Notes from Getting Things Done by David Allen

1. G E T T I N G
T H I N G S D O N E
T h e A r t o f S t re s s - F re e
P ro d u c t i v i t y
B o o k B y D a v i d A l l e n
S l i d e s b y R y a n B a t t l e s
A L L E N , D AV I D . G E T T I N G T H I N G S D O N E : T H E A R T O F
S T R E S S - F R E E P R O D U C T I V I T Y. N E W Y O R K : V I K I N G ,
2 0 0 1 .

2. With the societal shift to knowledge work,
new behaviors and tools are required to
successfully manage workflow.

3. Too much "stuff" stored in a person’s short-
term memory can blow a fuse

4. The conscious mind is a focusing tool, not a
storage place.

5. One must write down the outcomes they
wish to achieve

6. For every outcome, one must determine the
"next physical action" required to move the
situation forward

7. This next physical action must be organized
in a system one reviews regularly

8. There are five stages of mastering workflow:
to collect, process, organize, review and do.

9. Collection tools include the physical in-
basket, paper-based and electronic note-
taking devices, voice-recording devices and
email.

10. Every open loop must be in your collection
system and out of your head.

11. You must have as few collection buckets as
you can get by with.

12. You must empty them regularly.

13. If an item is not actionable, trash it, put it
into a tickler file, or a reference file.

14. If an item is actionable, what is the next
action? If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it. If
more, delegate or defer it.

15. Project Planning Steps:

16. #1 - Define the purpose and principles

17. #2 - Envision the outcome

18. #3 - Brainstorm how to get from here to
there

19. #4 - Organize sequences and priorities

20. #5 - Identify the next actions

21. To get started, take several hours or days to
dump all of your projects and actions from
running around in your head, living on post-
it notes, etc.

22. Get your inbox to empty by acting,
delegating, or deferring.

23. Never put anything back into "in."

24. To keep the system working, it is key that
one continues to trust the system.

25. Review the daily calendar and tickler folders.

26. Take time each week for a weekly review.

27. The Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your
Own Work is presented in terms of altitude:

28. 50,000 + feet: Life

29. 40,000 feet: Three- to five-year visions

30. 30,000 feet: One-to two-year goals

31. 20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility

32. 10,000 feet: Current projects

33. Runway: Current actions

34. One should use the mind to think about
things, rather than of things.

35. Before the end of a meeting, one should
ask, "So what’s the next action here?" to
increase clarity

36. Even the slightest increase in the use of
natural planning can bring significant
improvement.

37. T H I S H A S B E E N A B R I E F O V E R V I E W O F T H E
M A I N I D E A S O F G E T T I N G T H I N G S D O N E .
!
B U Y T H E B O O K F O R T H E F U L L E X P E R I E N C E
!
A L L E N , D AV I D . G E T T I N G T H I N G S D O N E :
T H E A R T O F S T R E S S - F R E E P R O D U C T I V I T Y.
N E W Y O R K : V I K I N G , 2 0 0 1 .
‘
A L L P R O D U C T A N D C O M PA N Y N A M E S A R E
T R A D E M A R K S O R R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S
O F T H E I R R E S P E C T I V E H O L D E R S . U S E O F
T H E M D O E S N O T I M P LY A N Y A F F I L I AT I O N
W I T H O R E N D O R S E M E N T B Y T H E M .

38. D O W N L O A D
T H E B U S I N E S S B O O K C O L L E C T I O N
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