An Interview with the Author of “Getting Things Done.”
Is Procrastination your middle name? Do you tend to focus on only the things you like doing or come easy to you? Have you tried various methods to get better organized but nothing seems to work? Since it was first published years ago, David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” has become one of the most influential business books, and the ultimate book on personal organization.
“GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots. Not long ago, David rewrote the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace.
In the short video interview with David at the end of this post, we talk about how his perspective on his personal productivity methodology has evolved over the past couple decades. Although what is always fundamental to GTD hasn’t changed based upon these five steps:
- CAPTURE: Collect what has your attention. Write, record, or gather any and everything that has your attention into a collection tool.
- CLARIFY: Process what it means. Is it actionable? If so, decide the next action and project (if more than one action is required). If not, decide if it is trash, reference, or something to put on hold.
- ORGANIZE: Put it where it belongs. Park reminders of your categorized content in appropriate places.
- REFLECT: Review frequently. Update and review all pertinent system contents to regain control and focus.
- ENGAGE: Simply do. Use your trusted system to make action decisions with confidence and clarity.
