Have you ever spent a weekend without answering an email? Without touching your computer? Have you ever spent time with your family without interruption? Here’s the problem: you always have “too much” to do, and your mind is saturated. If this applies to you, you really need to know more about the Getting Things Done method of organization. By reading on, you’ll learn how to better organize your tasks and get them done. And all the while avoiding constant stress. That’s what this method is all about.

You no longer risk forgetting this or that task or being so overwhelmed that you have to put everything off. Don’t want to be on the alert at all times? Discover the basics of the GTD organization method. You’ll be able to make the most of your weekends and days off.

A solution to everyday stress: Getting Things Done

The more your business (or life) progresses, the more overwhelmed you become? Rest assured, you’re not alone. But as you may have noticed, those ideas that go round and round in our heads are real demons. They hinder our efficiency by disrupting our concentration. They also take up a lot of our energy. That’s because brain activity is linked to the body.

Our stress comes from all those things we’ve committed ourselves to, but haven’t yet achieved. So, the intention in writing Getting Things Done is to calm our minds. The aim? To be able to concentrate better and for longer. And it’s all done through a series of small tasks. By drawing up a to-do list, for example. It’s all about helping your brain to focus, and finding the flaws you need to improve later on. It’s the best way to stay focused, be productive and grow.

Let’s take a look at some of the basics of the GTD method. What does it mean? What exactly does it consist of? What is it really good for, and what are its limitations?

WHAT DOES GETTING THINGS DONE MEAN?
GTD is an acronym for “getting things done”. Yes, because there’s nothing worse than a mind ruminating on ideas without any concrete action being taken. That’s why, with his method, David Allen suggests we get all those “to-do’s” out of our minds, sorting and analyzing them. Basically, it’s a matter of putting in place a concrete action or reminder to stop thinking about it right away, with the Getting Things Done organization method.

WHAT IS THE GTD ORGANIZATION METHOD?
Tidying up your room is already a hugely satisfying and calming experience. But imagine doing a mental sorting too… That kind of visualization is bound to make you want to do it! Especially if it means less stress and greater efficiency. It’s simply a very appealing idea – we’d all like to be at peace with ourselves. So who’s going to say no to a technique that will make it easier to achieve?

So, it’s time to find out a little more about this famous “Getting Things Done”. As you can imagine, there’s a reason why this book has been so successful.

To apply the GTD method, start by reviewing your personal organization. Otherwise, you’ll get nowhere. In his book, David Allen gives 5 principles to help you:

Collect: This first point involves clearing your mind of all the things you have on your mind. This means writing them down on paper and putting them in a basket. This includes appointments, ideas… all the to-dos that cross your mind. Getting Things Done is all about taking stock of everything that’s important.
Analyze: The idea here is to take a moment in your day to sort through those papers. It’s important not to skip any of them, because you don’t yet know what to do with them. They all need to be processed! The aim is to completely empty your bins at the end of the day. By doing so, you’ll have more space and be in a better frame of mind to proceed with what’s next.
Organize
Review
Execute

HOW DO I IMPLEMENT THE GETTING THINGS DONE METHOD?
The last 3 points above are just as important as the first two. You’re probably wondering why they haven’t been developed above. Don’t worry, the rest of this article will explain them in greater detail.

ORGANIZE
Let’s start with the third point. These “tricks” we’ve analyzed can be put into different categories by asking the question “Is there an action I can take today to move forward?” In this way, you can determine which actions really need to be taken.

According to Getting Things Done, if the answer to this question is no, then this idea will be :

Discard: if it’s unimportant. Not all ideas are good ones. Learn to recognize and discard the bad ones.
Do someday: when it’s not possible to take action today. Example: for your dental appointment.
Keep: if the idea relates to important information for a future project. The author then speaks of references.
If the answer is yes, again in line with the Getting Things Done method, we’ll :

Carry out the action related to this idea now, if it takes less than 2 minutes.
Delegate or postpone this action to the future, if it takes longer.
Note: The author emphasizes the importance of creating effective reminders for all those things you don’t do immediately. For example, to avoid having that dentist appointment next Tuesday on your mind, create a reminder on your phone. This helps you stop thinking about it all the time. That’s the advantage of the Getting Things Done method. We can also remind ourselves to check the work we’ve delegated to someone else, or remind ourselves to get started on that project we’ve got in mind by next month.

REVIEW
This point is also very important. You may not fully understand what it’s all about. You’ll need to regularly review the task lists you’ve drawn up. In other words, update them. That way, you’ll know which tasks you’ve done, which ones are coming up, and which ones to concentrate on.

In “Getting Things Done”, David Allen talks about the importance of reviewing our actions and options to make it easier to take action. This allows us to continue to be just as effective over time. It’s a bit like asking yourself: does my organizational method still work? By reviewing your list on a weekly basis, you can reorganize your list and your own thoughts.

Boost your personal organization with the last point

Writing a list, eliminating useless ideas, planning tasks in order of importance and checking them regularly… These are the first steps in the Getting Things Done method. And now there’s just the last step: getting things done. That’s what the last point is all about. But here again, there are tips to help you be more efficient.

Let’s imagine that your actions are broken down into different areas: emails, the phone, the office (or things you can only do in one place), things to do when you’re going from point A to point B.

To avoid getting lost while carrying out your actions, the Getting Things Done method suggests that you concentrate on just one area at a time. This will enable you to be much more efficient. The human brain has trouble adapting to change, and you lose a few seconds of concentration every time you spread yourself too thinly. Making a call, sending an e-mail and then making another call will be much less efficient than making 5 calls and then sending 5 e-mails.

There are of course many other ideas in David Allen’s book, so don’t hesitate to read it to find out more.

ARE THERE ANY LIMITS TO THE GETTING THINGS DONE METHOD?
If you’ve always had trouble making decisions, it’s not certain that this new method will revolutionize your personal organization today. Initially, you may find yourself wasting too much time trying to be more efficient. But you can take the time to assimilate it. Otherwise, this method doesn’t have many negative points. In fact, many people say it gives them more energy, which in turn makes them more productive.

Do you want to manage everything, right away, in the best possible way? Learn how to get organized so you don’t burn out. By testing Getting Things Done, you’ll experience less stress, save time, deal with things more efficiently and have peace of mind. Better organization also means more time to enjoy the activities you love and the people closest to you… Working less is also a good way to be happier. David Allen has just revolutionized your level of happiness, no less! Can you believe it?