My explorations of Treo software, switching aware from Entourage, Voodoopad and Tinderbox have plunged me into the seamy underworld of Getting Things Done — or GTD to its fans. I find myself intrigued, if not seduced, and it’s all-to-easy to imagine leafing my way through the copy of GTDTB (the book), which happens to be floating around the house.

But first I need to do a little pseudo-Zen pushback. As tempted as I am to thing about GTD, I realize that my current work (personally and perhaps professionally) is to focus less on getting things done, and more on doing them.

It’s very easy for me to get caught up in the delights of checking tasks off my list, dropping answered e-mails into the trash, or completing an open project file. But I find that the esthetic of list-checking tends to distract from the experience of actually working on a project; I’m more focused on the experience of completing a project than on the experiences of intellectual engagement, personal connection and creative satisfaction that I enjoy while actually working on it.

Does the GTD methodology contribute to a mentality of checking off accomplishments rather than enjoying experiences? I don’t know. But I’d love to hear from any ers.