GTD Method too Complex? Try this Simplified Approach Instead!

If you‘ve not heard of GTD it stands for "Getting Things Done" and it's a productivity system created by David Allen. (LINKS & SHOUT OUTS BELOW...)

While there are many fans of this method, I have to admit that I am not one of them, even though I think it is a genius concept.

So In this video I share why I'm not fan as well as my stupidly simple alternative.

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LINKS & SHOUT OUTS:

BOOK
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

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Find the GTD Method too Complex? Try this Simplified Approach Instead

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Song: Happiness
Artist: Owl Nest

[Flatability]

I think there are many, myself included, who have tried David Allen's GTD system but have then gone on to devise their own methodology. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this - it's always interesting to see what other people are doing.

[jung_interessted]

Had to listen to it all two times.... The first time I got sidetracked by this beautiful pullover ❤.

[iamgodgirl]

My goodness! I think that is one of the most attractive and professional looking sweaters I have ever seen. Where did you get it?

[JT]

Life is too short to implement the GTD method and you'll still miss something. I prefer tick-boxes and just use arrows, ticks and crosses to signify what stage things are at, a bit like the bullet journal method. Every couple of months I have a clear-up and just create an updated list - and that highlights the things I've been avoiding. Simple!
Love the outfit and hair!

[NenLicht]

This is basically going back to a huge incomplete master list with complicated prioritization and without any process or clarification of most productivity systems pre-GTD, basically ignoring it's most important principles, which makes it the stress free productivity method, which are in essence (1) capture everything so that nothing falls through the cracks and more importantly that you can be stress free (or at least less stressed, because you're not afraid that you're missing something), (2) clarify what everything that has your attention means, so that you only need to think about things once (or a couple of times, instead of every time you look at the horrifying master list), and (3) get rid of the useless task master lists forever and organize actionable tasks by context (not by priorities, which is useless and stressful), which allows one to take action removing a lot of the friction of needing to thing about what really needs to be done at the moment of doing, instead of separating both, the clarification process and the actual doing.

[sergiorodrigues]

My problem with GTD - and I think it is a problem of many people, as well - is the broad David Allen definition for projects, as everythig that demands more than one action to be completed. I my view that causes confusion since we are used to define project as some kind of goal or objective we want to achieve and not just a sequence of trivial tasks.

[JJZA]

Not sure LTP is any less complicated - it adds in a lot of "project planning" stuff (duration time, energy needed, priority) that is absent from ground level GTD. The flowcharts you mention, once you understand them you don't need them - the clarification comes naturally - is it rubbish? reference material? actionable? to go in the diary? etc etc...
I love a lot of the hacks around GTD - the "tickler file" (1-31, Jan-Dec folders), General Reference System (A-Z), only put stuff in the diary that has to be done (or an event) on that day etc...
Where I have trouble with GTD is the long lists - specifically the Next Action list and the Project List. Great ideas in principle, but if you do it on paper I have struggled with cross referencing them - so when you review either list it takes too long to find the corresponding item on the other list.
So what I do is ... put projects on a simple list by month of the year (this is a rough project plan for the year) and add a project number (one line per project). Then my Next Actions (on a physical card) that are for a specific project will simply have that Project Number written on them. Simple Next Actions have no number and no matching project. My Action list is divided by context - a GTD concept I am not sure you address? @Home @Shops @Parents @Agenda-Brother etc...
My Project list is on Word - I mark up alterations during the month then just edit once per month.
My Action list is on 6"x4" index cards in a box, divided by context.
My Periodic Actions (stuff that has to be done say every month) lives in my "tickler" file system (the 1-31, Jan-Dec files).
That's it.
I found your video really interesting and it challenged me to think about what I was doing more carefully.

[WildRiverCamping]

Awesome system. Ive read The 7 Principles several times, along with GTD. I'm working on making Atomic Habits to improve my organization skills. I'm still at ground level. There should realy be training on this type of thing in grade school. Instead, im just starting to understand and teach myself these methods at 40 years old. Life is almost over at this point. Imagine all the time wasted by lack of organization and focus on important things.

[brucereiersen]

Hi. Enjoyed your video. Just to clarify, GTD isn't advocating writing things down, one item per sheet of paper (David Allen talks about a small notebook he keeps on him to capture thoughts so he can get it out and to his list. I think what you misunderstood is that he mentions getting everything from in your inbox (inboxes) (including every sheet of paper with a random thought, task, or idea drop your inbox) to a list (kind of like a dumping of sorts). May I ask how you would handle projects, those tasks that have multiple steps and are connected to other tasks? Thanks.

[lajourdanne]

This was the most useful GTD video I’ve ever seen! ❤❤❤

[fundinghomes]

thanks for sharing your greatness. Very helpful

[scimeco]

the tag step look similar to the Eisenhower matrix with extra steps. perhaps Eisenhower combined with OKrs.

[luchobiondi]

Hey, how are you doing? I have a question for you: I want to teach the GTD methodology through an online course. However, I have a doubt: in what cases would I potentially infringe upon explaining GTD? I'm aware that GTD is a registered trademark. So, what legal leeway do we have for those of us who want to teach the methodology on our own? I ask because I see that you have a course teaching the method. Thanks, and greetings! Great video!

[caroldavis-wilkie]

Hi Chloe,
Just discovered your channel and have subscribed. Nice to hear a black female UK voice in productivity and I wish you well in your channel. I very much like your approach and style of sharing. Thank you for your content.
luv, Carol x

[madnessofmymind]

Log = Capture
Tag & Plan + CLARIFY
lol

The flow chart isn't actually all that hard and after a couple of times just becomes second nature.

The one thing I hate about Allen's "write it on a sheet of paper" is OMG how effing wasteful! I just use the supply of free sticky notes we receive from companies and drop them in my physical inbox and sort out later.

[drjones]

LOL I mean this respectfully, but your system literally IS GTD with a different name & the steps not broken down as distinctly as GTD. 😂
I think David Allen would agree when I say that; GTD isn’t a prison; it’s not a set of chiseled in granite commandments; if there are certain aspects / steps of it that don’t work for you; fine; tailor it to suit your needs. When he says you should take 2 days to brain dump; again; it’s not a commandment. There’s no rule / law that says you can’t use GTD until you first block out 2 full days.
We are all different, and what works for one, might not work for another. For myself personally; I think GTD literally saved my life in many ways, so I’m a huge proponent. I’m glad you found something that works for you…. Even tho it’s just reworked GTD. 😎
It’s OK: PARA is also basically GTD re-worded.

[ytsuckssomuch]

Ahhh, I've been doing something similar for years now! ❤

Nice to see someone else coming to the same conclusion 😊

I dump everything on an 'inbox', assign a priority level and time needed, then chuck it onto a list with dates to do them by or a 'some day' list

[savannahbanks]

Didyousee the vid where he personally collected a woman's items from all around her flat? Hundreds of to do’s!

[polishedandpoisedplanner]

I love GTD but it is time consuming. TFS

[swimmr]

Me too. Its a great idea but wtf -- 300pgs i need to memorize and implement? No, f that. It needs to be able to done by a 4 yr old or its not simple enpugh, imho. I got through the clarify section but then hit my head on the organize system.