Have trouble managing your tasks and creating an effective to-do list? You might want to give the Getting Things Done technique a go. This productivity technique is simple and efficient to use, plus it could bring great long-term benefits. Read on to find out about the Getting Things Done technique, and how you can use it in your everyday life.
The Getting Things Done technique
This productivity technique, created by David Allen, helps you get an overview of your outstanding tasks and tackle them based on priority. It’s all about creating an effective scheduling system to help you work better. Ultimately, you should use the Getting Things Done technique to channel your focus and get tasks done quickly.
How does this productivity technique work?
This technique is extremely fluid and adaptable to your personal preferences. However, there are generally 5 pillars you should take note of.
- Capture. Note down all your tasks and collate them together. As a result, you won’t forget about an important piece of work.
- Clarify. Ever set an alarm to remember something but forgot what you were supposed to remember? That’s an unproductive scenario that you should try to avoid at all costs. Besides this, you should note down tasks clearly so you’ll know exactly what to do.
- Organize. Having a bunch of tasks can be daunting, but that’s precisely why organization is such an important tool. For example, you could group your tasks according to category or deadline. Ultimately, you should organize these bunches according to priority. This way, you’ll be working on the most important tasks first.
- Reflect. Occasionally review your to-do list and update it according to the current situation. As such, you should strike out items you’ve completed, add in new tasks and alter existing tasks that have changed. Additionally, you may wish to re-organize your tasks according to a new order of priority.
- Engage. Get to work! After all, the Getting Things Done technique is all about… well, getting things done. As such, you should always remember to complete your tasks conscientiously. For instance, you should avoid procrastination and tackle one chunk of work at a time.
Tips to make this productivity technique work
Master the Getting Things Done technique with these tips.
- Customise the experience. The beauty of this technique is in its flexibility. For example, there’s no fixed timing, organization system or scheduling process. This allows you to customise it to best suit your personal preferences. For example, combine the Getting Things Done technique with other productivity techniques, like the Pomodoro or Zen To Done method. Alternatively, change the prioritisation, grouping techniques or even scheduling style however you like. It’s all about making it work for you!
- Use a productivity tool. Need some help to get an added productivity boost? Try using a mindful productivity tool like a Timeqube. It’s an unobtrusive timer that helps you keep track of time through a gentle change in color. It’s a simple, seamless mindfulness tool that could give you a whole new world of productivity perks.
- Keep practising. Ultimately, becoming productive is no easy feat. Be kind to yourself and keep trying whenever you fail!
