Glossary
Getting Things Done (GTD), explained
Getting Things Done (GTD) is a personal productivity method by David Allen (2001) built on five steps: capture everything, clarify what each item means, organise it into lists, reflect in a weekly review, and engage by doing.
What it means
GTD's core idea is that your mind is for having ideas, not holding them: get everything out of your head into a trusted system. In GTD the calendar is reserved for things that must happen at a specific time; many people now also time block their most important list items.
How to do it in a calendar
- Keep capturing and clarifying in your list tool of choice.
- In the weekly review, pick the next actions that matter most.
- Give those a time block in the week, so the list turns into a plan.
An example
A list has 60 next actions. On Sunday, 8 of them get blocks this week; the rest stay on the list.
Common mistakes
- Endless lists, no time. Lists grow; time does not. Block the ones that matter.
- Skipping the weekly review. GTD falls apart without it.
Where it comes from
David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (2001; revised 2015).
Questions
Does GTD work with time blocking?
Yes. GTD decides what the next actions are; time blocking decides when the important ones happen.
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