Everything You Need to Know About Getting Things Done

Its been over a decade since David Allen's international best-seller Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity was first published, but it is still the go-to guide on getting organized and the bible for every self-proclaimed productivity guru. Dozens of products, from pocket organizers to blogs, have been released under its banner, each building upon David Allens reputation as one of the most influential thinkers of our time.While it would be easy to assume that GTD is a system that is only of interest to the busy corporate man or woman - indeed, it would be fair to make such an assumption based on how GTD products are generally marketed - it is in fact an all-inclusive system that works just as well for university students and housewives as for corporate leaders. Most people have struggled under the weight of negative self perception arising from not meeting expectations at some point or another. We constantly make agreements with ourselves, to do such and such thing by a certain time, and when we break those agreements we feel like failures and may even silently berate ourselves, no matter how minor the objective was. Even the most intelligent, most creative, and most sensitive people procrastinate. The system in Getting Things Done addresses all of these issues, looking at peoples fears of what may go wrong, not knowing where to start, vying for attention, or even be slowed down by having too many ideas. Although the language of the book and the examples clearly bear witness to David Allen's history as a corporate productivity consultant, the content of the book is equally applicable to housework, social engagements, and studying. GTD is a highly applicable system that can work where other systems have failed, but unfortunately, the book itself often turns off readers who cant will themselves to read through all the examples and the corporate language. This guide can be used in conjunction with the book, offering a quick reference point that breaks down how the system works, outlining it, and then helping teach you how to organize and fulfill tasks by explaining how to plan and when to do what task.