Getting Things Done

the art of stress free productivity

From the New York Times bestselling author

David Allen

Chapter 1 – A new practice for

a new reality

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Stay focused at all times

You are fully available!! And you are on!

To have an overwhelming number of things to doStill function productively with a clear headAnd positive sense of control

Best way to be fully present & engagedYour attention is completely at your command

What you are doing is exactly what has to be done nowForget about your whole spectrum of commitments and interest

Productive work is possible

A great way to live and work

EffortProductiv

ity

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Lack of edges- Ever-changing world

Work no longer has clear

boundaries

Almost everything could be done

better

More work, new demands,

less resources

Jobs and lives keep changing very frequently

Most of us have, in the past seventy-two hours, received more change-producing, project-creating, and priority-shifting inputs than our parents did in a month, may be even in a year

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Existing gaps in task management

The old models and habits are insufficient

Too much distraction with ever changing & increasing commitments every day

Ineffective personal organization systems

An overwhelming number of things to do

Less clarity on what to focus on now!!!

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The mind like water state

Clear mental space

No pull or push on anything

100% attention

Stay relaxed

Minimum effort & max productivity

Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relaxClearing the mind to being open and appropriately responsive is the key

Key for a mind like water state

Sense of being in control

To get into ‘Productive State’

Not stressed out

Highly focused in what you are doing

Woudnt realize that time is passing by

Noticeable progress towards meaningful outcome

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How to manage commitments?

Write down the problem that is most on your mind at the

moment

Read an email about a new pressing issue in your department

Describe in a single sentence

the intended successful

outcome to that problem

Resolve the problem with a meeting

Very next physical action to

move the situation forward

Write an email?Call or text someone?Talk about it face-to face?

Chapter 2 – Getting control

of your life

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Horizontal management: Five steps

Capture Clarify Organize Reflect Engage

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The capture tools

Physical-in-tray

Paper-based note-taking devices

Digital/audio note-taking devices

E-mail & text messaging

Get it all out of your headMinimize the number of capture locationsEmpty the capture tools regularly

Success factors for capturing

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Clarify: Basis of organization

Many of the items that tend to leak out of personal organizing systems are amorphous formsDo we actually need to do something about them?Piles of messages which doesn’t warrant any action

What is it?

Many of the items that tend to leak out of personal organizing systems are amorphous formsDo we actually need to do something about them?Piles of messages which doesn’t warrant any action

Is it actionable?

No: No action requiredYes: If it’s about a projectDo it, Delegate it; Defer it

Yes or No?

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Workflow Diagram: Organizing

“Stuff”

In basket

What is it?

Is it actionable?

YesWhat is the next

action?

no

TrashSome day/

May beReferenc

e

Will it take less than 2 minutes?

Projects(Planning)

Project plans

Review for actions)

Yes

no

Delegate it

Defer it

Do it!!!!

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What to review when?

• Projects list• Calendar• Next action lists• Waiting for lists

Personal organization system

• Gather and process all your stuff• Update your lists• Get clean, clear, current & complete

The weekly review

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3 models of making action choices

The four criteria model for

choosing actions in the moment

• Context• Time Available• Energy available• Priority

The threefold model of

identifying daily work

• Doing predefined work

• Doing work as it shows up

• Defining your work

The six level model of

reviewing your own work

• Ground- Current action

• Current projects• Area of focus and

accountabilities• Goals• Vision• Purpose and

principles

Chapter 3 – Getting projects carefully under

way

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Enhancing vertical focus

‘You have got to think about the big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction’

- Arvin Toffler

For a greater rigor and focus

Clearly defined outcomes (projects) and next actions required to move them toward closure

Reminder placed in trusted system that is reviewed regularly

Key ingredients for relaxed control

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The natural planning model

Defining purpose and principles

Outcome visioning

Brainstorming

Organizing

Identifying next actions

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Natural planning techniques

The value of thinking about why

It defines success

It creates decision making criteria

It aligns resources

It motivates

It clarifies focus

It expands options

You always need to make it up in your mind before you can make it happen in your life

Clarifying outcomes

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Brainstorming

Brain storming

Don’t judge; Challenge, evaluate,

or criticize

Go for quantity, not quality

Put analysis and organization in

background

Capturing your ideas

Distributed cognition

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The basics of organizing

Identify the

significant pieces

Detail to the

required degree

Basics of organizing

Sort by • Compone

nts• Sequenc

es• Priorities

Chapter 4 – Getting started: Setting up time,

space & tools

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Getting Started : Setting up the time, space and the tools

The big secret to efficient creative and productive thinking and actions is to put the right things your focus at the right time.

The most efficient way of managing a workflow is about laying out the gear and practicing the moves so that the requisite thinking happens more automatically and it’s a lot easier to get engaged in the game

As you get started down the GTD path, it is information and suggestions you will very likely want to revisit at some point to glean a new level of application

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Setting aside the time

Create a block of time to prepare a workstation at homeReduces resistance to work

The ideal time frame to implement the entire process is two daysWorth the time in terms of your productivity and mental health

Avoid interruptions as it can double the time takenGetting to ground zero in one contained time period

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Setting up the space

Choose a physical location to serve as your central cockpit of control

The basics for a workspace – writing surface, in tray and space for core digital tools

Space for a phone, a computer, stacking trays, working file drawers, reference shelves

A functional workspace is critical Essential to have a dedicated,

individual and self contained workspace – at home, at work and even at transit.

Everyone must have a physical locus of control from which to deal with everything else.

Essentials

The critical factor

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An office space in transitDon’t share space with

spouse

The combination of a good processing style and the right

tools can make travelling a highly leveraged way to increase productivity

It is imperative to have your own workspace – or at least

your own in tray and a place to process paper and physical

material

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Basic processing tools

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Critical factor of filing system

The lack of a general reference system can be one of the greatest obstacles to implementing a personal management system

You will resist the whole process of capturing information if your reference systems are not fast, functional and fun

Unprocessed unorganized material produces a block in the flow part of the workflow

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Success factors for filing

Keep your general reference files immediately at hand

Use a A-Z alphabetical physical filing system for general reference files

Make it easy to create a new folder – to ensure supply within reach

Make sure you have plenty of space for easy storage

Label your file folders with an auto labeler

Purge your files at least once a year

Chapter 5 – Capturing:

Corralling your “Stuff”

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Capturing : Corralling your stuff

Search your physical environment for anything that doesn’t permanently belong where it is and the way it is..

Gather the things that are incomplete, things that have some decision about potential action tied to them.

They all go into in, so that they’ll be available for further processing.

Physical Gathering

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What stays where it is !

Decorations

Equipment

Reference materials

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Issues of capturing

What if an item is too big to go in the in-tray

Write a note on a paper representing it and put it in the in-tray

What if the pile is too big to fit into the in-tray

Create stacks around or even in the floor below it

Instant Dumping

When it is evident that something is trash, go ahead and toss it

Be careful of the purge and organize bug

Break it down into smaller chunks and capture them as little actions.

I cant lose that thing

Create an emergency stack close at hand

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Start the search !

Start looking for necessary material all around – desktops, laptops, desk drawers, countertops, inside the cabinets, floors ,walls , shelves, equipment , furniture and all the other locations.

Chapter 6 – Clarifying:

Getting “In” to Empty

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Processing guidelines

Basic rules to follow :Process the top item firstProcess one item at a timeNever put anything back into in

The key processing question is “ What is the next action ? “It is likely that a portion of your in tray will require no action.

There will be 3 types of things in this category Trash Items to incubate Reference material

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And if there is an action, what is it?

The action step needs to be the absolute next physical thing to do

• Once you decide what the action step is

• Do it ( if the action takes less than two minutes )

• Delegate it ( if you are not the most appropriate person to do the action )

• Defer it into your organization system as an option for work to do later

Chapter 7 – Setting up the right buckets

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Organizing: Setting Up the Right Buckets

After Post processing

Need to Organize the output

Workflow Diagram

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Organizing: Setting Up the Right Buckets

Projects list

Project Support Material

Calendared Actions and Information

Reference

Someday/Maybe

• Keep categories distinct from each other• No need

to prioritize the lists

Organize the output

Next Actions

Waiting for

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Organizing: Setting Up the Right Buckets

Calendar

Include • Actions that need to be done on specific day or

time• Triggers for activating projects • Events to participate in • Decision Catalysts

Next Actions

Organize by context like:• Calls• Errands• At home

Waiting for

• Review enough to determine need for any action

Read and Review

• Items in this list along with emails that require actions are reminders themselves

• Pull emails requiring action into a separate folder in one’s email system

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Organizing: Setting Up the Right Buckets

Projects

• Provides single place to review all projects for needed actions

• Subdivide projects by categories like Personal/Professional

• Identify subprojects • Just need to know what projects are there and find

associated reminders

Project Support

Materials

• Do not use them as reminders• Develop Adhoc project thinking where ideas are

triggered and they are captured

Non-actionabl

e data

• Includes reference material and “Someday/Maybe” types

• As important as managing action and project reminders

• Reference systems include general reference, large category, rolodexes, contact managers, libraries and archives

• Do not call “Hold and Review” as part of “Someday/Maybe” list

• Trigger ideas not ready for action on calendar

Chapter 8 – Reflecting:

Keeping it all fresh and functional

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Reviewing: Keeping your system functional

Keeps system working

Trust Keep system up-to-date

Review process

Daily Calendar

Action Lists

Weekly Review

Weekly Review

Objective Empty your head

Method

Time and Venue

Five phases of workflow

managementBlock out 2 hours

(Friday is preferred)