{"id":52298,"date":"2024-05-15T12:20:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T12:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/?p=52298"},"modified":"2024-07-22T02:47:12","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T02:47:12","slug":"getting-things-done-framework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/getting-things-done-framework","title":{"rendered":"Deep Dive: The Getting Things Done (GTD) Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This deep dive is part of our \u201cProductivity Pr0n in Practice\u201d series, where we examine some of the leading go-to productivity hacks, the theory behind them, and try to establish whether they actually work in real life!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

American radio shock jock Howard Stern is the last person I expected to hear talking about productivity hacks. But in the Summer of 2012, he seemed almost obsessed with a new productivity method<\/a> he was using, telling his daily audience<\/a> of 10 million viewers he had never felt more organized in his entire life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have zero emails in my inbox. I am so organized <\/em>and getting through all my tasks. It is the greatest feeling ever.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stern wasn\u2019t the only one on (productivity) cloud-nine after discovering David Allen\u2019s Getting Things Done\u00ae<\/a> (GTD) framework. He wasn’t alone \u2014 GTD’s promise of unlocking creative flow and improving cognitive function has attracted everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Will Smith.\u00a0

Fast-forward to today, and the productivity framework is still talked about and even has its own fans on Reddit.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, I was skeptical. Allen first talked about the system in a book he published in 2001, and a lot<\/em> has changed since then. I wanted to see if a system created before the iPhone or TikTok even had a place in modern productivity discussions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what I found out \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait\u2014What is GTD?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting Things Done\u00ae is a productivity system that focuses on freeing up your mind, creating structured to-do lists and attaching time limits to tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal of GTD is to create space in your brain to focus on tasks and eliminate distraction using a 5-step process: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u270d\ufe0fCapture.<\/strong> This is where you put together your core list<\/strong>. Think about anything down that is \u201cpulling on your psyche\u201d or tasks you need to get done. Write them down, either on a piece of paper or in a digital format like a spreadsheet. This could include anything from a pressing work task to buying a birthday present. If it\u2019s on your mind \u2014 put it on the list.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udd0dClarify.<\/strong> Next, go through each item on your list and decide if they are actionable. If something is not<\/strong> actionable (e.g., a receipt you can\u2019t expense), either archive it or bin it \u2014 then move on. However, if it can be done in two minutes \u2014 do it then and there. If the action item will take longer, either delegate it to someone else or defer it to a future date.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\uddc4\ufe0fOrganize.<\/strong> Put your tasks into lists and group them together based on project, context or deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83e\udd14Reflect.<\/strong> Then, review your projects to ensure each task has a purpose and is progressing. Allen recommends reviewing your list weekly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83e\udd13Engage.<\/strong> Finally \u2014 start working on the tasks. At this point of the process, instead of wondering about what task to do first, the system will clearly outline tasks by project, deadline and time estimate. This will help you choose the right task and stay focused.
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\"Example<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What\u2019s interesting about GTD is the actual <\/strong>work doesn\u2019t start until the last step of the process. But as Allen says, Getting Things Done isn’t about getting things done \u2014 it\u2019s about being engaged with what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But\u2026 does the process work? And does the amount of prep work outweigh the positives? \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We created a cheat sheet to help productivity-seekers like you get to grips with GTD \ud83e\udd13<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 Grab your free copy here<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Pros and Cons of the GTD method<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of GTD is in the brain dump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizing all<\/em> of the tasks floating around your head into a system frees up psychological space to focus. Allen says this helps separate the tasks from your psyche and keeps you “appropriately engaged” when you start working on them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While GTD can clear your mind, it can also take a lot of time to set up and requires a solid understanding of how to categorize tasks correctly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pros<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So while GTD is \u2014 on paper \u2014 a spreadsheet-lover\u2019s dream, how does it stack up in the real world? \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why GTD makes sense on paper (but sometimes not in practice)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cfront-end planning\u201d approach of GTD is what attracts most people to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every task has a category and a deadline. The planning is so extensive that there are lists for everything from urgent work to \u201csomeday maybe\u201d tasks. Some people will love<\/strong> this level of organization and thrive on writing every single idea and task down into a spreadsheet. Others will find this sheer volume of tasks on a spreadsheet overwhelming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, GTD is also\u2026 how do I put it? Vintage. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen created GTD before X or Instagram existed, and well before we launched Toggl Track<\/a>. In 2005, when Wired labeled GTD<\/a> the “new cult for the info age”, it also talked about tools like del.icio.us and Flickr (remember those?). It was also clear users freakin’ loved <\/strong>GTD:
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“The problems of overload and attention deficit that seem to be spreading so rapidly these days have been staples in the geek world since time immemorial. I wouldn’t say I was disorganized so much as just overwhelmed (by) the constant e-mails and disruptions. GTD has improved the quality of my work, if for no other reason than it’s helped me get much better at saying ‘no.'”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I wonder what these same users would say today, considering we have way more distractions in our personal and work lives. The reality is, GTD was created for a different time. Just listen to how Allen talked about it to Wired: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Because GTD is system-neutral, it also gives geeks a great model for plugging in their favorite mobile toys. But GTD relates equally to paper or any other medium.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mobile toys? \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yikes. Moving on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just because GTD is nearly 25 years old doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t work. What it does<\/strong> mean is we have a bunch of new software and productivity tools<\/a> available to help us be more organized in our daily lives. In my opinion, there are better ways to use GTD so it\u2019s less labor intensive, as it\u2019s easy to get carried away with the pre-planning involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean, just check out this spreadsheet<\/a> from a GTD user on Reddit: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not trying to hate. But did \u201cbook a haircut\u201d really<\/em> need to be added to the spreadsheet and given a category, due date and time limit? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would have been quicker to just\u2026 ring up and book the damn haircut \ud83d\ude43 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like a lot of the other productivity methods we have tested in this Deep Dive series, I think the best way to maximize GTD is to take the best bits and tweak it to suit your own needs. Here\u2019s an example of how I did just that \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stealing the nuts + bolts of GTD to build a simpler system<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At this point, I decided to steal the best bits of GTD and build a simpler system. One that didn’t look like that Redditor’s spreadsheet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There were three caveats I figured out pretty early: <\/p>\n\n\n\n