What is GTD?
February 22nd, 2010 GTD Times Team - Staff ContributorsCategories | Best Practices of GTD | David Allen | Features | Getting Things Done | Implementation
For those of you who haven’t seen this, it’s one of the best descriptions out there for distilling the essence of Getting Things Done®. It’s also a good reminder that GTD® is not just about inbox zero, or picking a cool list manager, or doing a Weekly Review. It’s a whole workflow ecosystem that David has laid out here. As he says, “it’s more than meets the eye…”
Sophisticated without being confining, the subtle effectiveness of GTD lies in its radically common sense notion that with a complete and current inventory of all your commitments, organized and reviewed in a systematic way, you can focus clearly, view your world from optimal angles and make trusted choices about what to do (and not do) at any moment. GTD embodies an easy, step-by-step and highly efficient method for achieving this relaxed, productive state. It includes:
- Capturing anything and everything that has your attention
- Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete next steps
- Organizing reminders and information in the most streamlined way, in appropriate categories, based on how and when you need to access them
- Keeping current and “on your game” with appropriately frequent reviews of the six horizons of your commitments (purpose, vision, goals, areas of focus, projects, and actions)
Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of overwhelm, instills confidence, and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint, managing details with maximum flexibility. The system rigorously adheres to the core principles of productivity, while allowing tremendous freedom in the “how.” The only “right” way to do GTD is getting meaningful things done with truly the least amount of invested attention and energy. Coaching thousands of people, where they work, about their work, has informed the GTD method with the best practices of how to work (and live), in that most efficient and productive way.
GTD’s simplicity, flexibility, and immediacy are its attraction. Its ability to enliven, enlighten, and empower is its magic. What, indeed, is GTD? More than meets the eye…
If you’re just getting GTD off the ground, there’s a terrific “starter kit” called the GTD System.
I still think the subtitle for the first book summarizes it best: The Art of Stress-free Productivity. The keywords being Productivity, Stress-free and Art.
I use GTD everyday and it is nothing more than meets the eye. All the rest is good hype. If you want productivity with no stress, begin to focus on the “no stress” part, when you will be a no stressed, focus on productivity. No you are a non stressed producer.
I love GTD it is a very smart system. But don’t give it more importancy than it has. Don’t give it any hope to solve your existential issues. And tweak it to YOUR lifestyle and who YOU are.
I have been using something like this as a personal balancing tool for a while, However, you have documented it nicely and given me some points to think on, thanks alot!
I agree with Bert. I fell in love with filing, capturing, and the inbox. Then I went through a “GTD is bull!” phase. But now I still am grateful and utilize the tools while making it fit my life and psychology. The hype and quite frankly, the California-ness of it can be off putting and distracting, but the gems are truly useful.