--- status: To Read Again title: Getting Things Done subtitle: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity description: The book Lifehack calls 'The Bible of business and personal productivity.' 'completely revised and updated edition of the blockbuster bestseller from the personal productivity guru'—Fast Company Since it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has become one of the most influential business books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. “GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots. Allen has rewritten the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace, and adding material that will make the book fresh and relevant for years to come. This new edition of Getting Things Done will be welcomed not only by its hundreds of thousands of existing fans but also by a whole new generation eager to adopt its proven principles. categories: - Non-fiction - Personal Organization - Productivity authors: - [[David Allen]] published_on: 2015-03-17 publisher: Penguin pages: 354 isbn: 698161866 cover: http://books.google.com/books/content?id=7PoYBAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&edge=curl&source=gbs_api local_cover: 50 Resources/51 Attachments/51.03 Public/Getting Things Done (book).jpg link: https://amzn.to/3XKi8Cv tags: - type/book - books - summaries - work - productivity - personal_organization - productivity/gtd - zone/areas - zone/areas/literature_notes created: 2024-07-05T14:39 updated: 2026-04-01T14:44 public_note: true --- # Getting Things Done (book) - Author(s): [[David Allen]] - Link: https://amzn.to/3XKi8Cv ![[Getting Things Done (book).jpg|200]] # Brief description # Key quotes > ... # Key ideas ... # Chapter 1: ... ... #todo add my notes... 5 Stages of mastering workflow collect Get all out of your head an to a "system" (e.g., mindmap) all current and future stuff to do and that you might do later as few buckets as possible maintain regularly and progress with all stuff (empty buckets!) Incompletion trigger list Professional projects started, not complete projects that need to be started commitments/promises to others boss colleagues subordinates other people in the organization outsiders customers other organizations professionals communications to make/get internal/external respond to or initiate emails phone calls letters memos ... writings to finish/submit reports evaluations/reviews articles proposals promotion materials manuals/instructions rewrites/edits meetings that need to be set/requested who needs to know about what? decisions significant read/review financial cash flow statistics budgets forecasts/projections P&Ls balance sheet credit line planning/organizing formal planning (goals, targets, objectives) current projects (next stages) upcoming projects budget/marketing plans organizational initiatives upcoming events meetings presentations organizational structuring changes in facilities installation of new systems/equipment travel administration personnel policies/procedures customers internal external marketing promotion sales customer service systems phones computers files other waiting for information delegated tasks/projects completion critical to projects replies to letters mails memos calls proposals decision of others professional development training/seminars things to learn things to look up skills to practice/learn regarding... resume research (need to find out about ...) Personal projects started/not completed projects that need to be started commitments/promises to others spouse children family friends professionals borrowed items communications to make/get family friends professional initiate/respond to phone calls letters mails cards upcoming events special occasions birthdays anniversaries weddings graduations holidays travel week-end trips vacations social events cultural events sporting events r&d things to do places to go people to meet/invite local attractions administration financial bills banks investments loans taxes insurance legal affairs filing waiting for mail order repair reimbursements loaned items medical data RSVPs home/household property ownership legal real estate zoning taxes builders/contractors heating/air-conditioning plumbing electricity roofing landscape driveway walls/floors/ceilings decoration furniture utilities appliances lightbulbs/wiring kitchen things washer/dryer/vacuum areas to organize/clean computers software hardware connections email/internet tv vcr music/cd/tapes cameras/film phones answering machine sports equipment closets/clothes garage/storage ehicle repair/maintenance tools luggage pets healthcare doctors dentists specialists hobbies errands hardware store market bank drugstore cleaner stationer community neighbours schools things to think about things to get/build for your home hobbies to take up skills to learn clothes and accessories to buy toys to acquire trips to take organizations to join service projects to contribute to things to see and do special categories of someday/maybe food recipes menus restaurants wines children things to do with them books to read dvds blurays to buy gift ideas garden ideas web sites to surf weekend trips to take meeting ideas party ideas ideas (misc) process organize the actions to take based on your decisions made about what needs to be done item by item thinking what is it? is it actionable? yes what's the next action? less that two minutes? yes do it no delegate waiting defer calendar next actions no trash someday/maybe (hold for review) reference (retrievable when required) organize put in categories depending on the status reminders time specific actions day specific actions day specific information recurrent actions review the actionable items the calendar the "later" things weekly review weekly review process loose papers organize process your notes review everything and file it previous calendar data review for remaining items, things to reschedule upcoming calendar look at future events, see if preparation is needed empty your head again, collect and process! review projects and larger outcome lists check if progress was made, what are the new actions that need to be taken review next actions lists make sure things that are done are checked off review any relevant checklist review someday/maybe list review pending/waiting for items do criterias to choose actions in the moment context some tasks can only be done in some place (e.g., at work), on a computer or outside, ... time available energy available priority threefold model for evaluating daily work do predefined work = working off the next actions ilst do work as it shows up unplanned stuff that comes up define your work clearing up the in-basket, mails, organizing new projects ... six level model for reviewing your own work space view lifetime goals high sky view three to five years from now middle sky view one or two years from now low sky view administrative support, planning, finances, home, recreation etc few meters high view current projects runway (current actions) things that we work on right now four-criteria model for choosing actions in the moment context time available energy available priority threefold model for evaluating daily work doing predefined work doing work as it shows up defining your work 5 phases of project planning natural planning model defining purpose and principles define the why defines success creates decision making criteria aligns resources motivates clarifies focus expands options define the principles quality standards outcome visionning important step to get ideas define the what clarifies the outcomes you won't see how to do it until you see yourself doing it i always wanted to be somebody, i should've been more specific envision wild success brainstorming question the project goals don't judge, evaluate or criticize (too much) directly, just go for quantity put analysis and organization in the background evaluate/review capture the ideas (e.g., with a mindmap) organizing basics identify the significant pieces sort by (one or more) components sequences priorities detail to the required degree identifying next actions take decisions about the allocation of resources to get the project moving what's the next thing to do? define that for all ongoing stuff do it enough to be able to get if off your mind