The Getting Things Done Method Explained

Customize the template by adding sub-tasks or task comments to hold the lists of all your inboxes, your current areas of focus, or to track reflections on your week. Your brain isn’t built to store large bodies of organized information—but work management tools are. By externalizing this information into actionable items, you’re better set up for long-term success. In addition to the previous lists that deal with current tasks and responsibilities, the GTD system also relates to long term planning and goals. It relates to your priorities and goals in terms of horizons where each one is progressively further away than the last. Each of these levels should enhance and align with the one above it.

When you ask these questions, you’re training your team to apply a GTD methodology that incorporates itself into a Waterfall process. You will also find that meetings take less time when these questions are asked frequently about the topics covered. Skip the metrics section and jump down to key strategies.

GTD Inspired Task Processing Workflow, Productivity Planner Infographic Insert (Printable PDF Template)

This may take time in the beginning when you first start using GTD but once you do this you will feel a sense of relief as if a load has been taken off your shoulders. In the future, as soon as you come across something that requires action, you will automatically move it into your “in-basket”. The waiting for list is for tasks that you cannot act on immediately because you are waiting for input, information, or action from someone else. For example, if you need specific data to complete a project report and are waiting for a colleague to provide it, you would add that task to your waiting for list. For each legitimate task that you encounter, you should determine if you can complete that task in under 2 minutes. Many tasks (such as replying to an email) can be completed in under 2 minutes.

You can provide more information in the fields on the right, such as status, due date, and priority. In the task type field, indicate the department responsible for the task, such as Marketing or IT. Although it doesn’t entirely abide by the GTD methodology, this Work To Do Template by ClickUp can still up your productivity. It offers a dynamic and customizable task management system catering to any team or business. The simplicity of this template also gives you the freedom to personalize it. Introduce new lists or views and adapt the template to various contexts.

Principles of a Healthy Startup Culture

When you have delegated a task to someone else, it goes into your “waiting” pile. Action can not proceed until someone else finishes their part. gtd system The sharing section of Toodledo allows you to easily delegate tasks to other people and keep track of their progress with those tasks.

• This recaptured mental energy can be put towards being more productive and efficient.
• Click the cell to the right under Task Subject and enter a description.
• To get started, import Todoist’s GTD Weekly Review template into your projects list.
• Attach task-specific reference materials to task comments.
• Store items with intrinsic value that don’t require immediate action in a reference folder.

If needed, come back and organize your projects into broader categories later. Now you’ll be able to keep your project list clean by collapsing your sub-projects underneath the parent project. For example, while you’re at work, you can keep your work projects in view while your personal projects are hidden and vice versa. Attach reference materials – photos, documents, links, notes, or even audio files – to the relevant tasks. This guide will introduce you to GTD principles and workflows, and what we think is the most intuitive way to implement them.