The "Get Things Done" Framework to get things done

Being creative, strategic, and simply present and loving don’t require time—they require space.

-David Allen

"Get Things Done" or GTD is a personal productivity methodology developed by David Allen that redefines how you approach your life and work. It’s been my go-to framework for managing stuff.

On the face of it, it’s pretty straightforward. But before one starts down this path, one must accept and realize that this, like many other frameworks, is just that. A framework. Getting true output will require motivation and effort from you. Now that we have that sorted, let's jump right in.

Why need a framework?

Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them

Every time someone asks us to do something, including ourselves, we just open a new browser window in our brains and keep that window open till the task is completed. That's good and awesome since it makes sure we are constantly reminded of that one thing that needs to be done.

However, as the number of things start increasing, the browser starts becoming slow and laggy as it has to keep so many tabs open. And that decreases the overall creativity and productivity of your brain since it spends most of its strength just keeping track of the tabs. A framework like GTD just takes out the tabs from your head and maintains them in its system. This act allows your brain to free up all the space as it subconsciously knows that keeping tabs is no longer its prime job.

How to get things done?

The framework operates on a few basic fundamentals to bring order to chaos.

1. Capture

Collect what grabs your attention. Write, record, or gather any and everything that has your attention into a collection tool. Now, these tools can be anything that is easy to use. I personally switch between the Notes app on iOS and Notion as they help me capture my thoughts and how I feel comfortable. I'm a visual hoarder and need the ability to attach images, embed links, and more when I'm capturing.

2. Clarify

Process what it means. Is it a wish or a necessity? Is it actionable? If so, decide the next action, and project (if more than one action is required). So if you had captured "Get healthy", then it might entail quite a few actions like "Walk 10 km daily", "Create Diet plan", "Buy groceries" etc when you're clarifying. If it is not actionable, it will be classified as trash, reference, or something to put on hold for now.

1. Actionable
2. Trash
3. Reference
4. On Hold

3. Organise

Put stuff where it belongs. Once you have a list of actionable, life becomes a little easier. Make a habit to put reminders for tasks on your calendar or task managing app. I again use notion mostly, since it gives me the ability to add start and end time. It also helps me categorize my tasks.

This is a crucial step since you must make sure to not overcrowd your commitment to yourself. Pick only the things that are important and let the lesser important task take a back seat. Make micro habits to review your upcoming tasks every morning, close completed tasks while shutting down and moving low-priority items out of your bucket

4. Reflect

Review frequently. I cannot stress how important it is to review your system constantly. Audit the tools you use. Make sure to avoid using tools that have a barrier to use. Update your system constantly to accommodate changes in your work style.

At the end of cycles (Days, weeks, months) have a look at the tasks your completed and how they rolled up to your goals. Having something to look back at acts as a "Reward of Self" and makes it easier to achieve more as you go ahead

5. Engage

Simply do. Use your trusted system to make action decisions with confidence and clarity. Nothing will give you exponential returns but consistent efforts. One just has to cross the initial discomfort of a new process, stick religiously to one's ceremony and let it slowly become a habit reinforced by one's own success.

How do I get started?

For starters, just start capturing on a simple note-taking app. This could be anything from Google Keep, Notes, Evernote, or Notion. My personal preference is Notion, where I follow a Goal > Projects > Tasks hierarchy for all my endeavors. There can be multiple projects in a goal and multiple tasks in a project. I've also made sure to connect them such that when I complete my tasks, my projects update their completion % and so do my goals. This gives me the kick to keep churning out my tasks so as to complete my progress bar.

You can check out the Notion template I use here :

(P.S. if you're reached till here, would be happy to share a free version of the template if you repost this article to your network)

Being creative, strategic, and simply present and loving don’t require time—they require space.