When you’re just starting out with GTD, you’ll want to do a big brain dump of everything that you think you might need to take action on. The key thing is to move everything as soon as it enters your brain into the same external source (a “second brain” of sorts) until you have the time to process things. This is relatively easy to implement – you can write things down on paper, or use a digital system, like a to-do list app or even voice memos – it’s all about what works for you as an individual. Step 1: CaptureĪs Allen says, “your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” The first, and most critical, step with GTD is not to let thoughts or tasks float around in your head, where they’ll either cause stress or (even worse) get forgotten about. There are five basic steps to the Getting Things Done method:īelow, we’ll define and cover each phase of the GTD process. If you too tend to struggle with this level of flexibility, then we recommend pairing GTD with other time management methods like time blocking or the Pomodoro technique. When working on tasks, you always have to begin with the end goal in mind.Ĭritics of the methodology point to one key downside of GTD, namely the lack of daily/weekly structure. You first need to define what “done” means. With GTD, the goal is to get all of that mental clutter out of your head and into an external source, whether it’s a digital app or notebook, so you can then make decisions about what to do and when.Ĥ. You need to create a vault to store the information you want. It’s better to do one thing, finish it and move on.ģ. While it can be used to accomplish several low-concentration tasks at a go, it’s really counter-effective with high-priority work. Juggling and switching between tasks is terrible for your productivity – so much so that doing too much of it can lower your IQ. When information is scattered everywhere – on sticky notes, in email, or on hastily-written to-do lists, this just clutters up our minds.Ģ. In his book, Allen frequently drives the message home that our brains are much better at processing ideas than storing them. Your brain isn’t designed to store information. GTD is a technique to help you accomplish your tasks through a series of steps, and is built on the following principles:ġ. Getting Things Done (otherwise known as GTD, or the GTD method) is a popular time management framework that was developed by productivity consultant and author David Allen. But before we dive deep into the GTD workflow, let’s clarify how it first came about. One of which we’re here to introduce you to today: Getting Things Done.Ĭurious as to whether the GTD approach can help you clear your mind so you can focus on the work that actually matters? This guide will take you through everything you need to know. It’s totally normal to feel the stress levels rising when you’ve got a lot on your plate, but there are some tried-and-true strategies for staying efficient and productive. Eventually, those balls can start dropping, throwing you into a tailspin where you feel like it’s impossible to plan and execute on all the tasks you’ve got to do. We tend to take on even more projects because we’ve got great ideas, but we underestimate the time we’ll need to complete them. It feels like most of us have a lot of balls in the air at one time. Sounds like your brain has too many tabs open, my friend. Faced with an avalanche of back-to-back meetings, emails and instant messages, and failing to keep track of it all in your brain. Racing to hit deadlines, but they’re always out of reach (and new ones keep popping up).
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