ISBN: 0143126563
How strongly I recommend
it: 7/10
About the book
Getting Things Done written by
David Allen teaches you how to use your time in the most effective way, do all
your tasks and not miss a sing one. The book has gained so much popularity that
people started to refer to it as “GTD” abbreviation. If you feel that you have
too much to handle but not enough time, then this book is just for you. However all methods
presented in the book as one complete system of time management requires
forming several habits at once, and this task is not so easy, for this reason I
gave it seven points out of ten.
What I learned from the book
Have a tool for collecting information and capture all
things. Depending on what is practical
for you, select a tool for recording all tasks and ideas. It can be small
notebook, mobile phone or any device that is reliable and always available to
you. In case of electronic devices, be careful as they may run out of energy when
you need them most to check your to-do list. Thus preferably the best tool to
write down ideas is plain small notebook or card size paper which never runs
out of energy. However, notes in electronic devices can be modified as much as
you want, you cannot do that with notes in your notebook.
Dump all ideas into your tool. After selecting your
tool, start dumping all goals, projects, tasks and ideas into this medium. Do
not keep any idea in your mind. The more your mind is free of floating ideas the
easier to you to focus on your activities at hand. Writing down all ideas will
give you mental clarity. Consider all
routine tasks, commitments and schedules that cannot be avoided. Also consider
big goals you want to reach and projects you want to realize. Then review all
small to-dos that may have important details and criteria. Check your
notebooks, mobile phone notes, emails, voicemails and social media accounts
that may contain your ideas and to-do lists. Do this activity of writing down
ideas on regular basis. Get into habit of getting everything out of your head.
If your daily life is out of control, then you cannot think strategically or
plan your actions effectively.
Sort out your list. After collecting all your goals, projects,
commitments, routine tasks and to-do lists, start sorting through them. If you
do not sort out and continue just collecting all ideas then it is plain
procrastination practice. Spare free time and go through your list of ideas. Depending
on importance and urgency, make a decision on each idea, do it (if it takes 2
minutes or less), postpone it till certain date, delegate it, trash it, file it
for someday to-do list. Just make decision on every item you have listed. After
sorting out all ideas, organize related goals, ideas and projects into small manageable
chunks or steps in form of specific actions. Out of all tasks, take only few
really important and urgent ones for your current day. Follow this principle;
do not try to do several tasks in one day. If you do everything, then, you won’t
accomplish anything.
Just do it. After selecting up to three or four tasks, just
do them. In one day, focus only on doing selected tasks and ignore the rest. Do
all your selected tasks as soon as possible until the end of the day. To
increase your productivity cut all distractions: email, cell phone, Internet, music,
TV set etc. Do not let yourself get distracted from your task at hand. If you
get interrupted when you are working on your task, write down any request or given
tasks into your tool, and return to your task. Learn to do one task at a time,
and forget about multitasking.
Always carry your tool with you. All actions you have
done so far will be in vain, if you do not carry your notebook or device with
you all the time. Have only one place to collect all incoming tasks and ideas,
otherwise you again will have a mess and scattered to-do list everywhere. Cultivate
a habit of carrying your tool with you to capture ideas and tasks immediately
once you get them.
Practice weekly, monthly
and yearly reviews. Collect and process all your ideas. Review your performance and
effectiveness of your system. Update your task lists. Get clear about your
goals, update your to-do list and complete all your tasks. Consider your life
stage, your five year vision, 1-2 year goals, your responsibility areas and
current projects.
Here is a presentation of Getting Things Done book idea from the author himself:
Here is a presentation of Getting Things Done book idea from the author himself: