Getting Things Done by David Allen provides a methodology for managing commitments and maintaining productivity. The five stages of the methodology are to capture, clarify, organize, reflect, and engage. This allows individuals to define what is "done" and "doing" and manage commitments through various lists and reminders in a trusted system outside of one's mind. The methodology promotes clarity, focus on important tasks, and freedom from stress.

1. GETTING THINGS DONE
By David Allen
A Narrative Summary

2. PRESENTED BY
Abhinav Aditya Arun
Dipak Niharika

6. WHY IS STRESS LEVEL RISING?
1. Work no longer has any clear boundaries
2. Our lives and our jobs are constantly changing
3. Old time management techniques do not accommodate the
rigors of the modern day workplace
4. Too many day-to-day, hour-to-hour commitments distract us
from the primary focus

8. What must this system do?
• Couple big picture thinking with the smallest of open details
• Manage multiple tiers of priorities
• Maintain control over hundreds of new inputs daily
• Save more time than time spent in maintenance
The system should make it easier to “GET THINGS DONE”

10. You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the
cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a
teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my
friend.
Bruce Lee

12. Basics for managing commitments
• Capture all open loops in a system outside your mind
• Clarify your commitment and what tasks you must do
• Keep reminders and review each task in a trustworthy system

16. TWO BASIC COMPONENTS OF GTD
Defining what “DONE” is
-THE OUTCOME-
Defining what “DOING” is
-THE ACTION-
#1 #2

17. HENCE A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH IS MORE EFFECTIVE

18. Your mind is a focusing tool, not a storage space

21. 5 stages of Getting Something Done
• CAPTURE what has our attention
• CLARIFY what each item means
• ORGANIZE the results
• REFLECT on our options
• ENGAGE with the best suitable option

22. 5 stages of handling a messy kitchen
• Identify the stuff that doesn’t belong where it is
• Determine what to keep and what to throw away
• Put things where they need to go
• Check your recipe book, along with ingredients and utensils
• Select a recipe and start cooking

23. The biggest reason people are unable to stay
organized is that they try to attempt all the 5 stages at
once

25. Physical In-Tray
Writing Paper and Pads
Digital and Voice Note taking
E-mail and Texting
Technology integration
Tools for capture

26. Get it all out of your head
Minimize Capture locations
Empty Capture tools regularly
Capturing incompletes

30. For actionable items….
• List all your projects
• Collect and categorize reference material
• Enter calendar reminders for things happening on a specific day
• Prepare a “Next Actions” list for all deferred items

31. …then group the non-actionable ones
• Get rid of the “trash”
• Incubated items fall into two categories:
1. Someday/Maybe- Projects not to be done now but later
2. Tickler system – Projects that need to be done at a specific
point in future
• File reference material categorically

33. 1. Calendar
2. Next Action Lists
3. Projects Lists
4. Waiting for lists
5. Someday/Maybe Lists
Priority of pending tasks

34. Process all your “stuff”
Review your systems
Update your lists
Get clear, current and complete
Review your lists

36. THE FOUR CRITERIA MODEL
• Identify the context in which the task must be done
• Calculate the time available to you
• Calculate the energy available to you
• Engage with tasks on priority basis
This model helps you choose actions in the moment

37. THE THREEFOLD MODEL
• Doing pre-defined work
• Doing work as it shows up
• Defining your work
This model helps identify daily tasks

38. SIX LEVEL MODEL
• Ground level : Current actions
• Horizon 1: Current projects
• Horizon 2: Areas of focus and accountabilities
• Horizon 3: Goals
• Horizon 4: Vision
• Horizon 5: Purpose and Principles
This model helps you determine priorities

40. Key ingredients of relaxed control
• Clearly defined outcomes and the next actions
required to move them towards closure
• Reminders placed in a trusted system reviewed
regularly
This is known as horizontal focus

41. Sometimes, you need greater rigor and focus to get a project
or situation under control, to identify a solution or to ensure
that all the right steps have been determined.
This is where vertical focus comes into play

42. THE NATURAL PLANNING MODEL
1. Defining your purpose and principles
2. Outcome visioning
3. Brainstorming
4. Organizing
5. Identifying next actions

44. The unnatural planning model
This is attempting to come up with a good idea before defining
your purpose, creating a vision and collecting lots of initial bad
ideas
This is likely to lead to creative constipation

45. The Reactive Planning model
This is resisting planning meetings, presentations and strategic
operations till the last minute
As MBA students…we are all too familiar with this

46. Let us delve a little deeper into the five phases of
the natural planning model

47. 01 Defining
purpose &
principles
Purpose provides the juice and
the direction while principles
define the parameters of action
and the criteria for excellence
of conduct

48. 02 Outcome
Visioning
When we focus on something it
generates ideas and thought
patterns that were otherwise
not possible
Something extraordinary
happens in our minds when we
create and focus a clear
picture of what we want

49. 03Brainstorming
Always write down or capture
these ideas in an external way.
This helps boost productive
output and thinking
External brainstorming not
only helps capture original
ideas but helps generate new
ones as well

50. Look I’m going to give you as many ideas as you feel you can effectively use. If you are
not collecting them in some trusted way, I wont give you that many. But if you are
actually doing something with the ideas- even if it’s just recording them for later
evaluation- then here, have a bunch! And oh wow! That reminds me of another one and
another…
Sincerely
Your Brain

51. 04 Organizing
• Identify significant pieces
• Sort by sequences/priorities
• Detail to the required
degree

52. 05 Identifying
next actions
• Decide on the next actions
for each of the “moving
parts”
• Decide on the next action in
the planning process (if any)

53. If you need more clarity at any stage,
shift your thinking up the scale
If more action is needed at any stage,
move down the model
Navigating the model

55. Setting aside the time
Create a block of
time to organize
everything
Reduces resistance
to work
Implement the
entire process in
two days
Useful for your
productivity and
mental health
Avoid interruptions
Get to ground zero
in one contained
time period
Set aside two consecutive days to get started, preferably weekends

56. Setting up the space
Writing Surface Room for an in-basket
Phone Computer
Stacking trays File drawers
Paper Other essential equipment
Necessities
Choose a physical location to serve as a ‘CENTRAL COCKPIT OF CONTROL’
• Set up space at workplace,
home and in transit that are
identical
• Don’t share your space
• If you travel frequently, make a portable
version of the basic files and supplies
• If you work outside, make satellite control
centers at home and work

57. Still from DaviD allen’S DeSk

58. Tools
Basic Processing Tools
 3 paper holding trays
 Stack of letter size paper
 Pen/Pencil
 Paper clips
 Binder clips
 Stapler
 Staples
 Scotch tape
 Rubber bands
 Automatic labeler
 File folders
 Calendar
 Wastebasket
 Recycling bin
 A-Z filing system

59. FILING SYSTEM
Filing system need to be at 'hand distance' from workplace
Only one filing system
The question: 'where could item be?' should not have more than 2-3
possible answers (every possible item should have as few likely places
as possible)
Filing an item should be quick (<< 1 minute)
Purge the filing system periodically (once a year)

61. Collection: Corralling your Stuff

62. PHYSICAL CORRALLING
Gather all things before
‘proceSSing’ anD
‘organizing’- paperwork,
buSineSS carDS, noteS …
Transform all
items into
discrete items
of work
Transform into a
physical form that
can be put in a
basket or work
stack
Label the item
on a piece of
paper and put it
on the work
stack

63. Mental Corralling
mental ‘minD Sweep’ to
detect
anything in ‘pSychic ram’
• Don’t worry anD focuS on quantity
• Don’t leave itemS in the ‘in box’ for
too long

65. Focus on the
Next Action
required to
move forward
Big projects have many steps.
Just focus on the very next physical
action you need to do to move the
project forward
The key is not to focus on everything that has
to be done
(that’S a great way to freak yourSelf out)

66. It may be looking up a piece of information,
making a phone call,
or accomplishing the smallest of the task.
whatever it iS, it’ll move you cloSer to completing the
project.
Focus only on what you can do right
now.

67. After collecting everything, you need to process
it.
You should:
• traSh what you Don’t neeD.
• Complete any less-than 2 minute actions.
• Delegate Stuff you can’t complete to otherS.
• Sort into your own organizing system reminders for actions
that will take more than two minutes.
• Identify any larger commitments, or projects, that you have.
• Identify things to save for later and use as reference
material only.

68. How to do it ??
Here are the rules of
processing:
• Process one item at a time
• If it takes less than two
minutes, do it now
• Never put anything back
into 'in'

69. For every item, one of the
following must be done:
Identify the next action to be
done
The action must be
the absolute next physical
thing to do
No next action? Then: trash,
incubate or file it in your
'reference system'

70. Once the action has been decided, do one of
the following
Do it
(if requires
less than 2
minutes)
Delegate it
Defer it
(do it later,
schedule when &
put it in a trusted
calendar system)

71. The Reference System
Having a good reference system is crucial
Need to be within arm's reach
Needs to be quick to file an item (<< 60 seconds) and to find
an item

73. Incubate
Put into a calendar that will remind to do the item when appropriate.
Can also use a 'someday/maybe' list if there is no specific time to start
the task
Misc Tips
• Learn to touch type
• Learn keyboard
shortcuts to your
programs

74. Allen identifies 7 basic categories of things you have processed
and will want to keep track of:
A projects list
Project support material
Calendared actions
Next actions
A “waiting for” list
Reference materials
Someday/Maybe list

75. The obvious danger in
setting a lot of separate
buckets is not review
them often enough
(which obviously needs
to be done in order for
the system to work)

76. • List of the ongoing projects.
• Unlike other lists, it may be OK to
review only once a week.
• When concrete steps need to be
taken in order to progress, the
steps should be copied to the 'next
actions list'.
• The projects can be organized in
different sections
• (ex: personal, professional).
Project List

77. • Resources to support
project's actions.
• Do not use as reminders
(use 'next actions',
calendar or 'waiting for'
instead)
Project Support Materials

78. Calendar
• Things to be reminded of in the
future
(such as events, deadlines and
periodic reminders)
• Putting an item in the calendar
does not mean
it has to be done;
It is just that attention must
be brought on the item at a
specific time.

79. • Organized by context
(at home, at work,
errands, in person
meeting, with boss)
• Keep a 'read/review' list,
need to have useful things
to read at hand whenever
there is a little bit of
free time
Next Actions List

80. • Next actions that
are waiting for a
trigger
(ex: waiting for
someone else to
complete
something)
• If there is a known
date put in calendar
instead
Waiting For

81. • Items that have no action
required
• If an action is required, it
belongs in an 'action' list
that will be reviewed
frequently
It means that it contain
important information
Reference Material

82. • Items that do not need to be
done now,
They do not have a
specific deadline in the
future
(if they do, they belong
on the Calendar)
but would be nice to get
around to do at some point
Someday/Maybes

84. Enable brain
to be free to
experience
more
elegant,
productive
and creative
activity

85. TO EARN FREEDOM
Brain must
engage with
all commitment
and activities
consistently

86. THINK
• are YOU doing what you
need to be doing
or
• If its okay to be not doing
what you are not doing

87. promotes
Clarity &
Stability

88. WHAT TO
AT
& WHEN ?
WHAT TO
AT
& WHEN ?

89. Look at your Calendar First
• Frequently review, if you are maintain
one
• Helps in assessing what has to get done
• Know time & space parameter
when you are free, what engagements
you already have, how much time you
can find to carry your activities

90. Then your
list • Review action list
• Decide on all the possible actions you could
possibly do in your current context
• Eg. If you are in office – look at your list of
emails, calls & in office things

91. If TRUSTWORHTY If CURRENT
Only things you
need to refer to

92. The right review in the Right
Context
• May need home list
for home related
issues
• Agenda and project
lists for office
related activities
You may need access to
anyone of your list at
any time

93. Your
system

94. Power of • Capturing,
reevaluation and
reprocessing time to
keep you in balance
• Sharpen the focus on
your important tasks

95. • Get Clear
• Get current
• Get creative

96. Get
Gather all loose ends
that have generated
in the course of busy
week
• Collect Loose papers &
materials : putting everything
together
• get “in” to empty : Process the
accumulated stuff through the
week and purge what is not
needed
• Empty Your head : put into
writing (new projects, action
itemS or anything you haven’t
yet captured and clarifies)

97. Get
current
• review “next actionS” liSt – Mark off completed
tasks, review for actions on yet to be completed
task
• Review previous calendar data – calendar
entries for remaining or emergent actions &
transfer the data into active system
• Review Upcoming calendar – capture the actions
required for upcoming events
• review “ waiting for” liSt – update on follow ups
• review “projectS” liSt – evaluate the status of
projects
• Review any relevant checklists

98. Get Creative
• If your mind is free,
it would be more
creative
• it’S a natural
process which is an
outcome of getting
clear and current

99. For
Review
Time – Last workday
Events are still fresh
for post mortem
Clear your mental
deck – so you can into
week totally fresh
Place – Isolated
from the people
and interactions of
the day

100. Review
• For larger outcomes, long term goals, the visions and
principles that ultimately drive, test and prioritize
your decisions
• Review them at appropriate intervals
• Have your vision, values and objectives in right place

101. Engaging:
Making the
Best Action
Choices

103. The four-
criteria
model for
choosing
actions in
the moment
The threefold
model for
evaluating
daily work
The six-level
model for
reviewing
your own
work

104. The four-criteria model for
choosing actions in the moment

105. Organize your
action reminders by
 Prevent unnecessary reassessments about what to do
 Appropriate context forces you to make all-
important determination about the next physical
action on your stuff

106. Time Available
• How much time you have before
you have at hand to do
something else
if you have 10 minutes before
the next meeting, find a 10-
minute thing to do
• utilize the little “weirD time”
windows that occur
throughout the day to get
shorter actions done in most
productive way

107. Energy available
• Keep an inventory of
things that need to be
done that require very
little mental or
creative horse-power
• One of the best ways to
increase your energy is
to close some of your
loops

108. Priority
It is impossible to
feel good about
your choices unless
you are clear about
what your work
really is

109. The threefold model for
evaluating daily work
Doing
predefined
work
Doing work
as it
shows up
Defining
your
work
3 types of

110. People may blame their
stress and lowered
effectiveness on
SurpriSeS when it’S
really their lack of
defining their work.
one’S ability to Deal
with surprise
a competitive edge.

111. The six-level model for
reviewing your own work

112. The Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your Own Work is presented in terms of
altitude:
• Horizon 5: Life
• Horizon 4 : Three- to five-year visions
• Horizon 3 : One-to two-year goals
• Horizon 2: Areas of responsibility
• Horizon 1 : Current projects
• Ground: Current actions
Each of these levels should enhance and align with the levels above it
• Priorities are driven from the top
• However, without a sense of control over current projects and actions,
trying to manage oneself from the top down can create frustration. start
at the bottom level, first ensuring all action lists are complete, and then
working up the model

113. Getting
under Control

114. Projects need a
Dedicated space in
which planning can be done
importance of being diligent on
ongoing projects,
particularly in terms of
figuring out what comes next

115. Typical Planning Steps
• Brainstorming
• Organizing
• Setting up meetings
• Gathering Information

116. Tools
• lower your mental load, write down ideas
as they occur
• Make sure everything can be put in a
project or next action list
• Always keep something you can jot down
ideas
- prevent good ideas from being lost
- free up your mind from the stress of
forgetting something
• Writing instrument
- Paper and pads, easels and whiteboard,
digital tools

117. • Accessible
formats in which
project thinking
can be captured
• File
• Digital
• Software
The support structure

118. • Get comfortable with
having and using your
ideas
• Focus energy
constructively

119. The Power of the Key
Priniciple
Chapter – 11th 12th & 13th

120. The Power of Capturing

121. • When you receive, process, and organize in
an airtight manner the exchanges and
agreement you have with others, people
start trusting you in an unique manner
• enhances your mental well being
• Improves the quality of your
communications & relationship
• When organization put this in practice, it
can Significantly improve culture’S
productivity and reduce its stress

122. Personal
• Identify the Source of negative feelings
• Get rid of the feeling by acting on source
• Experience the release, or relief, or control

123. Source of Negative Feeling
Eg. You were suppose
to meet someone at
4pm on Thursday &
they never show up
leads to
disintegration of
trust in the
relationship – an
automatic negative
consequence

124. Ever Had this FEELING ?
DO YOU KNOW THE SOURCE?
BROKEN AGREEMENT with yourself
Promise you made to yourself for
completing the work by certain
time AND
you DiDn’t!!

125. WELCOME

126. How TO PREVENT
BROKEN AGREEMENT
1. Don’t make the agreement
2. Complete the Agreement
3. Renegotiate the Agreement

127. Don’t make the
Agreement

128. COMPLETE the
Agreement

129. Renegotiate the
Agreement

130. Have a Capture Habit
• Scan through your mind
• Download everything
• Process eliminates the leakage of information
• Make agreement
• Abide by your agreement
• Provides Communication clarity & promotes trust
• Leads to less interruptions
• Stress free work

131. The Power of Next Decision

132. ADOPT ACTION
FOR
EVERY
QUERY

133. • Leads to automatic
increase in energy,
productivity, clarity,
and focus
• Improves peace of mind

134. Creating
an option
oF
• Look through your list
• aSk yourSelf “what’S the next action”
• Few seconds of focused thinking would give
you the answer
• Refine your answer for the next step that
would help you solve the issue
• EXAMPLE
Tune up for the car – car to garage – find
WHETHER garage can fix it – need to call
garage – need phone no. – search for garage
no.
• Search for garage’S no – Next action
• Since you have your NEXT ACTION THINKING
done,
NOW ACT

135. The Value of Next Action
Decision Making Standard

136. Next action question forces

137. The Power of
Outcome
Focusing

138. you can’t Define the right
until you know the
you are after

139. REMEMBER
• What does this mean to me
?
• What do I want to be true
about it ?
• what’S the next Step
require to make the
happen?
• We need to answer these
questions about
everything
GTD provides tools to
answer them effectively

140. STEPS TO
FOCUS

141. 1. IDENTIFY
THE DESIRED
OUTCOME

142. 2.

143. (1) you know what you want, and you
Don’t know how to get it;
(2) “you Don’t know what you want”

144. What if you have no
idea what you want?
• START LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER
• SPEND SOME TIME REFLECTING AND
IDENTIFYING YOUR GOALS

145. GET
IT ?
Start
breaking
the big
thing into
smaller
bites &
PROCEED
You know what you want
BUT YOU DON’T KNOW

146. • There are mundane steps while working
towards the goal
• Remember
• How those mundane task will help you accomplish
your big goal
• Appreciate them
To accomplish something
big like , you have to
revel in the

147. CHAPTER 14TH & 15TH

148. GTD AND POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY
GTD is more than just a way to
manage tasks and projects
It is more concerned with
fundamental issues of
meaningful work, mindful living,
and psychological well being

149. DISTRIBUTED COGNITION
It provides the methodology for
identifying those things that need
focused attention, applying it
efficiently on the front end and
organizing the triggers for
appropriate thinking at the right
time.

150. RELIEVING THE COGNITIVE LOAD OF
INCOMPLETIONS
In alignment with GTD practices,
Dr. Roy Baumister has proven
that completion of unfinished
items- goals, projects, etc. is not
required to relieve the burden
on the psyche. What is needed is a
trusted plan that would ensure
the occurrence of forward
engagement

151. FLOW THEORY
GTD approach includes
having clear goals and
receiving feedbacks in
alignment with the flow
theory

152. Self Leadership
Theory
GTD connects with all
three types of self
leadership
• Behavior-focused
• Natural Reward
• Constructive thought
pattern

153. Psychological Capital
GTD helps in achieving
• Self efficacy
• Optimism
• Hope
• Resilience

154. IN A NUTSHELL