Okay fine, I will admit that I use my Blackberry while inside of a car and yes sometimes the car is also moving. Reading an address from an email, Looking at Google's mobile Maps or just plan making a phone call are all common tasks, but driving often gives me time to problem solve, think and plan out projects. But right when I have a good idea there is no easy way to capture the information for future actions.

So I set about trying to solve the problem of "how to manage task when you cannot write", and yes the solution came while stuck in traffic. Luckily I remember the idea long enough to write it down later (not while in a moving car). I also hope that this will assist people with disabilities that seek out task management solutions.
Well this problem would restrict me from using my hands but leaves me with speaking. I don't want to carry an adding device (like a recorder) and I already have a cell phone. Voicemail makes sense but I don't want to spam my own mailbox. I need a collection method, an inbox, context based 'folders' and finally a process for retrieving the information. I chose Google's Grand Central phone solution because its free, very easy to use, setting up multiple accounts gives me my 'folders' and it has a web based interface that is accessible from both a desktop and mobile device like my Blackberry Browser.

1. Go to Google and create #s for each of your contexts or tasks (Email, Web, Store, Project)
2. Now assign in your cell phone address book each # to the context name.
3. Call the # for @Web and just leave a message (Most phones have either speed dials or voice activated dialing making this even faster and safer).
4. Later, perhaps while at your PC, call the # for @PC and listen to your messages.

What's really nice here is that you can make the system accessible to other people. Either give them all of the #s or create a public # that your spouse or workmate can call to leave task messages. You can later take messages from the public folder and forward them to the private #s if needed.

The only thing that I don't like about Google's Grand Central is that the current web based system only manages one # per login. So I can't make system wide changes on the web without multiple usernames. Either this was a short sighted design flaw or a way to minimize the number of accounts that get created. Personally I see this as a huge value added feature that Google could charge for.

An upgrade to this Voicemail GTD system is to implement an Asterisk or TrixBox IP PBX telephony solution. With this you can create a customized IVR menu system with voice prompts. While not for everyone it is way cool as a geek/gadget lover. With this you would have just one # to call and then follow the prompts to the context 'folder' before leaving your task message. Plus the system is uber neat as a personal VM/Phone system.