Productivity and Getting Things Done
Getting Things Done (GTD) has been around for an age. It has been incredibly positive for some people. For others, it feels laborious and very mechanical. But we can’t deny it’s impact.
When you are running your own business or leading a business as an employee you are going to end up with a ton of things that need doing. And as your life becomes even more hectic, with a hundred deadlines and meetings to attend, not to mention the search for new business, you need a strong, personal organisational system. In other words, you need a system that works for you.
For a lot of people, GTD works. But in this age of apps and software, does a system that can be used with a pen and a pad still have any relevance?
What it’s all about
The clue is in the title. David Allen created a system that allowed you to gain control of all the tasks you have in front of you. The first thing you have to do is literally collate all the tasks and write them all down. This way you know what you have to do.
It’s the ugly truth. Your life, as a messy chaos on a page. And that includes everything in your working day, week or month. The key is to write everything down, no matter how messy it gets.
A key principle for Allen is that if something takes less than two minutes to do, you should do it there and then. And this is one of the breakthroughs that entranced so many people. Procrastination in business is a serious problem. As the days and weeks mount up and tasks still don't get done, you can drown in what is, in the end, sheer laziness.
Having that two minute rule makes plenty of sense and ensures that little tasks don't turn into huge problems that worsen day by day.
As the system progresses, you end up dividing your tasks into six distinct segments:
Current actions
Current projects
Areas of responsibility
1-2 year goals
3-5 year goals
Life goals
These areas allow you to focus your brain, and also work out what is worth working on now, or at a different time. The big tasks that fit into Life Goals, for example, can be worked on when you have more time to spend. By organising your tasks into these areas, you know when you are working appropriately, and when you are wasting your time.
Why it is good
The system works well when you are able to identify what needs doing and easily slip each task into an area. What I liked about GTD is the ability to have clarity about pretty much everything you need to do. Tasks are prioritised, and you can quite easily divide bigger tasks (such as life goals) into smaller steps.
It is also quite easy to pick up the system, in your head, and get to grips with it’s core principles. There are no fancy charts or equations to work through (and believe me, I have seen some very complex organisation tools in the past). This one just requires time and commitment.
Why it might not work for you
That last point? about time? That’s the dealbreaker for some people. The system does require a considerable amount of time to set up and run with it. It does take a while to get the system working for you.
What we think
Established and extremely powerful (once you are familiar with it) GTD is one of the most effective systems out there. It isn’t for everyone, and for some people it is so detailed it is actually more than you need. However, it is obviously a well-developed system that should help you get more things done, and ahead of time.