Perlego Book of the Month: Getting Things Done by David Allen

Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen is a productivity book that offers a comprehensive and practical system for managing tasks, projects, and commitments. It has been widely regarded as one of the most influential and transformative books in the field of personal productivity.

At its core, GTD is a simple and straightforward system for capturing, clarifying, and organizing all the tasks and commitments that come your way. The central premise is that our brains are not designed to store and manage all the information and tasks that we encounter on a daily basis. Instead, Allen argues that we need a reliable external system that can capture and process all this information, freeing up our minds to focus on the work at hand.

The first step in the GTD system is to capture all the tasks, ideas, and commitments that are currently in your head or in your environment. This can include everything from emails and voicemails to sticky notes and random thoughts. The idea is to get everything out of your head and into a reliable system that you can trust.

Once you have captured all the information, the next step is to clarify what needs to be done. This involves reviewing each item and determining whether it is actionable or not. If it is actionable, then you need to decide what the next action is and whether it can be done in two minutes or less. If it cannot be done in two minutes, then it needs to be added to your list of projects or delegated to someone else.

The third step is to organize all the information and tasks that you have captured and clarified. This involves creating lists of next actions, projects, and reference materials that you can use to keep track of everything. The GTD system encourages the use of specific lists for different types of tasks, such as a «Next Actions» list for tasks that can be completed immediately and a «Someday/Maybe» list for tasks that are not immediately actionable but may be important in the future.

The final step in the GTD system is to regularly review and update your lists. This involves reviewing your projects and next actions on a weekly basis to ensure that you are making progress and staying on track. It also involves periodically reviewing your entire system to ensure that it is working effectively and that you are capturing all the information and tasks that you need to.

One of the key strengths of the GTD system is its adaptability. The system can be used in a wide range of contexts, from personal to professional, and can be customized to meet the needs of each individual user. The system is also flexible enough to accommodate different types of tools and technologies, such as paper-based systems, digital tools, or a combination of both.