Getting Things Done, or GTD, is a system for getting organized and staying productive. It may seem complicated on the outside, but the end goal is to spend less time doing things you have to do so you have more time for the things you want to do. You can apply a simplified version to your life.
What Is GTD (Getting Things Done?)
GTD is a method for organizing your to-dos, priorities, and your schedule in a way that makes them all manageable
- One of GTD’s biggest benefits is that it makes it easy to see what you have on your plate and choose what to work on next.
- It clears your mind of any mental distractions that will keep you from working efficiently.
Find a GTD-Friendly System that Works For You
Any to-do app or note-taking tool that also lets you organize, prioritize, and review the things you have to do will work nicely.
- Evernote, Bullet Journal, and Microsoft OneNote are some of the more popular choices
- You don’t have to use multipurpose apps like evernote or OneNote for GTD if you don’t want to.
Remember, This Is Just One Philosophy
GTD is just one philosophy. It isn’t for everyone, and it may not be the best productivity system for you.
- The best way to use it is to massage it into a system that works best for your needs, not to strictly adhere to all its rules.
The Five Pillars of GTD
Capture everything
- Your to-dos, your ideas, your recurring tasks, everything.
- Clarify the things you have to do
- Reflect on your to-do list
- Assign due dates
- Set reminders
- Pay special attention to each item’s priority
- Choose your next action and get to it
Additional Reading
The goal of GTD is to spend a little time organizing to get a big payoff of time you would have spent on unnecessary, unproductive work.
- For your efforts, you’ll be more organized and relaxed, because you’ll never have to stress out about what to do next, how to do it, and when you’ll have time-your system will handle that for you.
How to Get Started with GTD
You need some tool to capture and organize all of your ideas, to-dos, responsibilities-everything you need to remember.
- Set aside a little time every week, or at the beginning of every day, to really get in touch with your to-do-dos.
- Organize them by priority so you never have to waste time figuring out what’s most important to work on.
