Getting Things Done Cheatsheet

aka Notes for "Getting Things Done" by David Allen

Five Stages of Workflow

1. Collect (into the inbasket)
2. Process (into the system)
3. Organize (within the system)
4. Review (next actions)
5. Do

Organized "filed" locations

1. trash
2. someday/maybe list(s)
3. reference
4. project inventory
5. project plan next actions list(s)
6. waiting for someone else list(s)
7. calendar
8. next actions list(s)

How to process "stuff"

note: square brackets indicate stages, parens indicate locations

• inbasket [1]
• what is it? [2]
• actionable? [3] --No--> (1) or (2) or (3)
• next action [3]
• --2 min?--> do it
• --delegate?--> (6)
• --project--> (4) or (5)
• --defer--> (7)
• next action (8)

reviewables: (7) and (8), then (4), (5), and (6)

action choosing criteria

1. context
2. time available
3. energy available
4. priority

natural planning model

1. purpose
2. outcome
3. brainstorming
4. organizing
5. next actions

calendar contents

1. time-specific action items
2. day-specific action items
3. day-specific reminders (ticklers)

common lists

• action lists, one per context
• waiting for
• someday list
• project list, the master index
• project lists, one per project
• checklists, as needed, eg personal dev, wkly review, out-of-office, ...
• template documents, as needed

common "by context" action lists

weekly review steps

• loose items into system
• process notes into system
• review previous calendar
• review upcoming calendar
• uncaptured ideas, etc
• review projects, outcomes, etc lists
• review next actions lists
• review waiting for lists
• review checklists
• review someday list