David Allen: Getting Things Done

Gather all the inputs in your life that require action. Inputs are anything representing something that needs to be achieved at some point in the future. They can include emails, phone messages, memos, information in notebooks, pads and calendars, invites to upcoming events, magazines, books, scribbled notes and business cards. Many people make the mistake of trying to carry around too many inputs in their heads, where they compete for attention or get lost in the midst of other inputs. The average person can only remember about seven things at any one time. [3]

2. Process Inputs

For each input, determine whether it's actionable – i.e. if there's something you can do to move it forward. If not, you should discard or incubate the item for later, or keep it for future reference. If you can process the input, implement the ‘do it, delegate it or defer it’ principle:

• Do it: if the action will take less than two minutes to complete, just do it.
• Delegate it: if the action will take more than two minutes and someone else could do it, delegate it.
• Defer it: if the action will take more than two minutes and has to be done by you, defer it - most likely to the ‘next actions’ list. (see step 3)

3. Organize Results

The systematic organization of inputs is the central to GTD. Use the following tools to organize tasks:

Projects list

Projects are any things which require more than one step to be completed, and can vary greatly in size.

Next actions

Often categorized by the project to which they relate, next actions record what needs to happen to move the project forward. Next actions should also include a ‘waiting for’ list of items that can’t move forward until someone else has taken action. Below is an example of a completed projects list, with next actions and a waiting for list.

Projects

Next actions

Waiting for

Recruit new team member

Review job description

Organize training session

Conduct training needs analysis

Process results of performance reviews

Read performance notes

Develop presentation

Need graphics from marketing department

Learn new software

Watch training video

Get quotes for new kitchen

Need partner’s decision on worktops

Calendar

Use this to keep track of:

• time-specific actions (appointments or meetings)
• day-specific actions (returning calls on a specific day)
• day-specific information (directions for how to get to upcoming appointments, reminders about birthdays and other special events)

Calendar programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar can capture all of this information and set up reminder alerts. These can often be synchronized with smartphone calendars, delivering reminders to your phone.

Someday/maybe list

This list is a place to record ideas and projects you'd like to do, but don’t have time for at the moment. Someday/maybe items might include:

• learning a foreign language
• booking a dream holiday
• taking a professional qualification
• organizing a team-building day
• cleaning out the garage

Reference filing

Systematic referencing allows you to keep information that doesn't require any action, but which is valuable in some way. Like a new book or interesting report to read in the future. For physical items, a filing cabinet will serve well. You can file digital inputs on a computer or the cloud, and bookmark interesting websites for reference. Create a filing system that works for you, allowing you to quickly find something when you need it.

4. Review Options for Next Actions

The weekly review is one of the cornerstones of GTD. It's an essential activity that helps people gain control of their inputs. Set a time each week to update lists, review calendar entries and plan for the coming week(s). This should give you a total overview of their current situation and a feeling of being in control.

5. Do Next Actions

The last step in the GTD methodology is to undertake the actions needed to move projects forward. Allen has developed three models to help put options into context and facilitate effective decision-making.

The Four Criteria Model for Choosing Next Actions

To decide what action to take next, consider these four criteria:

1. Context: which next actions are you in the right place or situation to do? Essentially, what can you do, right now?
2. Time available: which items on your list can you complete before another commitment?
3. Energy available: what mood are you in? How tired are you? Everyone has different times of the day when they are more or less effective. Do challenging tasks that require concentration in your most effective part of the day, and choose less mentally demanding tasks in your low-energy periods.
4. Priority: Now that you’ve narrowed your list down, choose the next action which is the most important/urgent and will give the biggest payoff.

The Threefold Model for Evaluating Daily Work

The work you do falls into three categories:

1. Predefined: this is getting through your existing to-do list of work you know needs to be completed.
2. Ad hoc: this is new work that comes to you throughout the day, which was unexpected and unplanned for. Choosing to do this work straight away is effectively deciding that it's more important than everything on your existing list. Is it?
3. Undefined: this is time spent processing inputs by doing it, delegating it or deferring it, then deciding on next actions. It could also be thought of as planning time.

The Six Level Model for Reviewing Your Own Work

These are the six perspectives Allen suggests you can view your options from and help assign appropriate priorities:

Summary

GTD is a comprehensive time management system that enables you to feel in control at work and at home, no matter how busy you are. Its emphasis ontasks, projects, next actions and weekly progress reviews, combined with longer-term planning, can help you be morefocused, moreproductive and less stressed.