Getting Things Done (GTD)

Getting Things Done (GTD) is an integrated life-management system developed by David Allen in the late 1900’s and early 2000’s and first published in the book “Getting Things Done – the art of stress-free productivity” in 2001. The system incorporates a horizontal focus for processing, organizing and reviewing everything that requires attention through a Five steps for mastering workflow, and a vertical focus for project planning through the Five Phases of Project Planning. Implementing and practicing the Getting Things Done methodology should result in the practitioners becoming more productive and creative by using an external memory and by obtaining a complete overview of current commitments and projects.

The vertical focus of Getting Things Done will briefly be described, but the emphasis in this article will be placed on the horizontal focus going in depth with the practices as well as describe its limitations.

The described practices is based on the second and newest edition of David Allen’s “Getting Things Done – the art of stress-free productivity” published in 2015.

Introduction to Getting Things Done

The principle behind the practices of Getting Things Done is that the work and personal life of people are constantly changing and involves an information overload that no system can describe or coordinate. To cope with the complexity, Getting Things Done implements a full methodology for the users to manage current commitments while registering and organizing new opportunities or other items that requires attention in an external memory.

The practices of Getting Things Done are structured in a horizontal focus for every aspect of work and personal life and a vertical focus for narrowing down a single project. The horizontal focus is implemented through the Five Steps of Mastering Workflow: (1) to capture every item that has attention, (2) to clarify what the item means and what the next actions should be, (3) to organize the next actions in an external memory, (4) to reflect on the items in the external memory, and lastly (5) to make decision about what items to engage with.

The vertical focus should assist the user in getting a project under control, finding a solution, or ensuring that the right actions are planned. The vertical focus is implemented using the Natural planning model and the Five Phases of Project Planning: (1) defining the purpose and principles, (2) outcome visioning, (3) brainstorming, (4) organizing, and (5) defining next actions. The focal point of this article will be the horizontal focus.

The promise – mind like water

Allen argues for the need of an external memory since “the mind is for having ideas not holding them”. (XXXXX) Thus, if someone is able to empty their mind from everything that requires attention, according to Getting Things Done, they should become more creative, productive, and confident in that everything they are doing at any time is exactly what they should be doing at that time. Therefore, by implementing the practices of Getting Things Done it should be possible to gain a mind like water: “Water is what it is, and does what it does. It can overwhelm, but it’s not overwhelmed. It can be still, but is not impatient. It can be forced to change course, but it is not frustrated”. (XXXXX)

Horizontal focus: five steps for work-flow management

1. Capture
2. Clarify
3. Organize
4. Reflect
5. Engage

Vertical focus: five phases of natural project planning

What is natural project planning

1. Purpose
2. Vision
3. Brainstorming
4. Organizing
5. Next actions

Implementing Getting Things Done practices

• The steps for implementation
• The levels of mastering

Limitations

• How do you change your habits?
• What if it is too much to take in at the same time?
• ... Find relevant material