Getting Things Done by David Allen is my go-to book for being productive. The principles the book contains are based on the natural process of truly accomplishing tasks. Allen’s book is based on two major objectives: “capturing all the things that need to get done” and “disciplining yourself to make front-end decisions about all of the “inputs” you let into your life.” (p3-4) These two objective were definitely achieved in the book and are invaluable as I live my life using this book on a daily basis.
The act of developing an on-going list of tasks and subtasks and calendaring these tasks out in order to get the major tasks done has been the most effective way for me to do my job and for me to feel comfortable that what I am turning in or presenting is the best product that I can produce. I use a computer program to schedule these tasks, but soon after reading this book, I did it manually. It is important to be able to break a project down into digestible pieces so that you can slow work on the larger project. This truth has been invaluable to me.
Another area that has made an impact is Allen’s weekly review. This is a key opportunity to take a look at all of the things in the inbox and figure out what you will do it these things over the next week. This technique has also been invaluable, as there were many times that I found time on Sunday mornings to come in and get a good read on the upcoming week.
If you are interested in getting things done, if you are overwhelmed by the amount of work that you have to do, or if you want to get ahead of your projects so you have time for yourself—Getting Things Done is the book for you. Read it and practice it!