Personal Productivity DefinedTerm

Getting Things Done (GTD)

Also known as: GTD, GTD Method, GTD Methodology

Personal productivity methodology that frees the mind from task tracking by transferring all commitments to a reliable external system.

Updated: 2026-01-04

Definition

Getting Things Done (GTD) is a personal productivity methodology developed by David Allen in his 2001 book of the same name. Core principle: the human mind is excellent for processing information, terrible for storing it. GTD proposes capturing all commitments (tasks, ideas, reminders) in a reliable external system, freeing “mental RAM” for focus and creativity.

The GTD workflow transforms “stuff” (anything requiring attention) into concrete actions or conscious decisions not to act.

The five workflow steps

1. Capture: collect everything requiring attention in trusted “inbox” (notebook, app, voice recorder). Rule: if something worries you or comes to mind, capture it immediately. Don’t keep anything “in your head”.

2. Clarify: process inbox regularly (ideally daily). For each item, ask: “Is it actionable?”. If no, decide: trash, someday/maybe, or reference material. If yes, define concrete, physical “next action”.

3. Organize: put next actions in appropriate lists:

  • Next Actions: tasks you can do now
  • Projects: outcomes requiring more than 1 action
  • Waiting For: delegated, waiting for response
  • Calendar: time-specific appointments
  • Someday/Maybe: future ideas not yet committed

4. Reflect: weekly review (sacred in GTD). Every week:

  • Process all inboxes to zero
  • Review past and future calendar
  • Review Next Actions and Projects
  • Update Someday/Maybe
  • Ensure system is current and trusted

5. Engage: choose what to do based on 4 criteria:

  • Context (where you are, available tools)
  • Time available
  • Energy available
  • Priority/value

Key concepts

Mind like water: Zen metaphor. When you throw stone in water, water responds proportionally and returns calm. GTD aims for mental state where you respond appropriately to inputs without residual stress.

Two-minute rule: if action takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately during processing. Capturing it, organizing it, and redoing it later costs more time.

Next action thinking: instead of vague “work on project X”, define physical, visible next action. “Call Mario to discuss budget” is actionable; “project X” is not.

Waiting for list: critical to avoid drops. Every delegation goes in Waiting For with date and person. Weekly review catches forgotten items.

Projects list: any outcome requiring more than 1 step is a “project”. “Change car tires” is project (research, schedule, go, pay). Projects without next actions are stalled.

Horizons of focus

GTD defines 6 focus levels (bottom-up):

Runway (Next Actions): immediate tasks 10k ft (Projects): multi-step outcomes within 1 year 20k ft (Areas of Focus): roles and responsibilities (manager, parent, health) 30k ft (Goals): 1-2 year objectives 40k ft (Vision): 3-5 year vision 50k ft (Purpose): why you exist, core values

Weekly review covers Runway-20k. Quarterly review goes to 30-40k. Annual to 50k.

Tools and implementations

Analog: bullet journal, paper planner, index cards (hipster PDA). Advantage: no digital distractions.

Digital: Todoist, Things, OmniFocus, Notion, Asana. Advantage: search, reminders, multi-device sync.

Hybrid: paper for quick capture, digital for organize and review. Many GTD practitioners use hybrid.

Tool choice criterion: tool doesn’t matter, system trust does. If you don’t trust system will capture everything, you’ll return to keeping in head.

GTD in knowledge work

GTD born for pre-smartphone knowledge workers (2001). Today even more relevant with information overload:

Email as inbox: process email with GTD. Each email requires decision: trash, action, delegate, reference. Inbox zero as consequence, not goal.

Meeting capture: take notes in inbox, process after. Each meeting generates next actions. Review notes in weekly review.

Async communication (Slack, Teams): scheduled “inbox processing time”. Avoid constant checking that destroys focus.

Limitations and criticisms

Setup friction: implementing GTD requires 4-6 initial hours for complete setup and capturing all backlog. Many abandon before seeing benefits.

Maintenance overhead: weekly review is non-negotiable. If you skip, system degrades and you lose trust. Requires discipline.

Overwhelm paradox: seeing all next actions (potentially 100+) can be intimidating. GTD responds: use context and priorities to filter, but some prefer Eisenhower Matrix for focus.

Lack of prioritization: GTD is workflow, not prioritization framework. Compatible with OKR, SMART goals, but doesn’t replace them.

Common misconceptions

”GTD is just glorified task list”

No. GTD is workflow for processing “stuff”. Includes project planning, delegation tracking, reference filing, idea capture. Task list is one of the outputs.

”GTD means doing everything”

False. GTD promises clarity on what you’ve chosen NOT to do. “Someday/Maybe” is conscious postponement, not anxious procrastination.

”Weekly review is optional”

No. It’s the mechanism that keeps system trusted. Skipping weekly review leads to system degradation and return to “keeping in head”.

Sources

  • Allen, D. (2001). Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
  • Allen, D. (2015). Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Revised Edition)
  • GTD Best Practices: https://gettingthingsdone.com/what-is-gtd/
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