Getting Things Done Buchzusammenfassung - das Wichtigste aus Getting Things Done

Zusammenfassung von Getting Things Done

Name: Getting Things Done
Rating: 4.6 (965 reviews)
Author: David Allen

David Allen

The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

4.6 (965 Bewertungen)

22 Min.

Themen

Effectiveness Simplify Podcast Success

Inhaltsübersicht

Getting Things Done
in 13 Kernaussagen verstehen

Audio & Text in der Blinkist App

Kernaussage 1 von 13

What’s in it for me? Discover the power of stress-free productivity.

When you throw a pebble into a puddle of water, how does the water react?

The answer: completely appropriately to the mass of the pebble and the force with which it was thrown. The water doesn’t over- or underreact.

But when we encounter stressful events in life, we often let them control us by provoking a reaction that is disproportionate to what is required. For instance, if you’re already buried under a mountain of tasks, and an email comes in adding one more thing, you might feel overwhelmed and respond brusquely. But wouldn’t it be great if you had a state of mind like water, not over- or underreacting to the email or any other events you encounter, but always just responding appropriately?

To get there, you need to attain a sense of control over all your work, and this is where the Getting Things Done (GTD) method comes in.

Built on simple principles like maintaining a comprehensive system of external lists and always defining clear and tangible next actions for your undertakings, GTD frees up your brain to solve problems and keeps all your projects – both personal and professional – moving forward.

In these blinks, you’ll not only discover how to use GTD to better organize your work, you’ll also arrive at some fundamental questions about your purpose in life.

Once you have this sense of clarity and control, you’ll not only find yourself more productive, but your stress levels will also plummet as you feel calm and in control of all your work.

You’ll also find out

how you’re probably misusing your brain;
what to do with your long-term ideas and dreams like climbing Everest; and
why being exhausted is no excuse for not being productive.

Your brain is great at thinking but terrible at remembering things.

These days, work can be hectic. A typical morning might look something like this: You’re in the middle of writing a document when an email comes in telling you to update your antivirus software. Then, just as you’re about to do this, your aunt Sheila calls to say you should RSVP to her wedding, and, as you hang up, your boss marches in demanding you start working on a new document.

Now, what were you doing again?

Knowledge workers in particular spend their days juggling dozens of tasks and projects at once, while being constantly bombarded by still more. To survive this onslaught, most people cram everything into their heads, trying to keep important information, appointments and upcoming tasks “on their mind.”

Unfortunately, this approach squanders the brain’s wonderful capacity to think by cluttering it up with a jumble of information.

What’s more, trying to remember everything eventually leads to an inability to concentrate fully on the work at hand, because your brain will still try to work out all the unsolved problems and undone tasks that you’ve stored in it.

These are open loops – they haven’t been brought to closure – and your brain will constantly remind you about them, whether you want it to or not. This is distracting; you can’t possible focus properly when thoughts like “Remember to pay this month’s electricity bill” keep interrupting your flow.

So what can you do to master the modern workplace’s web of tasks, meetings and information so that you can truly focus on what you’re doing?

This is where GTD comes in.

Through a specific and powerful five-stage workflow, you can get back in control of everything on your plate:

Capture your thoughts. Instead of keeping all those ideas, to-dos, decisions and so forth in your head, you need to capture them in some external platform, whether on paper or digitally.
Clarify what each item is and what you can do with it.
Organize the outcomes into a structure of lists.
Reflect on what is important to you and review the items in your system.
Engage your tasks. Pick which action you wish to undertake at this time and do it.

It’s as simple as that. GTD enables you to feel a greater sense of control over your work, which produces a sense of relaxed control, better decisions and more flexibility when faced with changing circumstances. But before diving into the details of each step in the GTD process, let’s get your workspace and tools set up.

To fully implement the GTD system, you need the right workplace, tools and filing system.

A great place to get started with the GTD system is by setting up a workplace for yourself where all relevant materials are available. By doing so, you create a cockpit of control where you always feel comfortable working.

You’ll also want to set up identical workspaces at home and in the office so you can be equally effective in both. If you spend a lot of time in transit, you may want to think about a mobile setup that lets you get things done even while on the road. Never share workspaces with anyone, not even your partner, because you don’t want to have to spend time setting up your workspace to your liking every time you arrive at it.

Capture all your tasks, ideas, reminders and more in trusted external collection tools.

We’ve established that these days our attention is under attack, constantly yanked around by a never-ending stream of incoming requests, questions, tasks, invites, and so forth.

To deal with this, the first crucial step in the GTD workflow is capturing all of them in collection tools, meaning places outside your mind where you can note down information and ideas.

Clarify: empty all your external collection tools weekly.

Have you set up your collection tools and populated them with all your tasks, ideas and reminders?

If so, congratulations!

Organize: empty your collection tools and put things in the right place.

So now that you’ve clarified what each item is, it’s time to move to the organizing stage of the GTD method. This is where the magic happens.

Most traditional to-do lists don’t work because they lack organization and quickly become a hodgepodge of tasks, reminders, thoughts and information where it’s impossible to find the truly actionable items.

Use a Projects list to keep track of your current projects and always insist on clear next actions.

Good project management is a key component of every productivity system.

In GTD, a project is defined as a desired result that necessitates taking more than one action step. Hence, writing one email is not a project, but organizing a big meeting or planning a vacation is.

Natural planning clarifies the goals and next concrete steps of your projects.

While we’re on the topic of projects, let’s briefly talk about the all-important skill of project planning. When you plan something simple like a dinner out, it’s a breeze and rarely fails. But projects like making complex deals with clients, hosting large weddings or organizing important business retreats are rarely as stress-free to plan. So how can you make planning a major work project as breezy as planning dinner?

Enter the natural planning method, which is meant to mirror the way you plan things in your everyday life. It comprises five steps:

Instead of a daily to-do list, maintain a Calendar and Next Action lists.

Many people rely on daily to-do lists for managing their productivity, but this approach leaves much to be desired. Such lists tend to fail because you can’t truly know in advance what you’re capable of completing in a given day. Hence, they lead to unrealistic planning, frustration and time wasted working on something that was doomed to fail before you started.

A far more effective method is to work with a Calendar and one or multiple Next Action lists.

Waiting For lists can be very helpful when you work with other people.

As stated previously, all current projects should be listed on the Projects list. When using the Next Action list, you can ensure that you’re consistently working on tasks that are taking your projects closer to their conclusion one at a time.

But more often than not, you also need to rely on other people. For example, you may need to wait for input from a colleague for your presentation or hear back from a hotel regarding room availability. This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to relinquish all control over the progress for the related projects.

All ideas with potential future relevance should be put onto a Someday/Maybe list or a tickler file.

Another important component of the GTD method is the Someday/Maybe list.

Everything that doesn’t qualify for the Next Actions or Projects lists but also shouldn’t be buzzing around your head goes on this list. It contains all the things you haven’t been able to translate into concrete ideas or tasks just yet.

Reflect: Constantly reviewing your system is indispensable to working productively.

We’ve now extensively covered how to organize your tasks, projects, reminders and ideas, which means it’s time to proceed to the fourth step of the GTD process: reflect.

The goal of the GTD method is to feel relaxed and in control of all your current projects, to keep track of them and make sure that they are moving forward.

Engage: Choose what to do in each moment based on the current situation and your priorities.

The final stage of the GTD process is where things actually get done.

So how do you choose what to do in each given moment?

Understand your own priorities through a bottom-up examination.

To get a grasp of what’s important to you in your work and life, it’s useful to think in terms of horizons, each one progressively further away than the last:

Du möchtest die gesamte Zusammenfassung von Getting Things Done sehen?

Kernaussagen in Getting Things Done

Mehr Wissen in weniger Zeit

Sachbücher auf den Punkt gebracht

Kernaussagen aus Sachbüchern in ca. 15 Minuten pro Titel lesen & anhören mit den „Blinks”

Zeitsparende Empfehlungen

Titel, die dein Leben bereichern, passend zu deinen Interessen und Zielen

Podcasts in Kurzform ^Neu

Kernaussagen wichtiger Podcasts im Kurzformat mit den neuen „Shortcasts”

Worum geht es in Getting Things Done?

In Getting Things Done (2001), David Allen introduces his famous system for stress-free productivity. With this system, you can face an overwhelming amount of things to do, but still be productive, creative and relaxed as you tackle them.

Why you should care: Learn to do more and stress less.

Wer Getting Things Done lesen sollte

Anyone who feels stressed or overworked
Anyone who wants to be productive in their work and personal lives
Anyone curious about the widely acclaimed Getting Things Done method

Über den Autor

David Allen is an American writer, businessman and consultant. His coaching company trains executives in the Getting Things Done method. He has written many books and articles on self-management and productivity, and is considered one of the most influential thinkers in the world in these fields.

Kategorien mit Getting Things Done

Entrepreneurship Career & Success Productivity

Ähnlich wie Getting Things Done

Primed to Perform

Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor

How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation

The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II

How running saved my life

18 min

4.1

Designing Your Work Life

Bill Burnett

How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work

Belief In An Age Of Skepticism

The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking

18 min

4.4

Shakespeare in a Divided America

James Shapiro

What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future

Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

Five Steps to the Sex, Salary and Success You Want

19 min

4.3

The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot

How one woman's cells changed scientific thinking forever.

25 min

4.3

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

George Orwell

A Dystopian Classic on the Dangers of Totalitarianism

22 min

4.8

Strategic Project Management Made Simple

Terry Dean Schmidt

Solution Tools for Leaders and Teams

Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity, and Become Extraordinary

16 min

4.5

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas

A Fantasy and Romance Novel Filled With Dangerous Faeries

23 min

4.5

The Architecture of Happiness

Alain de Botton

Explore the hidden links between buildings and our well being

16 min

3.9

The Warmth of Other Suns

Isabel Wilkerson

The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

26 min

4.4

Reframing Organizations

Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal

Artistry, Choice, and Leadership

The One Skill that Drives Success

Face Not-Good-Enough to Replace Your Doubts, Achieve Your Goals, and Unlock Your Success

Beyond the Human Predicament

How AI is learning to write, paint and think

A Journey of self-discovery

15 min

4.2

Building a Second Brain

Tiago Forte

A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential

The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool

An Internet Millionaire’s Secret Formula to Sell Almost Anything Online, Build a Business You Love and Live the Life of Your Dreams

How to Hit Your Business, Personal, and Financial Targets with Absolute Certainty

Uncover Persuasion and the Principles Behind Oratorical Skill

A Meditator's Guidebook

The landmark book in the history of the womens rights movement

And 39 Other Keys To Creativity

13 min

4.0

Being Boss

Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson

Take Control of Your Work and Live Life on Your Own Terms

Achieve the Impossible With the Apollo Mindset

21 min

4.3

The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth

Chris Brogan

Entrepreneurship For Weirdos, Misfits and World Dominators

13 min

3.7

Winning Now, Winning Later

David M. Cote

How Companies Can Succeed in the Short Term While Investing for the Long Term

How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

22 min

4.5

Phishing for Phools

George A. Akerlof and Robert J. Shiller

The Economics of Manipulation and Deception

The Truth About Justice in an Age of Lies

The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby

Unlock the Secrets of Existence and Transform Your Perspective

14 min

3.6

Pour Your Heart Into It

Howard Schultz and Dori Jones Yang

How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time

My Journey Into Seven Dangerous Minds

What to Do When Your Get-Up-and-Go Has Got Up and Gone

Your Seven Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

Transform Your Health From the Inside Out – and Never Say Diet Again

How Understanding Your Brain Can Improve Your Work and Your Life

18 min

4.5

The Locust Effect

Gary A. Haugen and Victor Boutros

Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence

The Official Unrepentant, Ass-Kicking, No-Kidding, Change-Your-Life Sidekick to Unfu*k Yourself

Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In

18 min

4.3

❤️ für Blinkist️️️

Ines S.

Ich bin begeistert. Ich liebe Bücher aber durch zwei kleine Kinder komme ich einfach nicht zum Lesen. Und ja, viele Bücher haben viel bla bla und die Quintessenz ist eigentlich ein Bruchteil.

Genau dafür ist Blinkist total genial! Es wird auf das Wesentliche reduziert, die Blinks sind gut verständlich, gut zusammengefasst und auch hörbar! Das ist super. 80 Euro für ein ganzes Jahr klingt viel, aber dafür unbegrenzt Zugriff auf 3000 Bücher. Und dieses Wissen und die Zeitersparnis ist unbezahlbar.

Ekaterina S.

Extrem empfehlenswert. Statt sinnlos im Facebook zu scrollen höre ich jetzt täglich zwischen 3-4 "Bücher". Bei manchen wird schnelle klar, dass der Kauf unnötig ist, da schon das wichtigste zusammen gefasst wurde..bei anderen macht es Lust doch das Buch selbständig zu lesen. Wirklich toll

Nils S.

Einer der besten, bequemsten und sinnvollsten Apps die auf ein Handy gehören. Jeden morgen 15-20 Minuten für die eigene Weiterbildung/Entwicklung oder Wissen.

Julia P.

Viele tolle Bücher, auf deren Kernaussagen reduziert- präzise und ansprechend zusammengefasst. Endlich habe ich das Gefühl, Zeit für Bücher zu finden, für die ich sonst keine Zeit habe.