In the 1990s, David Allen ran a company called Actioneer, Inc., which specialized in productivity training for organizations. As he worked with clients, Allen noticed a common thread: regardless of their position or industry, people were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and decisions they faced.
This observation got Allen thinking — "What if people didn't have to try to remember everything they need to do? What if they could write it all down in a system that really worked?"
This simple idea became the foundation for what we now know as Getting Things Done, or GTD for short.
What is GTD (Getting Things Done)?
GTD, or Getting Things Done, is a method to organize and manage your tasks, commitments, and information. The main idea is simple: instead of keeping everything in your head, you put it all into a reliable system outside your mind. This frees up your mental energy to focus on actually doing things, rather than just trying to remember them.
In the book "Getting Things Done," David Allen introduces the concept of "stuff" as a central element of this system, defining it as
"Anything you have allowed into your psychological or physical world that doesn't belong where it is, but for which you haven't yet determined the desired outcome and the next action step."
This "stuff" can be many things:
- Tasks: Things you need to do, whether for work or personal life.
- Ideas: Creative thoughts you want to explore later.
- Commitments: Promises you've made to yourself or others.
- Important Information: Facts or details you need for your tasks and projects.
- Issues: Problems you need to solve.
- Projects: Bigger goals that need multiple steps to finish.
Clearing a Misconception About GTD
Many people think that GTD is about increasing productivity or getting more done. But the real power of GTD is in reducing cognitive load and alleviating the anxiety that comes from holding too much in your mind. It addresses the Zeigarnik effect — our tendency to remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones.
GTD helps you with prioritization.
When you can see all your tasks and projects laid out, it's easier to identify what's truly important versus what's just urgent or distracting. It also gives you room to think about the big picture. When you're not trying to remember everything in your head, you can step back and think about your long-term goals. This helps you make sure you're not just busy, but doing things that really count.
GTD also makes it easier to say no when you need to.
When you know exactly what's on your plate, you can tell when you've got too much going on. This makes it easier to turn down new tasks that don't fit with what you're trying to do. Lastly, it helps you focus better. By deciding what not to do, you free up your mind and energy for the stuff that really matters. This means you get more done on the important things, instead of being pulled in a million directions.
So while GTD can help you get more done, its real power is in helping you get the right things done. The system provides the structure to make informed choices about where to invest your time and energy, rather than just plowing through an endless to-do list.
Try GTD if you:
- Often wake up at night remembering tasks you forgot to do
- Feel overwhelmed by your email inbox and constantly miss important messages
- Frequently miss deadlines or forget commitments
- Can't focus on one task without worrying about others you should be doing
- Feel anxious about your workload but can't pinpoint exactly what's causing the stress
- Waste time in meetings because you're not prepared with the right information
- Find yourself procrastinating on big projects because you don't know where to start
4 Steps of the Getting Things Done System
Capture
This first step is like a brain dump. Write down everything on your mind, no matter how trivial or vague it seems — tasks, ideas, things you need to do, stuff you're worried about. The goal is to free your mind from the burden of remembering. Lower the barrier to entry as much as possible. Use tools that are always within reach - a notes app on your phone, a small notebook in your pocket, or even voice memos.
Develop triggers for capturing. For instance, after every meeting, take a minute to capture any new tasks or ideas. Before leaving work, do a quick mental sweep. Create a capture routine before bed to clear your mind for better sleep.
If you have to consolidate your tasks from a lot of different apps, try Sunsama. It integrates with your primary communication tools like email (Gmail, and Outlook), Slack, and project management platforms (Trello, ClickUp, etc.). This consolidation reduces the number of places you need to check for new tasks, making your capture process more efficient.
.png)
The Zapier integration takes Sunsama's consolidation capabilities to the next level. It allows you to automatically pull in tasks and information from 2000+ apps, even those not directly supported by Sunsama. This means you can create custom workflows to capture tasks from virtually any source, without the tedious process of manual entry or checking multiple apps.
Clarify
The Clarify step transforms vague ideas into concrete actions and organized information. The goal at this step is to create a clear path forward for each item you've captured before.
Look at each item you've written down. Ask yourself, "What is this? Do I need to do something about it?"
If it is actionable, you decide what the next specific action should be. If it's a quick task (less than two minutes), do it right away. If it's longer, decide whether to do it yourself later or delegate it to someone else.
Check out Sunsama's Instagram for more insightful illustrations
For example, let's say you captured "Mom's birthday" during your daily planning:
- What is this? It's a reminder about your mother's upcoming birthday.
- Is it actionable? Yes, you need to do something about it.
- What's the next action? "Buy a birthday gift for Mom" — Add this to your task list.
When you're clarifying tasks, if you come across something that can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately. Don't bother putting it on a list or organizing it. Just get it done. It prevents small tasks from clogging up your system. Your to-do list stays focused on more substantial tasks.
For example, if you get an email that just needs a quick reply, don't file it away to deal with later. Respond right away. If you notice the office printer needs paper, take two minutes to refill it instead of adding it to your to-do list.
Organize
While the GTD method presents Clarify and Organize as distinct steps, in practice, they often occur simultaneously. As you review each item in the previous step, you're likely to clarify its meaning and immediately organize it into the appropriate list or folder. For instance, when you decide an email requires action, you might simultaneously determine the next step (clarify) and add it to your action list with a priority and due date (organize).
However, it's valuable to conceptualize these as separate actions because they involve different mental processes:
- Clarifying is about decision-making and defining actions
- Organizing is about systematically storing information and tasks
In the Organize step, you have to put "stuff" into different categories —
- Action List: These are tasks you can do right away. Break it down further if needed: Work tasks, personal tasks, errands, etc.
- Waiting For: Tasks you've delegated or are waiting on someone else to complete
- Projects: Bigger goals that require multiple steps. Each project should have its own list of next actions
- Backlog: Tasks you want to do, but not right now. It's like a holding area for future work
- Calendar: For time-specific tasks and appointments
- Reference: Information you might need later, but doesn't require action. Could be digital files or physical folders
- Someday/Maybe: Ideas or potential projects you're interested in but aren't committing to yet
This system helps you quickly find what you need, whether it's your next task or important information for a meeting.
In this step of GTD, you'll notice that many items you've captured require multiple steps to complete. These are what GTD calls "projects" — any goal that needs more than one action to finish. For example, "Create a pitch deck" isn't just one task; it involves several steps to accomplish.
You can use Sunsama's task and subtask structure to organize these multi-step items. Here's how:
- Create a main task for each larger item you identified during the clarification process. "Create a pitch deck" becomes your main task.
- Under this main task, add subtasks for each step needed to complete it. These subtasks are the individual actions required, like "Research," "Add branding," and "Proofread," etc.
You can go a step further and assign time estimates to each one and get a clearer picture of your workload. This helps you plan your day more effectively, ensuring you don't overcommit. When you work on a task in Sunsama, and start the "Actual" timer, it starts recording the exact amount of time you dedicate to that task. You can then compare 'planned', and 'actual' time to improve your estimation skills.
Engage
After capturing, clarifying, organizing, and reviewing your tasks, you're ready to take action. In the Engage step, you focus on doing the work you've planned.
To decide what to do next, consider these factors:
- Context: Where are you and what tools do you have available?
- Time: How much time do you have right now?
- Energy: How much mental or physical energy do you have?
- Priority: What's most important or urgent?
Start by checking your calendar for any time-specific commitments. Then, look at your task lists to pick tasks that fit your current situation. The key is to feel confident about your choices. By having all your tasks organized in your GTD system, you can focus on the work at hand without worrying about forgetting other important tasks.
While GTD doesn't explicitly recommend scheduling, combining time-blocking with the Engage step can be powerful. With Sunsama, you can drag your tasks from the task list to your calendar to time-block easily.
As you move through your day, Sunsama also helps you avoid getting distracted with its 'Focus Mode' — a minimal view of only the current task, with the timer running to keep you on track. Try Sunsama for free for the first 14 days. No catch, no credit card is required.
Reflect
This step Regularly look over your lists. For a daily review do a quick check of your calendar and action lists. It can help you plan your day. You can also club it with your end-of-the-day review to see what you've accomplished, or what's left undone. Do a weekly review to go through all your lists, update them, and make sure they reflect your current life and work situation. This deeper review helps you stay on top of everything and keeps your system accurate.
Sunsama's weekly review feature — which prompts you to do a review once every week — can guide you through a structured process where you can:
- Reflect on the past week's achievements
- Review unfinished tasks and decide whether to reschedule or remove them
- Look ahead to the coming week's calendar
- Set intentions and priorities for the week ahead
This way, you can maintain the GTD practice of regular reflection within your daily planning tool.
Ready to Take Your First Step Into the World of GTD?
Don't worry about mastering the entire system right away. Instead, focus on one simple action that can make an immediate difference in your day-to-day life. Start by capturing a single task or idea that's been on your mind. It could be as simple as "Clean up my desk." This small act of externalization can provide instant relief and clarity.
As you implement the GTD practice, you'll likely find yourself not just doing more, but doing what's most impactful. The result is a workday that's more aligned with your goals and values. So, grab your favorite note-taking tool, and write down that one thing that's been occupying your thoughts. You've just taken your first step towards a clearer mind and a more organized life.
