Productivity · 2001
Getting Things Done
by David Allen
The art of stress-free productivity: get everything out of your head and into a trusted system.
10 min read
The big picture
Allen's method is built on one idea: your mind is for having ideas, not for holding them. By capturing every task and commitment in a reliable system, you free your attention to focus on the work in front of you and stop feeling that something has been forgotten.
Five key ideas
- 1
Capture everything
Write down every task, idea and promise in an inbox so nothing is left circling in your head.
- 2
Clarify what each item means
For each item ask: is it actionable? If yes, decide the very next physical action. If not, file, defer or delete it.
- 3
The two-minute rule
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it now. It costs more to track it than to finish it.
- 4
Organize by context
Group next actions by where or with what you can do them, such as calls, errands or computer, so you can act fast.
- 5
Review weekly
A weekly review keeps the system current and trusted. Without it, the system quietly falls apart.
Put it into practice
- Spend 20 minutes writing every open task and worry onto one list.
- Turn your three biggest projects into a clear next action each.
- Set a fixed weekly time to review your lists.
Who should read it
Busy professionals and students who want calm control over their workload.
How to apply it in daily life
Morning
Write every open task out of your head into one list.
During the day
If something takes under two minutes, do it now.
Evening
Clear your inbox and pick the next action for each project.
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