Getting Things Donethe art of stress-free productivity

Book SummaryChapters 1 - 6

Book Author : David Allen

Edition : 2015

Dwimalu : : Rohit : : Apeksha : : Shreysi : : Swati

Compiled By

A New Practice for a New Reality

GTD

Getting Control of Your Life

Getting Projects Creatively Under Way : Five Phases of Project Planning

Getting Started: Setting up Time, Space and Tools

Capturing: Corralling your “Stuff”

Clarifying: Getting “In” to empty

Ch. 1

Ch. 2

Ch. 3

Ch. 4

Ch. 5

Ch. 6

Index

Chapter 1

A New Practice for a New Reality

Chapter Agenda

1.1 The Problem: New Demands, Insufficient Resources

1.2 The Promise: The “Ready State” of the Martial Artist

1.3 The Principle: Dealing Effectively with Internal

Commitments

• The Basic Requirement for Managing Commitments

• The Real Work of Knowledge work

• Why Things are on your mind

• The Transformation of “Stuff”

1.4 The Process: Managing Actions

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Ch. 11.1. The Problem : New Demands, Insufficient Resources

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New millennium paradox: Better quality of life, but added stress because people take on more than available resources

No clear boundar

ies in work

Jobs keep

Changing

Old models

and habits

are insuffici

ent

Trying to focus on big picture

High Stress

•Nature of job changed rapidly• Training hasn’t

evolved enough•No ‘limits’ to work-

every project can be done “better”• Lack of edges

creates more work, stress

•Organizations are constantly evolving• Average

professional is changing careers rapidly•No one likes to do

a particular thing for an extended period

• Traditional time-management tools are insufficient• Calendars, PDAs,

to-do lists traditional tools• Average

professional’s workload now too complex & dynamic

• Business books, seminars suggest focusing on bigger picture• In reality, too much

distraction to do it• Loftier levels

highlights need for more change creating more stress

Ch. 11.2. The Promise: The “Ready State” of the Martial Artist

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The “Ready” State - The “mind like water” state

“It is a condition of working, doing and being in which the mind is clear and constructive things are happening”

Need for “mind like water” state

• Mind like water is a simile reflecting the controlled reaction of water when a pebble is thrown

• Anything that causes one to over-react or under-react controls us

• One needs to have a ‘mind like water’ to give appropriate attention to things

How prepared are you?

• Being in the state is when one feels in control and is focused on the task at hand

• Being far out of it is characterized by feeling of stress, boredom, out of control

• The techniques covered in the further chapters would explain how to get into the state

Implementation of basic behaviors and activities:

• Capture anything that’s unfinished, anything occupying mind-space, into a system outside one’s mind that one knows one will come back to

• Clarify what exactly one’s commitment is and decide the course of action to fulfilling it

• Once the path is decided, keep reminders of the same in a system that one reviews regularly

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1.3 The Principle : Dealing Effectively with Internal Commitments

Basic Requirements for Managing Commitments

The Real work of Knowledge work

• The need to think about stuff more than one realizes but less than one is afraid of

• Natural tendency to resist thinking about what needs to be done about issues in their life

• Outcome thinking, or defining outcomes, is one of the most effective things for getting things done

Ch. 1

When one has something on their mind, its because they want it to be different yet:

• Hasn’t clarified what exactly the intended outcome is

• Hasn’t decided the next steps

• Hasn’t put reminders of the outcome and actions required in a trusted system

Because, one can fool everyone else, but can’t fool oneself

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1.3 The Principle : Dealing Effectively with Internal Commitments

Why Things are on your mind The Transformation of “Stuff”

“Stuff” is defined as, “anything that you have allowed into your

psychological or physical world that doesn’t belong where it is, but for which you haven’t determined the

desired outcome and the next action step”

• Organizing systems work when the “Stuff” is decoded into real work which can be controlled

• Its our personal commitment to clarify and understand the meaning of stuff

Ch. 1

1.4 The Process: Managing Actions

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Ch. 1

Managing stuff

Chapter 2

Getting Control of Your Life

Chapter Agenda

2. Five stage of Managing Workflow

2.1. Capture

2.2 Clarify

2.3 Organize

2.4 Reflect

2.5 Engage

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Ch. 2Overview

• The chapter focuses on management of the horizontal aspects of our lives

• All five stages are integrated yet should not be done together

• The biggest reason of failure is trying to do “the most important things.

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Ch. 22.1. Capture

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Gathering 100% of the “ Incompletes”

• All the things you consider incomplete: “need to”, “ought to”, “should”

• Capture it into containers until decision

Capturing tools

• The Physical In-tray• Writing Paper and Pads• Digital and Voice Note taking• E-mail and texting

Get It All Out of Your Head

• Trying to keep track of too many things : demotivator

• Collection tools to be part of lifestyle

Minimize the number of capture locations

• Enough to capture information anywhere

• As few so that information can be easily processed

Empty the Capture tools regularly

• To decide “what it is” and “what is to be done with it”

The Success Factors for capturing

• The sense of trust that nothing possibly useful will get lost gives one the freedom to think

Ch. 22.2 Clarify

• Action and information to be reminded off is identified and entrusted to a concrete system

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“Stuff” In-basket

Do it

What is it?

What is the next action?

Delegate it

Is it actionable?

Defer itWill

it ta

ke le

ss th

an 2

min

Yes

No

Reference(retrievable when

required)

Someday/Maybe(Tickler file; hold for

review)Trash

Projects(planning)

Project Plans(review for

actions)

Yes

No

Waiting(For someone

else to do)

Calendar(To do at a

specific time)

Next Action(To do as soon

as I can)Clarify

Organize

Ch. 22.3 Organize

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8. Reference7. Incubation6. Trash1. Projects 2. Project Plans 3. Waiting 4. Calendar 5. Next

Action List

The Next-Action categories Non-actionable items

Time-specific actions Day-specifications Day-specific

information

Someday/Maybe Tickler system

• Categories of reminders and materials that will result from processing all information

Ch. 22.4 Reflect

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What to review when

Calendar Next Action List Waiting list

Critical success factor

Gather and process all your stuff Review your system Update your lists Get calm, clear, current and

complete

• Having an overview of all the outstanding projects and loops

Ch. 22.5 Engage

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The Four-Criteria Modelfor choosing actions in

the moment

Context Time Available Energy Available Priority

The Threefold Model for Identifying Daily

Work

Doing predefined work Doing work as it shows

up Defining your work

The Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your Work

Ground : Current Actions Horizon 1: Current Projects Horizon 2 : Areas of focus and

accountabilities Horizon 3: Goals Horizon 4 : Vision Horizon 5 : Purpose and principles

Three Models for Making Action Choices

• Objective to facilitate decision making on what is to be done at any point in time

Chapter 3

Getting Projects Creatively Under Way:Five Phases of Project Planning

Chapter Agenda

3.1 Vertical Focus and Types of

Planning

• Natural Planning Model

• Unnatural Planning Model

• Reactive Planning Model

3.2 Five Phases of Natural Planning

• Purpose and Principles

• Vision and Outcome

• Brainstorming

• Organizing

• Next ActionsGTD

Ch. 33.1. Vertical Focus and Types of Planning

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Need of Vertical Focus

• Greater rigor and focus to get a project under control• Ensure the right steps have been determined• Validate and support our thinking

Natural Planning Model

• This is how we plan things usually in a day

• May not necessarily be the normal planning mode;

• In formal scenarios, we plan differently

Reactive Planning Model

• Used in times of crisis• Reverse of natural model• Always comes back to a top-

down focus – Question is when natural planning will be done

Unnatural Planning Model

• Approaching any situation from a perspective that is not the natural way mind operates

• Deciding goals and objectives before a solution

• Ex: Making project outlines

• Purpose asks the “why?” question i.e. provides the juice and the direction

• Principles are the standards and values that define the criteria for excellence in behavior and parameters for action

• Principles give clarity and reference point for positive conduct

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3.2. Five Phases of Natural Planning

Benefits of Asking ‘Why?’

• Defines success• Creates decision-making criteria• Aligns resources• Motivates• Clarifies focus• Expands options

1. Purpose and Principles 2. Vision and Outcome

• Asks the “what?” question• Having clarity and focus helps brain’s reticular

activating system (RAS) to start making you aware of how it can happen

• The RAS is responsible for self-fulfilling prophecies, and the effect where once you become aware of something you start seeing it everywhere.

Steps for developing a vision

• View the project from beyond the completion date

• Envision "WILD SUCCESS"! • Capture features, aspects,

qualities you imagine in place

Ch. 3

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3.2. Five Phases of Natural Planning

• Can be done internally or externally (mind-mapping, white boards, etc.)

• External brainstorming helps see everything without having to remember it all

• Distributed Cognition: External helps generate many new ideas

Keys to Good Brainstorming

• Don’t judge, challenge, evaluate, or criticize

• Go for quantity, not quality• Put analysis and organization in

the background

3. Brainstorming 4. Organizing

• Helps figure out the are the things that must occur to create the final result and their order

• Make good use of structuring tools from informal bullet points to project planning software

• Create Project Plan – Identify the smaller outcomes, which can then be naturally planned

The Basics of Organizing

• Identify the significant pieces. • Sort by (one or more):

• components • Sequences• priorities

• Detail to the required degree

Ch. 3

3.2. Five Phases of Natural Planning

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Ch. 3

• Involves decisions about the allocation and reallocation of physical resources

• Activating the Moving Parts: All actions that can be taken now should be identified

• Dependent actions can wait until the steps they depend on have been completed

The Basics of Next Actions

• Decide on next actions for each of the current moving parts of the project.

• Decide on the next action in the planning process, if necessary

5. Next Actions

80% projects can go

through this in the head

15% require external

brainstorming and 5% need

deliberate application of

steps

To need more clarity,

shift up towards purpose

To need more actions to

happen, shift down towards Next Actions

How much planning to do?

Chapter 4

Getting Started: Setting up Time, Space and Tools

Chapter Agenda

4.1 Setting Aside Time

4.2 Setting up the Space

4.3 Getting the tools you’ll need

4.4 Filing System

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Ch. 44.1. Setting Aside Time

• Create a block of time to initialize and prepare a workstation – Makes it attractive tosit down through work

• Getting set up can take a couple of days but can be done in smaller chunks

• Best is to have a large chunk of uninterrupted time, such as a weekend or holiday

• After hours at the office isn’t as good because you’re tired and have less time

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Before you start, clear all commitments for that time so you’re not thinking about what you have to

remember to do afterwards !

You will need a physical location to serve as a ‘central cockpit of control’

Minimum Requirements

• Writing Surface• Room for an in-basket

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More Functional Requirements

• Phone, Computer• Stacking Trays, Working file drawers• Paper, favorite writing instrument• Any essential equipment for working

4.2. Setting Up the Space Ch. 4

If you work outside the home, make

satellite control

centers at home and

work

If you travel a lot, make a

portable version with

the basic files and supplies

Don’t share control space with anyone

else!

• You don’t need a planner unless you’re already using one regularly

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4.3. Getting the tools you’ll need

• Find a simple, fast, and fun way of creating lists on the run and reviewing lists easily and regularly

Basic Processing Tools

Paper-holding trays (at least three)

A stack of plain letter-size paper

Pen/ Pencil

Post-its (3x3s)

Paper clips

Binder Clips

Stapler and Staples

Scotch Tape

Rubber Bands

Automatic Labeler (Inexpensive Brother brand with AC adapter and

black-on-white tape)

File Folders

Calendar

Wastebasket/ recycling bins

• The author provides an extensive list of tools that will be needed

Ch. 4

4.4. Filing System

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Ch. 4

Discreet Filing Systems

• Used for contracts, financial data, etc.

• These are all one type of thing where the category would fill more than half a file drawer

General Filing Systems

• Used for or notes, brochures, faxes, printouts, etc.

• The filing needs to be fun to do, easy, and complete

2 Types of Filing Systems

Success Tips

• Keep general reference within “swivel distance” of your control area

• Use one alphabetic system (up to one subdivision: Gardening— pots, Gardening—ideas, etc.)

• Have lots of fresh folders on hand• Keep drawers under 3⁄4 full for easy access• Label with automatic labeler• Get rid of hanging files (or do one labeled file per hanger) • Have cabinets with high-quality mechanics• Purge files at least once per year

Chapter 5

Capturing: Corralling your “Stuff”

Chapter Agenda

5.1 Premise : Ready, Set…

Go!

5.2 Physical Gathering

• Approach

• Issues

• Order

5.3 Mental Gathering

• Triggers

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Ch. 55.1. Premise : Ready, Set… Go!

• The chapter is an extension to chapter 1 where the author elaborates on dealing with incompletes

• The process of capturing makes us aware of what we are “not” doing and get a holistic picture of the “doing”

• Stuff that lies around as is, was and could be “potentially” important is eating up more energy than it deserves

• The importance of corralling is explained through the two forms of physical and mental gathering

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• Search your physical environment for non permanent things and move them to the “In – Tray”

Unchanging Categories

• Supplies : Regular needs like stationary, business cards, forms etc.

• Reference Material : Information, schedules, phone number books etc.

• Decoration : Artwork, pictures etc.• Equipment : Phone, computer, printer etc.

Issues in Capturing

• More than what will fit in the tray• Purging and organizing –

derailment• Previously organized stuff• Running into critical things

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Management

Make lists, notes, reminders etc. putting dates on everything is a worthy habit

Clarify and clear your lists quickly, create smaller projects to purge and clean

Ideally previously organized stuff should be moved to “still processing” list

Prioritize and ensure that your organizing is going to put it first in the to-do list

(In)Action

• Usually need not be tossed in the tray • There should be no action tied to them

• The essence of capturing is complete when one can identify the outer edges to the “In” inventory

Ch. 55.2. Physical Gathering

• On completion of physical gathering, move on to work on your mental RAM space

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Ch. 55.3. Mental Gathering

• The author recommends listing out all the actions, thoughts and ideas on paper

• This is handy and helps in prioritizing focus on one item at a time and avoids clutter

• It is better to overdo the process than to risk missing out things, make enough stacks

Professional

Projects

Communications

Meetings

Financials

Planning/Organizing

Management

Administration

Professional Development

Professional

Leisure

Family/ Relationships

Upcoming events

Legal

Health

Personal Development

Community

Errands

• The author then provides an extensive list of incompletion triggers for tray items

Chapter 6

Clarifying: Getting “In” to empty

Chapter Agenda

6.1 Processing Guidelines

6.2 The next action

• Identifying

• Do, Delegate, Defer

6.3 Project identification

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Ch. 66.1. Processing guidelines

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Workflow Diagram

Processing

• Process top item first (LIFO/FIFO)• Process one item at a time• Never put anything back into “IN”

The focus of this chapter is on the “Next Action”

• Focus on one task and in order• Avoid emergency scanning• Disorder may lead to unprocessed tasks• Multitasking is an exception in a few

tasks

Post this the results would be• Trashing unnecessary tasks• Finishing short tasks (< 2 minutes)• Delegation of tasks• Reminders are made

Image source: Internet

Ch. 66.2. The Next Action

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• Avoid information clutter by trashing tasks based on necessity Trash

• Identify tasks that have the potential to be realized later and tag them

Incubate

• Create references and labels to easily pick the tasks for the future

Reference

Decision

Action or

No Action

Do It

• If it takes less than 2 minutes

• Does not need tracking• Spend task time

considerately

Delegate It

• “Best person to do it” question

• Find a delegate and handoff tasks

• Keep dates and reminders• Track the delegation

Defer it

• Takes longer than 2 minutes

• Move them to pending list• Add reminders to notify

oneself

If Actionable

• Pending tasks are then moved up for further organizing and planning

If Transferable If Foreseeable

Ch. 66.3. Project Identification

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• Make project definitions as broad as possible when listing them

• The listing is not merely for prioritizing but to add tabs and placeholders on tasks

• This also adds a reviewing aspect to where we are in the completion of tasks

• Broad definition of projects enables one to avoid complacency of completion

• After the project identification the stance of the “In” Tray is on actionable terms

Listing Projects

• Order • Importance• Broad Scope• Action-ability• Review

Thank You