Getting Things Done (GTD)

Your brain is for having ideas, not storing them. Getting Things Done, from David Allen, moves every open loop out of your head into a system you review and trust. The result is not more tasks done per hour: it is the end of the background hum of forgotten obligations.

The five steps

1. 1Capture everything

   Every task, idea, and "do not forget" goes into one inbox, immediately. Nothing lives only in your head.

2. 2Clarify what it means

   For each item ask: is it actionable? If no, trash it, file it, or park it. If yes, what is the very next physical action?

3. 3Organize by context

   Actions go on lists by where they happen: calls, errands, computer, waiting-for. Projects hold anything needing more than one step.

4. 4Reflect weekly

   The famous weekly review: empty the inbox, update every project, preview the week. Skip this and the system rots.

5. 5Engage with confidence

   With everything captured and current, simply do the next action the context allows. No re-planning the day at noon.

The two-minute rule

If clarifying reveals an action under two minutes, do it immediately instead of organizing it. GTD’s most quoted rule exists because tiny tasks cost more to track than to finish.