I’ve always been a big fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology. GTD is about freeing your mind from having to remember everything. The approach is simply about writing down every thought, task, idea, or commitment in a place where it can be organized, reviewed, and acted upon.
The approach
It suggests that you review those written ideas and thoughts periodically. If any idea can be completed within 2 minutes, do it immediately. Otherwise, schedule it or delegate it to someone else. If an outcome requires more than one action to complete, it becomes a project. If an idea doesn’t go under any of the above, then it’s under “Someday”.
You should dedicate a small amount of time regularly to review and organize your captured items.
(Reference, modified: Getting Things Done – David Allen – Penguin Books – 2003)
Task Classification Model
The GTD system is structured around the following lists, each serving a specific purpose:
- Inbox: Capture everything on your mind
- Next: Actionable items you can work on now
- Scheduled: Items with a specific date or time
- Waiting For: Tasks blocked by someone or something else
- Someday: Ideas with no commitment yet
- Projects: Outcomes requiring multiple actions
Helpful Tags: #5min, #deep
I use these tags to categorize actions in Next list so I can quickly select tasks based on my current energy, focus, and available time.
Review:
Inbox (frequently)
Waiting For (periodically)
Someday (periodically)
Projects (weekly)
Work from:
Next
Scheduled
Clarify Dates Rule
Dates are sacred. Dates should be used only when something genuinely needs to happen on a particular day.
- Hard deadline → Add a date.
- Flexible task → No date.
Personally, I usually skip the Scheduled list altogether and use my calendar instead.
More about Projects
The purpose of the Projects list is to track outcomes, not to store executable work. Mostly, you do not work directly from the Projects list. For every active project, identify the next physical action and place that action in either:
- Next list or
- Calendar (if date-specific)
Sequential Projects
Only the current next action should appear in Next List or Calendar.
Parallel Projects
Multiple actions can be worked on simultaneously. Usually date is unimportant here and thus all next steps go under Next.
Recommended GTD Applications
While GTD can be implemented using pen and paper, several applications are designed around the methodology. My personal recommendations are:
- NirvanaHQ (Web, Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android)
- Things 3 (MacOS, iOS)
Other capable options include: Remember The Milk, Todoist, and TickTick.
Finally
Whether you use a notebook, Apple Reminders, Microsoft To Do, Google Tasks, or a dedicated GTD application, the principles remain the same. The system is simple, but when practiced consistently, the Getting Things Done methodology can dramatically reduce mental clutter and improve productivity.
Have you ever tried GTD? What system, app, or method do you use to manage your tasks and projects?
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