One of the greatest traps in growing a business is also a pitfall for self-management: If you don’t trust your system, you can’t let go of operational details and you’ll limit your ability to create at a bigger level. Many successful entrepreneurs I have worked with over the years could be characterized (and have been, …
2018 GTD Organizer and GTD Organizer are now available!
The 2018 GTD Organizer and 2018 GTD Calendar are now available. The GTD Organizer (pictured) includes all of the lists we recommend, plus a 15-month (November 2017–January 2019) calendar and extra pages. The GTD Calendar is just that, without the additional lists. Available as a PDF download to use on your computer or print. Buy …
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GTD Public Courses
GTD Public Courses are offered regularly by our Global Partners around the world.
Commitments kept in your head
What’s on your mind?
Going the Distance to Mind Like Water
There is a light-year of difference between a system that has merely a lot of our stuff objectified, and one that has 100%. Few people have experienced what I’m talking about, because there are few people who have ever gotten to a 100% empty head—absolutely every project, action item, and potential commitment we have made …
5 Signs You’re Getting Better at GTD
1. It feels weird to keep stuff on your mind Capturing what has your attention is a key practice with GTD. Getting better at GTD means you are capturing what’s on your mind when it shows up, moment-by-moment and keeping something ON your mind, well, it just feels weird. 2. You empty your inboxes regularly …
Getting Unstuck
Got any knots? What’s your desired outcome to resolve that? What will be true when you can you declare it done? What’s your next action?
How’s your altitude aptitude?
Over the years, it has become more and more helpful in my work to help people understand the ecosystem of GTD® (particularly priorities) by framing their thinking and decision-making around my altitude model: GROUND: Calendar/Actions – The nitty-gritty this-moment doing level. Call Fred. Buy tires. Draft proposal. Email Susan. HORIZON 1: Projects – The things …
The best ways to deal with stress
David Allen on the best ways to deal with stress: Understand first that you’re actually IN stress Determine what’s causing it Clarify what you’d like to have true in the situation—what’s your desired outcome, at least in terms of how you’d like to be feeling? Decide if there is a next action you can take …
Outsmarting Your Mind
I have the feeling and the hope every now and again that in 25 years what GTD teaches will be such a “given” that we may wonder what it was like to walk around with such pressure and stress from our suboptimal thinking habits. The advent of the “knowledge worker” society has given so many …
Getting (back?) on the wagon with GTD
It all makes sense. You want to do it. And yet, you aren’t doing it. If this sounds familiar in relation to your GTD practice, know that you are not alone. The methodology is incredibly powerful, but only to the extent that one actually uses it. Perhaps because of this disparity, I sometimes see clients …
The workforce for the next century
The assumption that everyone can and should do everything they have been given to do is an old industrial paradigm that does not hold water for “knowledge workers” who all have tons of projects that could be done infinitely better. Renegotiating agreements and standards with ourselves and our world is an unfamiliar but required skill …
Your best thoughts about work…
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The dark side of collaborative cultures
The dark side of collaborative cultures is the allergy they foster to holding anyone responsible for having the ball. “Mine or yours?” is unfortunately not in the common vocabulary of many such organizations. There is a sense that that would be impolite. “We’re all in this together” is a worthy sentiment, but seldom a reality …
Speeding up by slowing down…
I want to talk about one of the more mysterious best practices in the GTD®methodology: the art of speeding up by slowing down. I am making the assumption that all of you reading this are on some track of improvement and growth to begin with. I mean, why speed up, instead of slow down, as …
Managing projects with GTD
Having a complete and current projects list is one of the cornerstones to GTD mastery. To support you in getting there, here are 10 keys to defining and managing projects: 1. Projects are defined as outcomes that will require more than one action step to complete and that you can mark off as finished in …
GTD Setup Guides
Our GTD Setup Guides give you step-by-step coaching on applying GTD to some of the best software tools out there. We currently have Guides for: Todoist Trello Nirvana Wunderlist OmniFocus Outlook for Windows Outlook for Mac iPhone/iPad OneNote for Windows Evernote for Windows Evernote for Mac Lotus Notes Google Apps You can get them and …
Managing Work on a Vacation
QUESTION: While on vacation, how do you juggle work and play? How much time should you allot each day of your vacation to reading business email, checking up on projects, etc.? What’s the best balance of work and play? When is the best time of the day to spend on work? What organizational tools should …
Refresh and reset with the Weekly Review
For more support on this essential GTD practice, check out the Weekly Review audio set.

