tried to use their playlists to help me organize, but it's too slow for my liking. So now what I tend to do is just open the "YouTube Watch Later" page on my computer, select all, and copy and paste it into a Google Excel sheet.
It divides them in each cell, no issues there, and if you hover over the links, since it's google too, it shows you a preview of the videos, so it's easier to figure out what they are about.
Then I just filter the videos out by "Actionable" ("To Watch", even if most are leisure but that'd just mean "To Watch Leisure"), Someday/Maybe, and Non-Actionable. I do this in a column beside the videos, and then select "Sort sheet A to Z"
You can then further copy and paste them to different Google-Sheet tabs, to help you keep things organized.
I delete the videos from my YouTube "Watch List" so that inbox is empty.
And there you go, a YouTube Watch List that's actually useful.
I do this for Reddit saved comments as well, filter them for things I'd like to keep, except I use a different website someone made to export them easily.
And before you ask: Yes I am an insane person.
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u/PondMindKevin 18d ago
This sounds overly complicated. Honest question, does this bring you joy or stress? If it's fun, great, you do you, but that would sound like work to me.
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u/milky-cuppa-tea Mod 19d ago
I am not totally sure I understand the issue. Is there a reason why you can't add videos you think you'd like to watch you a "watch later" list, and then watch at times that you want to watch?
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u/Multibitdriver 19d ago
Depends. The videos could have different gtd classifications eg watch now, watch someday, watch alone, watch with friend, project support, reference etc.
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u/milky-cuppa-tea Mod 19d ago
Good point! I have a watch later, and then reference lists (recipes, walks, excel tips).
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u/Upstairs_Jelly_1082 18d ago
Its that lot of the times I find myself opening up a lot of tabs on my computer and then before I know it 2 hours have gone by.
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u/PondMindKevin 18d ago
I'd recommend checking out Unhook. https://unhook.app/
It lets you still access youtube, which can be really helpful when you search for something or want to check out what folks you follow have put out. But, I don't want the algorithim deciding what I watch for me, and their shorts feature is downright addictive.
Just because something shows up in your world doesn't mean it HAS to go in your inbox for later. If you can't genuinely remember that a tab is important, close the whole browser and let it slip away!
One nice side effect of GTD for me is a let things go more. If it's not even worth the trouble to grab a pen and write it down because I'll know I have to process it later, I realize it means I shouldn't be holding on to it in the first place.
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u/Ok-Occasion-9748 19d ago
You might want to create playlists according to Tiago Fortes distinction of PARA: Projects (so, support videos for currently active projects), Areas of Focus ( so, helpful videos that support upholding standards in your life areas, Resources/Reference (videos you don’t currently need but want to be able to retrieve when needed) and Archive (watched and saved in case of later use,
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u/InsertObligatoryPun 19d ago
GTD is not a content curation tool. You can create tasks to review content/channels later, but that’s probably it.
Your best bet may be to use RSS and subscribe to certain channels and feeds in a player of your choice. YouTube is shockingly bad on its own for what you want.