Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity Overview
Is your workload overwhelming? Does it just keep mounting up while your stress levels reach fever pitch? In Getting Things Done David Allen teaches you how to keep a clear head, relax and organise your thoughts while implementing the methods that he has introduced at organisations like Microsoft, Lockheed and the US Department of Justice: Learn the 'do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it' principle to empty your in-tray. Handle e-mail, paperwork and unexpected demands in a system of self-management. Plan and progress projects. Reasses goals and stay focused. Apply the two minute rule when deciding what to do now and what to defer. Overcome feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed. With clear and specific methods and advice, David Allen's tried and trusted formula for business efficiency could transform the way you operate and your experience of work.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity Specifications
With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow," "mind like water," and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called
Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance.
Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-do's clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organized, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru," suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech saber known as the cell phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.)
As whole-life-organizing systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk, The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket"
That's where the processing and prioritizing begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's commonsense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment; Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belabored, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to soccer moms (who we all know are more organized than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy
Customer Reviews
Why you should read: Time is the only truly scarce resource. We all fight for more. The only way to have more, it is reasonable to spend.
Review:
I just finished Getting Things Done. So I am a bit 'late to the game. E 'reading speed was appropriate, and I loved the premise. There was no doubt that some productivity clear "ah-ah", as I read. I spent much time learning and developing my system of personal productivity over the years and I am happy just an implementationMore Nuggets Allan. Most of the things that he calls them, are not entirely new, but the package puts them in the clutches of an eye.
Top 6 ways to quadruple productivity and a little 'time to enjoy:
1. "What is the task next to me my desired result?" This is the biggest point Allen went home. Once again this question after a meeting or task. Only this will make productivity through the roof. This was the last time youthe location, plan a goal, or a meeting without a well-defined and planned to review the action later, but a reality.
2. Plan your week. Devote at least half an hour or an hour at the beginning (or end of each week), an inventory of what you have achieved the previous week, which does not achieve what you have learned and what the results you've come to week. Many people dive right into the week without a plan what they want to watch their week. And receivefrustrated if nothing is done. Be used deliberately and then. Things begin to happen. Spend an hour a week to sharpen the cutting saw makes everything easier. I did this year for each week.
3. Plan. Do not do things, if the appointment. By definition, must be completed for a task has to physically occupy a part of your life. The lists are so arbitrary. You get less and less often and priorities, so thattoo much, if not all get checked. The average person dramatically, according to some estimates for how long (at least we are optimistic). This encourages them to put 27 hours worth of work on one day. Reserve the time schedule forces you to be honest with yourself and you're done just that, over time, you get what is reasonably available. Proper expectations are to reach a large part of something.
4. Time A-buffer. We are now in the gripthe fact that everything takes longer than expected. Well, besides the fact that things over and over again that no plan. Take the time and sometimes need to happen immediately. Schedules for the buffer time. I literally block one or two hours every day, just say "time buffer". It is almost always full of something urgently and unexpectedly, and if I have my life back one hour of a great feeling. When it's time to get outside and something for fun (or notWhat you do with your free time, except e-mail).
5. Give Yourself strict and short deadlines. This is not inconsistent with the planning. Yes, things are taking longer than expected, and will have, how much time you have available. We call this law of Parkinson's disease. The time required to complete a project is directly proportional to the time you have available. In other words, if you have time to lose, you are wasting. You have to study a day for the exam. ItIt takes one day. You have two weeks of study. It takes two weeks. Take the time necessary to complete a task, but not a minute longer. Established these boundaries in advance.
6. Do not check e-mail First Thing in the Morning. If you have not already heard, you have not heard. That is huge. No matter what you do, e-mail immediately and take the time and energy to suck from your life. Take your most important things that happened in the first 2-3 hours of the day. Then you should find someE-mail and a little 'Facebook. I know that I need not convince you to deserve this. I just need to break your addiction.
7. Make your import most things first. This goes with the above. The first), which in the morning (after a good training and breakfast, as I have a plan for the week, I know that the most important thing for the day. I dive in the first 2-3 missions. Often, to open in front of my computer or Internet connection, and check in any case before e-mail.They feel better with the rest of the mountain big day with your items behind you. So there is still much to lose time by e-mail.
8. Getting a good way to keep track of your life. Everyone does it differently, and no system is perfect for all of us. But there are some amazing tools out there for the start of free or almost free for you. Whatever the cost, if you are organized and motivated to do things, it's worth the investment. I use a combinationTony Robbins the Time of Your Life Planning System, 7 Habits and 4 hours work week, in conjunction with my iCal, Google Calendar, Evernote and things, all synced to my iPhone for what I feel is my WORK 'art. Can not forget a good clean your workplace, and perhaps some physical storage cabinets. Took a bit 'for the right system to gain strength and its continued evolution, but is allowed as soon as you receive it. Find some sexy toys and productivity have fun.
These steps are simple and each of them alone will not change radically as you go about your moments, days, weeks, and life. Take advantage of this and let me know what you do with your spare time!
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What are the most useful for managing your life and find time for the things that really worry you. Share with us in the comments.
~ By readingYour success
Other books and resources that you can enjoy:
Parkinson's Law, an article
Things Task Management Application for iPhone and Mac, I just started using it and love it. Designed perfectly for Getting Things Done
4-Hour Work Week
7 Habits of highly effective
How to get control of your time and Your Life
The Art of Time (less)
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Watch Cesar in action in this clip of The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, courtesy of the National Geographic Channel. Or, tune in on Friday nights, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
1. Make sure your dog is spayed or neutered, has all her shots, and is in good health. Under no circumstances should you bring a sick dog to a dog park! 
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