The Fundamental Process (David Allen)

Posted on February 26th, 2010, by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D.

I’m a big Getting Things Done (David Allen) fan. He shared this in one of his recent email messages:

The fundamental thinking process of GTD (Getting Things Done) is simple, but not simplistic. Whether you are applying it to an email that just landed in your inbox, a problem that just showed up for you to solve, or a great idea that just popped into your mind—there is gold to be mined from these questions in clarifying what “done” and “doing” looks like. Here’s a quick exercise to try:

Write down a project or situation that is most on your mind at this moment.
Now, describe in a single written sentence your intended desired outcome for this problem or situation. What needs to happen to mark this done?
Next, write down the very next physical action step required to move the situation forward.
Put those answers in a system you trust.

From David Allen (Getting Things Done) – www.davidco.com