Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Reviews

• Best I've found.

  
  By A1B8NUKJ6RBIYD on 2001-01-09
  OK, first I have to admit I picked up the book at a local Border's where I had a copy on reserve. Having said that... I think I've tried every 'system' for organizing yourself out there. In the 80's it was Day-Timer and Day-Runner. Good calenders and address books, but not much else. 90's was Covey, and Franklin planning. Now we have 'roles and goals' which helps with long term planning but both systems were very inflexible when it came to planning your day to day stuff. I can remember Covey wanting me to plan out my entire week in advance. Nice in theory, but nowhere near reality for those of us whose jobs tend to be more 'crisis-oriented'. I've also tried Agenda, Ecco, Outlook, etc. but its hard to lug around your PC or laptop all the time. About two years ago I came across David Allen's tape seminar and I have to say its the best system I've ever found for organizing 'all' of your life. I can't say it's changed my life (I still have the same job, wife and kids and I still procrastinate too much ) but its certainly made all the difference in me being finally, actually organized on day-to-day basis. I'm now the only one in my office with a clean desk :)

  The book covers just about the same material that I learned in the tape series. The tapes have more anecdotes and 'real-life' examples in them, but the book has a few new pearls and tricks that tells me David's been refining and polishing this system since the tape series.

  Two last quick points: first, it requires no special binders or refills. You could use a cheap spiral notebook if you want. Personally, I use a palmpilot, which works well. Second, (IMHO) the Weekly Review is the cornerstone of making this system work, and its worked for me for two years. Remember that; it'll make sense once you read the book :) Now if I could only get David to come up with a system for procrastination....
  
  

• Flow from Angst to Action . . . and Relax!

  
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 2001-01-16
  This book is for all those who are overwhelmed with too many things to do, too little time to do them, and a general sense of unease that something important is being missed.

  Everyone has experienced times when everything seemed effortless, and progress limitless. David Allen has captured ways for you to achieve that wonderful state of mind and consciousness more often.

  His key concept is that every task, promise, or assignment has a place and a time. With everything in its proper place and time, you feel in control and replace the time spent on vague worrying with effective, timely action. As a result, the accomplishments grow while the pressure to accomplish decreases. As a result, the book contains many insights into "how to have more energy, be more relaxed, and get a lot more accomplished with much less effort."

  The key psychological insight of this book is that rapid progress occurs when you take large, unformed tasks, and break them down and organize them into smaller, sequential steps for exactly what to do and when. The book provides lots of guidance and examples for how to do this.

  The book is organized into three sections. The first gives you an overview of the whole process for how to get more done in a relaxed way. The second spells out the details of how to implement that process, in a way that a personal coach might use. The third provides subtle insights that help you appreciate the benefits that follow from using the process. Like all good coaches, Mr. Allen understands that appreciating a subject from several perspectives and getting lots of practice with it are critical steps in learning.

  The process advocated by this book is described with lots of systems flow charts that will appeal to all of the engineers and left-brained people. The right-brained people will find lots of discussions about emotions, feelings, and stress. So both types of thinkers should do well with this material.

  The essence of the process is that you write down a note about everything when you take on a new responsibility, make a new commitment, or have a useful thought. All of this ends up in some kind of "in" box. You then go through your "in" box and decide what needs to be done next for each item. For simple issues, this includes identifying the action you should take first and when to take it. For tougher issues, you schedule an appropriate time to work the problem in more detail. You organize the results of this thinking, and review your options for what you should be doing weekly. Then you take what you choose to do, and act. Think of this process as the following five steps: (1) collect (2) process (3) organize (4) decide (5) act.

  For the tougher problems, you start with identifying your purpose and principles so you know why you care how it all turns out. Then you imagine the potential good outcomes that you would like. Following that, you brainstorm with others the best way to get those outcomes. Then you organize the best pathway. Finally, you identify the first actions you need to take. Then you act, as in step 5 above.

  From this outline, I hope that you can see that this is not rocket science. It is simple common sense, but with discipline. The critical part is the discipline because that is what focuses your attention where it will do the most good. For example, rather than sitting on something you have no idea how to get started, you can decide right away to get ideas from others on what the purpose and principles are that should be used in selecting a solution. So, you are in motion, and you have saved much time and anxiety.

  What I learned from this book is that many people allow a lot of time to pass without taking any useful steps because they cannot imagine what to do next. This process should usually overcome that problem by showing you what to work on, providing methods to accomplish that step in the process, and guiding you to places where you can get appropriate help. As a result, this book should help overcome the bureaucracy and communications stalls that bedevil most organizations.

  This fits from my own experience in helping people solve problems. If you simplify the questions and make them into familiar ones, everyone soon finds powerful alternatives drawn from a lifetime of experiences and memories. Keep things broad, abstract, and vague, and peoples' eyes glaze over while they struggle for a place to begin.

  After you have finished reading and applying this book, I suggest that you share your new learning with those you see around you who are the most stressed out. By helping them gain relaxed control of their activities, you will also be able to enjoy the benefits of their increased effectiveness in supporting your own efforts.

  May you always get the tools you need, understand what to do next, and move swiftly through timely actions!
  
  

• Time Tested Principals

  
  By A2URRISFLPM5DV on 2002-01-09
  I attended one of David's seminars in 1986. As a result, I was able to successfully manage 101 concurrent projects, finishing on time and under budget. Fast forward to 2001. I keep this book by my side at all times (David publish it in Ebook form so it's easier to carry!). The company I'm with now wonders how I get the "impossible" projects done. Using David's techniques in the book, it seems like I can complete a full work day in fewer hours because I know what all my "next actions" are, and do them promptly. Gives me a lot of worry free time.

  This is a book you "DO" not just read. Be prepared to work when you start out, but when the initial work is done, that's when the fun begins.

  I cleaned my inbox and email box of 300 items in less than 15 minutes, filtering out the junk, the things that needed immediate attention, and the "someday maybe" things (like buying my first Harley).

  This works for my personal life too. No more missed anniversaries, birthdays, phone calls, errands, etc.

  Do you ever think about work projects at home? Do you ever think about home projects when you're at the office? Ever worry about that phone call you need to make or that errand you need to run? Forget it! Get the book. It's awesome. Get the book - period. If you don't, you deserve your stress.
  
  

• The cult of efficiency

  
  By A1YBQA7DPYLY7C on 2005-04-10
  In December of 2004, I joined a cult. No, it did not involve dressing in orange or waiting for Armageddon, and as far as I know a collective suicide is not yet planned. Yet, the degree in which a new modus operandi pervaded every aspect of my life, as apparently pervades the lives of others, was simply astonishing.
  
  Simply put, the New Year resolutions were approaching, and I decided that in 2005 I would get things done. The goal: reduce the overwhelming and reportedly life-shortening stress that rules my life. Like you, I had tried them all: twelve-step groups, yoga every Friday and even meditation, workday mornings; then positive affirmations, biofeedback and Metamucil. I even tried weaning myself off that quarter to half a gallon of afternoon coffee, which kept me buzzing until midnight with quite unpractical management ideas, and running precipitously to the bathroom down the hall while thinking about the next snappy email retort.
  
  I had looked at other methods. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey just did not take, I think mostly because, unlike the author, I'm really lazy, petty, and morose. And that's my good side. Rather, I needed something that could really exploit the one thing I can do: plan. I can plan endlessly, I could have outplanned Rommel. I constantly fill out lists of tasks from the trivial to the surreally complicated, from checklists of what 5 dry cheeses to bring camping to complex plans for taking over pizza delivery franchising in small third world nations. I found my answer in Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen, CEO coach, guru and resident of nearby Ojai, a small city that I had associated with good hiking and mediocre tourist restaurants rather than management bliss.
  
  The principles of "Getting Things Done" are simple and intuitive: keeping too much in mind is source of stress. Therefore, one must periodically download the entire mind content in some support, any support. Paper works as well sophisticated electronic gadgets. Then, break down each life plan or business transaction into projects, and again break out each project into actions, and decide what the next action is going to be. Once a week or so, review what you are doing and make sure you still cam see the forest for the trees. This works using basic skills we are all bound to have, if we have any competence at all to carry out our daily business, personal or work-related.
  
  The GTD phenomenon has generated at least three high traffic mailing lists (http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Getting_Things_Done/, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GtD_Palm, http://googlegroups.com/group/43Folders/) and countless websites dedicated to applications of Allen's philosophy to the most diverse environment, from effective filing in law offices to achieving the mastery of the grocery list.
  
  As it often happens, the mailing lists serve as gathering and hangout of at list four kinds of genially flawed characters:
  
  The hacker: the GTD hacker is usually a male geek, pushing the boundaries of technology to achieve the perfect efficiency in implementing efficiency. He is the master of the latest software applications, and mysterious codes seem to track every aspect of his life. Even his underwear has embroidered secret wiki codes that almost inexplicably speed up the laundry chores. Aside from the mentioned embroidery work It's easy to recognize hackers by the "manbag" or "murse", an essential tool that besides putting the GTD hacker in touch with his feminine side, allows space and multiple pouches for all the gadget, devices, and batteries dedicated to Get Things Done.
  
  The hipster: the hipster can do (or claims he can do) on paper everything we do on our electronic gadgets. They shuffle pieces of paper and rubber bands, invest in prestigious brand notebooks; claim the supremacy of long hand versus keyboards. It's easy to recognize GTD hipsters by the fountain pen spots on their shirt and the packs of index cards bulging in their pockets. Did you just have weekly review or are you happy to see me?
  
  The mystic: the mystic is looking beyond managing task, rather seeking enlightenment and revelation. They spend time discussing and analyzing the Word of David, looking for purity of meaning beyond any individual practical application. The GTD mystic will have all categories of tasks starting with "@", like "@work" or "@tack!"
  
  The depressed: often a terminal procrastinator, the GTDepressed are looking for the meaning of life in structure rather than content, seeking group solidarity and a way to finish the manuscript of their 80s dissertation. Some GTD depressed become incredibly accomplished celebrity stalkers.
  
  The way of the GTD samurai is not without its side effects. GTD is a hungry dog, a mutant virus, a mother in law continuously looking for something worn to wash and iron, a structure looking for loose ends to organize. It can follow you in the most intimate and non business-related parts of your life, including relationship, recreation and of course sex. Weekly reviews, where the GTD adept evaluates the meaning of life and work in context are often painful experiences, in which the results of the brain dump of the previous seven days have to be fit back into the big picture, all the life goals, the noble intentions. Buy toilet paper, cure AIDS in Africa. Was Sartre correct? If Man is not the sum of what he has already, but rather the sum of what he does not yet have, of what he could have, can weekly reviews extend well into the weekend?
  
  Then there are those relationship-related side effects: my wife is getting unnerved, her womenfriends commenting on my personal case study of digital folly. "He won't do anything if she doesn't send him an email with a classifiable subject line" they say. In fact, not only I have mastered the art of the Google mail filter, but I also offered to synch our Palm Pilots together.
  
  But perhaps the biggest drawback is the sudden disappearance of empty time, as every space between non-contiguous events in the agenda gets filled with very efficient entertainment processes. Serendipity vanishes as well, with boredom on the verge of extinction, being limited to those cases of system malfunction when you are not sure of what one should decide the "next action" should be.
  
  But again, like Jean Paul said, it is only in our decisions that we are important. By terminating procrastination forcing several hundred decisions a day, my importance must have increased tenfold. Now if just someone would notice...
  
  

• Ignores the larger issue

  
  By A1GALZCXD8FHOR on 2006-08-17
  David Allen's _Getting Things Done_ continues to sell well. Obviously, people are stressed with all they have to do, so they look for any help they can get.
  
  They may not find it here.
  
  Books like Allen's always start with the same little conceit: "My book advocates something new; it provides real solutions by not being just another _______." For this book, fill in that blank with "simple to-do list."
  
  Great, you think, I've had enough of to-do lists. What you'll soon discover, though, is that Allen advocates a COMPLEX to-do list, incorporating a series of distinct FLOWCHARTS, of all things.
  
  Ugh. Robots are meant to operate off flowcharts, not people.
  
  The other conceit in this book plays into the American lifestyle of accumulation. Allen suggests the best way to keep track of all your stuff is to buy even MORE stuff to organize it all in. Buy more filing cabinets, more Post-It notes, more folders, more labelers, more, more, more!
  
  Our problems with organization are systemic. They need systemic answers. A person who is suffocating should expect a doctor to treat the airway issue, not call for some makeup to fix their blue skin color. Sadly, Allen applies foundation and blush to people who are drowning.
  
  We have too much stuff. Our lives are too hectic. That's all because the system we live in is broken. A smart man like Allen should be teaching business leaders how to make work easier for their employees rather than employees how to deal with the massive load of work their company leaders dump on them. He should be telling us how to drop out of buying more and more stuff that requires more and more of our time to manage rather than endorsing a consumptive lifestyle.
  
  _Getting Things Done_ addresses only the symptoms. That's a shame because the disease isn't in the symptoms, it's in the system. Fix the diseased system and the symptoms clear up.
  
  Beyond that, there are a couple helpful hints here:
  1. If you have little jobs you can do quickly, do them.
  2. Break the big jobs down into little jobs you can do quickly.
  
  That's about all there is to _Getting Things Done_. Doesn't seem worth the cost of buying yet another book to add to the pile already overflowing your desk, does it?
  
  
• Very Helpful (But Also Potentially Dangerous)
  By ABRR5Z9O2HMTH on 2005-06-07
  "Getting Things Done" is an incredibly helpful book. It's been indispensable for my personal productivity. It teaches you to do a few things well and does so in a relatively clear manner.
  
  However, it has two serious problems. First, it is presented as a complete organizational system, when it is not. Second, it encourages a seat-of-the-pants, ju-jitsu approach to daily life that can be very counterproductive and exhausting.
  
  But, first the good. For me, the main gist of the book is this: if you try to keep your life organized in your head, you will not be maximally productive. You'll be using an inordinate amount of energy trying to mentally keep track of all your "to do" items. "Getting Things Done" shows you how to get all of these out of your head and into a system so you can concentrate on the present and attack each action item one at a time. This is good stuff.
  
  But, now, the bad (or not so good):
  
  The first problem is "Getting Things Done" provides no guidance on how to prioritize your projects or sub-projects. It does not help you decide what to do next. Instead, it helps you produce very organized, contextual lists of next actions to take. To decide WHICH next action to take, it just recommends that you use your instincts. For many people, one of the big problems (and often THE big problem) with their organization is DECIDING which projects to work on when; and GTD is of absolutely no help. This is not an insurmountable problem as there are books ("Time Power" by Charles Hobbs) and computer programs (Life Balance from Llamagraphics), that can help you prioritize.
  
  The second problem, and perhaps considerably more grave, is "Getting Things Done" encourages you not to plan. It encourages you to simply decide in each moment what to do (based on the excellent lists and reminder system you've created). It encourages a seat-of-the-pants, ju-jitsu approach to daily life. And this is a BIG problem for a lot of people, myself included. If you have trouble prioritizing what to do next in your day and life, then having to make those prioritizing decisions 200 times a day, as GTD encourages, is incredibly draining. GTD preaches that you live life efficiently, but that there's no need for habits or rituals. This is a contradiction and truly counter-productive.
  
  If there's one common thread that you get from reading the biographies of incredibly productive and successful people, it's this: they have very regular, structured, and beneficial habits and rituals. They do not "wing it." "Getting Things Done" could be retitled "Winging It In the Most Efficient Manner Possible." There are successful people, of course, who do "wing it," but the vast majority of successful people are habit- and ritual- driven. That goes especially for work habits (and often for sleep habits, exercise habits, eating habits, and social habits, too). For a great example of this, read "On Writing," by Stephen King.
  
  If you read "Getting Things Done," seriously consider supplementing it with "The Power of Full Engagement," by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz -- especially chapter 10, "The Power of Positive Rituals." It explains very convincingly why purposefully "winging it," even in the most efficient manner, will not work and could be your undoing.
  
  "Getting Things Done" is still a great book, but it does not stand well, on its own, as a system for organizing your life. It needs supplementation.
  
  
• Make it Up and Get it Done
  By on 2001-01-10
  Is the methodology from Getting Things Done the silver bullet? Does David Allen's system really differ from other "time management" systems? I would say an unqualified yes based on my experience with the GTD process so far. In the one week since the book's been out I have made more progress with regard to collecting my stuff than previous attempts I have made in the past 6 years. I have actually started a filing system. More importantly, I am starting to deal with the "stuff" in my life faster and more efficiently. Just learning how to deal with "stuff" is a pretty big deal to me. My problem is that I have obsessive compulsive disorder, and it shows up in my life as compulsive hoarding. Couple the hoarding with attention deficit disorder and you have the ingredients for potentially disastrous living. In short, I have a damn difficult time staying on top of things and tend to struggle at times. David's method offers a practical yet elegant solution to staying on top of things. It starts with collecting the stuff, or as David calls it the "incomplete" and getting them out of your head into an external system that can be trusted. Then you process what's collected and then you organize it. Trust me, collecting and processing stuff is tough, really really tough for someone like. me. I am not used to making decisions on things that I collect. Now I am collecting the clutter and making decisions on it. More importantly, I am learning to let go of stuff I don't need and taking action on things I need to deal with. I have a long road to travel, but thanks to the common sense wisdom David Allen shares, I am on the road to a more sane way of living.
  
  
• Who writes these 5 star reviews??
  By on 2002-12-09
  The author is likeable and the book is an easy read. It confirmed what I already knew - get all of your to do's consolidated into one list so you can prioritize. Beyond that it didn't really add much value to my life or work.
  
  
• I don't have time to read this book!
  By A37FFWZUGO8L7W on 2005-04-18
  David Allen ought to know his audience. We're too busy to read a 267 page book about organizing our life!
  
  For the busy people, here's my summary:
  
  PRO: Good, but not revolutionary, ideas. Well organized.
  
  CON: Too long. Repetitive.
  
  FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MORE TIME:
  I raced through it and found that the editor was asleep on the job. This book, which has great ideas, was way too verbose. A 100-page version would be much more effective. If the publisher didn't feel it was meaty enough, then they could just boost the small font size that they use.
  
  Even better, it could just be a long article. If you want to save yourself some money, just read some of the reviews on Amazon and you'll get the point of this 267 page book.
  
  Allen bangs home the same points in three different ways. Even though I was skimming, I kept feeling that I was reading the same points over and over again.
  
  Fortunately, the book uses headers everywhere, so it's easy to skim. I would glance at a header and think, "Got it. Next."
  
  That would be bad if a book about organization was poorly organized. Nevertheless, it's not succinct.
  
  When will time management gurus realize that their audience needs a thin book packed with useful info, rather than a thick one with the good info spread out?
  
  
• Great ideas in a terrible package
  By A3ICMOQ53A58ER on 2006-06-06
  David Allen presents an awesome organizational system in this book. With just a little up-front effort, anyone really can become much more in control of his or her life. I wouldn't say that GDT has changed my life, but I'm definitely less stressed now that I follow the system.
  
  The only problem is, Getting Things Done is terribly painful to read. The problem stems mainly from the fact that there are about fifty pages in the book that contain real information. The other two hundred pages are--no joke--almost word-for-word rehash of those fifty pages. If I had a dime for every time Allen wrote, "Your brain is like a computer. If you fill up its RAM with the things you have to do, you don't get anything done," I seriously would have recouped my investment in this book. I didn't appreciate that I had to search through the entire book to find just a few pages of original wisdom.
  
  If you're interested in this system--and, again, the system really is great--I recommend you check the book out at your local library. If you later feel as though you need the book as a reference, you can always buy it. And if you do read this book, don't feel bad if you skip most of the introduction and all of the last section (which read almost like a fifty page ad for David Allen's consulting services) and if you skim most of the rest. I promise: You're not missing much.
  
  
• Truly the guide to stress-free productivity
  By A22B48DU45M23C on 2001-07-21
  I manage a team of twenty, in a very stress-filled IT environment. We juggle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines all the time. This book taught me far more than the well known time management guides and gurus. I learned to put EVERYTHING - my work life, personal life, dream life into one place, and organize it all based on me - my life, current job, etc. I also used it to help my team. We now breeze through our deadlines, with lots of productivity and very little stress. We are able to work long hours when needed, and take time off when needed. I urge anyone who is feeling overwhelmed in their life and career to give this process a try. You will be very glad you did.
  
  I also recommend Ready for Anything and his forthcoming book Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life (due out December 30, 2008.)
  
  David Allen has a wonderful web site www.davidco.com where you can get more GTD information and products, and lots of free GTD coaching tips.
  
  
• To Buy, To Read, To Do, DONE!
  By A5IRMCAZ0DL5W on 2004-01-19
  The Summary
  Bottom line, read this book! Act on this book, its not as daunting as it sounds. Spending 2 days setting up this system could prove the most valuable thing you do! Make a resolution to get things done! It really is worth following the advice, even the small things which seem irrelevant i.e. buying an automatic labeler; it really does help when you want to file something! If you are a procrastinator you NEED to read this book, it will explain to why you have had so much stress in your life. Also for all those people out there who consider themselves creative and hence feel that time management and organizational system aren't for them because they fear it will stifle their creativity, well read this book and try it!! I really feel more creative since I got all this unimportant stuff out of mind!!

  The Why
  OK All procrastinators out there, this book really works! Let me tell you a little about myself and then you might understand why this book has been so important to me. I am a world class procrastinator, or should I say was! I had every excuse in the book for why I felt time management systems, to do lists, organization methods just don't work. I am a creative guy and I always felt that getting organized would some how decrease my creative thoughts and ideas. Some of my best ideas came from the mess of papers and books around my study and I thought if I got organized that this would somehow stifle my creativity. The other aspect that always held me back was I didn't want to waste lots of time implementing a system and then just keep maintaining the system and not have time to do the "real" work. Even though I have all these excuses, I knew deep down they were just excuses. I could not work out why I had such a barrier to these systems. I have looked at and half heartedly tried many different systems, Franklin Covey, Time Manager, I have many different organizers and PDA's that I just don't use. I didn't realize it until I read this book, but a lot of my fear stemmed from that I always felt that there was so much that these systems wouldn't catch and I would lose ideas. Most systems don't seem to cope well with unstructured ideas, thoughts, magazine articles etc... And they don't seem to mesh electronic information and paper based information. I wasn't interested in just another system that managed my schedule and to do lists, I needed something that would cope with the way that I worked and wouldn't stifle my creativity! Getting Things Done! Managed to develop a system that incorporated everything and I felt that things weren't getting lost! Wow! It feels good!

  The How
  I committed to read it and start taking action on January 1st (like all good procrastinators, New Years resolutions are plentiful and always ambitious. We all have good intentions!). Well this is a resolution that I kept. I first worked through my home office and piled up everything that needed to be looked at into the "In Basket" (or pile(s) as it turned out). It took half the floor space in my study. I had purchased the labeling system; I had files, file drawers, staplers, paper clips etc... I had it all together, and I started processing. I finally had all my work papers processed. I then started in on my work email; I had a backlog going back to Nov 2002. By the time I had finished I had my Inbox down to zero!! It took 14 hours! I had purchased the Outlook Add-on that helped me setup my Outlook Folders and it even gives you an easy toolbar to process all new email. My next task was processing all Non-work stuff, which included all creative projects. This took another 8 hours over 2 days, but I finally got it processed, filed away and task lists setup! I have only been back at work for a week, but I have kept processing all incoming messages and with a little work I have kept my email inbox empty and I have all the important tasks and projects setup. This is a major accomplishment! It really has freed my mind to concentrate on creative projects, be able to tackle my work better. My worst fear of being organized has not been realized, actually the direct opposite, I have had more creative ideas since I started than I had before! My mind is clear and free to roam! It feels amazing to know everything you are supposed to be doing (and also to know everything you don't need to be doing), and it's amazing to know that something is captured and even if I don't do this now, I have an action to do it; this means my mind doesn't feel shackled.
  
  

• Good for your first job, useless that.
  By A28F85EMNBHA13 on 2006-08-02
  This book is probably great for someone who is starting a career. If this was my first job out of college, this book and How to Win Friends and Influence People are great starter books for a new career. For anyone with more than a few years experience as a manager, it's not enlightening at all. Most of the concepts are attempts at redefining the way we view problems of time management and project management and in no way offer useful solutions. "You can't do projects, you can only do tasks associated with a projects" is one of the many examples of the complete BS Double-speak this book is full of. Calling folders in my mailbox "Buckets" instead of folders doesn't help manage anything.
  
  If you've haphazardly stumbled through a career and somehow managed to stay on your feet, this may be the book for you! For anyone striving to make better use of your time; use your time on something other than reading this book.
  
  
  
• Not very original
  By ALZIXBOVQ1QZU on 2003-06-01
  Most of his ideas in his system are modified version of other authors. Nothing really original about this book. It's almost a survey class in time management. A lot of it was taken from Robert Covey's First things First. All he did was change the wording but the idea is still Robert Covey's. And there is an excessive amount of motivational fluff. Anyone whose read Tony Robbins know that motivational fluff only works till you put the book down. Read Seven habits of highly effective people, first things first, and unleashing the warrior within.
  
  
• Once in a while a book will change your life
  By A70CN3NMWYXB9 on 2001-03-08
  I was looking for a time managment book. I didn't find one. Instead, I found David Allen's STRESS managment book (my description), "Getting Things Done". With a book like this I normally read it through once, and then impliment the system if I agree with it. I'm almost finished my first read through, and with NO exageration, my life has already changed. Even my wife has noticed how much less stress I project... and I haven't even implimented the system yet! David's method applies to processes as small as managing your inbox to managing your life goals. Don't expect to be overewhlemed. He takes you step by step through a process of implimentation that you can apply at any level, and see the results right away. There's nothing psycological about it. These are PRACTICAL steps that he has you take, which work. I'll admit that while reading the implimentation section, some of the logistics didn't make sense to me, UNTIL I got to the last steps. Then it all came together. Again, I want to stress... I haven't even begun the full imoplimentation, and already things have changed. (David reccomends putting aside the specific time to do the implimenation, which I have set aside for next week. I can't wait to experience the full results.) Buy this book. Set aside the time to read , and impliment the program. And start relaxing!!
  
  
• The Best Advice You'll Ever Receive . . .
  By A735LYXURN5O6 on 2001-01-09
  David Allen's approach to managing yourself and your world may well be the best advice you'll ever receive. Practical, realistic, hands-on, and superbly focused tips, tools, and techniques for improving personal productivity and individual satisfaction. I found his approach to managing your "stuff" and actually getting things accomplished to be worth its weight in gold. This book is no re-hash of time-worn prinicipals that don't work in today's fast-paced world; "Getting Things Done" is perfect for anyone who is busy, feels a bit out of control or overwhelmed, and wants an approach that really works! Five Stars for sure!
  
  
• Quite a bore, actually
  By A1GLT8WEEWZTN1 on 2005-05-23
  What I got out of this book, I got from the first three chapters. The rest was unnecessary repetition and excrutiating detail of each step outlined in the first few chapters. I agree with the reviewer who said this could have been a much shorter book.
  
  Also, maybe I'm just not the organizing type, but if I had all my lists with me so I could use every spare moment to do my next action items, I'd want someone to shoot me. Sure, I usually drag a book or magazine along somewhere in case I'm stuck waiting, but just as often I'll daydream, watch people, or smell the roses (sometimes literally). In a way, I believe this down time makes me a more productive person than someone who's always riding herd on his PDA (see Carl Honore's book In Praise of Slowness).
  
  Of course, I'm also not exactly an executive, nor do I aspire to be. Unless they have executive positions in smelling roses.
  
  So maybe if you're an executive, you'll find all this ueber-organization helpful to you, but to me, it was just a bore.
  
  
• The principles are there but it's out of date
  By A2KCT6V75TSVGZ on 2006-01-21
  As a knowledge worker for a high tech firm, I'm endlessly swamped by data overload and I am find myself continually looking for new ways to organize data in order to feel on top of things. When deciding to read this book, I was hoping to gain some new tips or principles that would help me rise above the stuff that gets thrown at me everyday at work. I have to admit, after reading the David Allen's book I left disappointed. Even though I picked up a few new thoughts from David Allen, I have to admit that this book is out-of-date from today's business environment. With flooding email inboxes (personal and business), online transactions, Instant Messaging, Outlook Meeting Invites, digital documents and version control, and PDA Phones, getting organized has a whole new dimension. I felt that David Allen spend far too much time talking about how to file papers and cleaning up your desk. If you are still living within the low-tech world, this book could have some value. However, if your work environment is like mine, don't waste your time.
  
  
• I Don't Care Who You Are, You Need This Book!
  By A1RSPWAF3U6UEE on 2001-01-15
  Although I've never been to any of his workshops, I have been following David Allen's principles through his web site and newsletter. His book collects it all. His idea of putting things together and managing them through a workflow is both simple, elegant and possibly the most powerful productivity concept I've run across. This book is written in a no non-sense and conversational style with plenty of ideas and ways to implement them. I honestly believe I have freed between eight and ten hours a week of time and completely cleared my desk of clutter in large part because of his suggestions.
  
  
• one more important book for the messy us.
  By A2DU49W6TGU9TU on 2001-02-04
  This is one of the plentyful of time management books available. I have THE ORGENIZED EXECUTIVE (old useful book), IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT, WHEN WILL YOU FIND TIME TO DO IT OVER, plus a bunchful of others, including the Covey's series.

  Ok, I admid, i m one of those CHAOTIC executive entrepreneurs who has a messy desk, a procratination habit, a workaholic havoc, and always in search of overcoming it.

  I have tried diaries (filofax), time management (Franklin type), PALM (even APPLE NEWTON!), ECCO or ACT (at a time), but i could not get enough of it. I know, i know, it is MY fault. I suspect a plentiful people are ALSO LIKE ME ;-).

  This is a good book, it will be USEFUL for you: 1. it give you a good frame of thought about how to do it without being too damn specific (everybody is unique in a way).2. it was created post-email-n-internet, so David deals with this issue as well.

  The specifically nice things that i love: 1. the two minutes test ( I WILL USE THIS, I SUSPECT THIS ONE WILL BE VERY USEFUL!), 2. the diagram. 3. the details of -operation-, without being specific, which we can apply to our works.

  OK, if you have messy dest, clutter mind, and bed-time-work-management habit, this one is for you.
  
  

• it really works!
  By A1ZGQ4S22M7FYS on 2003-02-27
  The reviewer who gave it one star did not really read the book - nowhere in the book does it say "consolidate into one list". Maybe he only read the chapter on collecting and concluded that's all there is to what David Allen is saying. Rather, it advices to come up with multiple lists - things you can do at home, at the office, when using a computer, whatever applies for you. And then use the applicable list (your "at home" list when you're at home) to know what you will do next.

  It also goes beyond what you are currently doing, there are useful advices on how to deal with all the things you wish to do or have to do in the future, planning projects, and dealing with work as they come.

  It really works! A year ago I'd have frequent periods wherein I'm just totally unproductive because I felt overwhelmed with the thoughts of the things I need to do. Since I adopted David Allen's method of "getting all out of your head" I don't get that experience anymore.
  
  

• More Useless Drivel
  By A3KZQTP2GBZ3NV on 2007-02-09
  I am appalled that this book is getting so much attention. My company even distributes the book to every employee (bumping out the equally unimpressive "Seven Habits").
  
  I couldn't even sit through the whole book at once; I had to drag myself almost paragraph by paragraph just to finish it. A combination of corporate drivel and mindless observation, the "tips" he offers are useless at best, and counterproductive at worst.
  
  It is amazing that so many people are screwing their lives up so badly that this book is actually helpful to them.
  
  If you want a truly helpful self-help program, try Dale Carnegie.
  
  
• Practical, Useful and Well Delivered. What More Do You Need?
  By A1A0CEJSI9O1X0 on 2001-05-26
  Too many books on getting organized tend to be, well, unorganized. Or worse, impractical. They take digressions through academic theories or offer advice which simply won't work in the real world.

  Not so with David Allen's "Getting Things Done." He offers clear, concise insights on action-oriented steps anyone can implement to make their worklife more productive and stress free. (He recommends the same approach for dealing with your personal life, and while they may work in this context, I'm not sure how many folks really want to run my family like a business).

  Yes, a lot of Allen's advice is simple common sense and he tends to offer lists which simply added pages instead of help. Nonetheless, he presents obvious insights in useful context by showing how they've worked with his clients and it's simple to skip the unnecessary lists. The key is (and this is why I awarded five stars instead of four) Allen's advice is aimed at folks who live in the real world. You can actually implement what he talks about and see results.

  While the book may not change your life, it will certainly help you keep it organized and focused. "Getting Things Done" is an ideal gift for the colleague who is more of a "big picture"-type than a detail person.
  
  

• A MUST-READ FOR WORK-AT-HOME MOMS
  By A1NYN7RFYRLHE1 on 2005-09-08
  GETTING THINGS DONE is the book everyone's talking about. If you haven't read it, you need to get a copy. I didn't buy this book for myself; it was a gift from someone who knows I get overwhelmed at times trying to manage a home business as well as a busy household. (What to do about thousands of emails! What to do about 80 million exciting projects I want to get involved with! What to do about getting kids' school papers organized! What to do about supper!)
  
  I've read tons of books on getting organized, but I can say this one is the grand finale. Here's what I used to do: make a daily to-do list that I think about all day. Worry about the things I didn't get around to doing. Talk about how worried I am about the things I need to do. Then go to bed discouraged, transferring my to-do list to another day.
  
  Forget this system. It doesn't work, and it makes you one stressed-out person. Especially if you're a mom, and you can't accomplish all the things you know you COULD accomplish if it were just you. You've got a house full of people and pets and projects and plans that interrupt your goal-setting and list-making.
  
  David Allen's system is a beautiful thing. Don't throw away your leather calendar, your Blackberry, or PDA -- whatever it is that you use -- keep it. Just use your calendar to record those events that must be etched in stone: work deadlines, doctor appointments, birthday parties, soccer games, the day you're supposed to bring a meal to someone, etc. You'll need your calendar for those things. But DON"T use it to make a to-do list.
  
  First of all, you've got to process all of your STUFF and start thinking in terms of in-box. Allen says the reason why people are stressed out is because there are so many "open loops" in their lives -- things they mull over that aren't complete. Instead, you need to think in terms of "What's the next action?" Make a list of your projects, and put it into a folder, labeled "Project list." This includes anything that is an open loop that you need to get done.
  
  Next, take a single sheet of paper for each open loop and write "Next action" at the top. So, instead of writing, "Tires" on your list when your car needs new tires, you'll write the steps you need to do. 1) Call Fred who knows the good place to get new tires. 2) Call tire place and check out prices 3) Make appt. 4) Drop car off to get new tires. Using this method allows you to completely free your mind because it's all written down, allowing you to have a "mind like water."
  
  What works well about this Next-Action technique is that you can make productive use of minutes here and there throughout the day when your energy or concentration may not be at their maximum. If you're stuck in the carpool line, make a few calls on your cell phone (but DON'T waste time talking on your cell phone when your kids are in the car! Talk to your kids! That's my personal pet peeve when I see parents ignoring their kids to talk on their cell phone...)
  
  Allen says, "This is one of the best reasons for having very clean edges to your personal management system; it makes it easy to continue doing productive activity when you're not in top form."
  
  What's the end result? The author says, "When people with whom you interact notice that without fail you receive, process, and organize in an airtight manner the exchanges and agreements they have with you, they begin to trust you in a unique way...It noticeably enhances your mental well-being and improves the power of your communications and relationships, both personally and professionally."
  
  The ultimate goal of this incredible system is that your mind is freed up to do what you REALLY love to do, and that is THINK. Don't most of us wish we could just FOCUS when we want to without our minds jumping around to the meat we've got to thaw, the vet appointment we need to make, the errand we forgot to run, etc.? YES!
  
  Well, I've oversimplified things to write this review. Just get the book and read it. Allen also has an active website where you can find a helpful community of people all implementing this system. What I liked most about the book is that Allen says it's the brightest, most imaginative people who really struggle -- because we think of all the possible outcomes and we freeze our agendas. Using his techniques to "do it, defer it, delegate it, or drop it," we can forge ahead.
  
  Enough said. I've got to go get some things done.
  
  --Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester
  
  
• Unbelievably useless
  By A1UX857Q17ORC5 on 2006-01-14
  What a waste of $20.
  
  Anyone who is even remotely interested in being organized is most likely already doing most of these things. Anyone not looking to improve won't come anywhere near this program.
  
  Lame delivery: the author tries desperately to spin the occasional joke or pun, with amazing ineptitude. The monotone will put you to sleep if you're running from a napalm attack.
  
  Can't believe I had the willpower to listen to all 3 CDs. Would have been nice to preview this program, so I could have deleted it from my shopping cart prior to the purchase.
  
  
• Does Anyone Have The Time To Do This System?
  By A24DTHD82CLPHK on 2005-02-07
  Anyone who has the time to do Allen's system does not have a time management problem. This approach would be attractive to productivity experts, but is simply unworkable to the average over-worked Sally or Joe. It takes three hours a week just to feed this system and keep it going! I laid awake at night trying to figure out if an e-mail goes in @computer or @work? I could never find anything after I followed his system. Maybe it's me, but I believe there is better time management advice out there.
  
  
• Not what I was looking for
  By A2XBVHAISJCLG8 on 2005-08-05
  The concepts in this book are excellent for people with little or no organization in their life. I've always made efforts to stay on top of everything I had to do, and was hoping this book would teach me something new to put squeeze a bit more productivity and efficiency into my daily grind.
  
  Unfortunately, nothing in this book should be new to anyone who has put the slightest bit of effort into attempting to improve their productivity.
  
  Then, to make matters worse, the book rambles and repeats (and rambles and repeats, and...). Additionally, although I'm usually a pretty quick reader, but the inordinate amount of sidebar notes in this book slowed my reading, are extremely distracting, and provide zero added benefit.
  
  I give it 2 stars instead of 1 because the material would be beneficial for some people despite the poor presentation.
  
  
• This book rocks - and it gives you a good reason to get a Label Maker!
  By A13GVRE0BT2XXA on 2005-11-29
  This is an excellent book. If you find yourself overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time, or just find yourself disorganized frequently, his system is a great start. You should really just go buy this one.
  
  First he recommends you go out and get yourself a label maker, a bunch of folders, and get them ready.
  
  The process will take place in five big steps. Take this seriously for a second...
  
  (1) collect
  (2) process
  (3) organize
  (4) decide
  (5) act
  REVIEW weekly.
  
  To recap.
  
  (1) collect
  Clear your head of any thoughts you have to do related to work, life, love, spirituality, friendships, bills, and collect of of these thoughts on separate pieces of paper. use recycled paper.
  
  (2) process
  Then process this giant pile... your inbox... into folders. Follow Allen's two-minute rule. If there's anything you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind. See also: Quadrant 1 (Covey). The reason some of us can't sleep well he says, is because there are a lot of leftover "to-do" floating around in our head.
  Everytime you have a thought, make a commitment, or get a new responsibility - write it down.
  
  (3) organize
  Is it simple or complex?
  Simple Issues: schedule time to solve problem (will it take 1 hr or 3-4 hours?)
  Complex Issues: break into simple issues, schedule like above into a calendar.
  He uses a Palm Pilot / Pocket PC like device (maybe even a tablet PC at times).
  Create a "waiting for" list for things that require other people's time.
  
  Schedule your tasks and create folders for everything (label makers make it fun).
  
  (4) decide
  Can you finish it in two minutes? if yes, finish it. If not, keep it see above.
  
  (5) act
  Follow your schedule and live your life... don't worry if you screw up, review weekly and you will get better.
  
  He also recommends creating a folder for things you want to do someday/maybe. I added sailing to my someday/maybe and ended up taking a class on sailing this past summer.
  
  http://quickbook.blogspot.com/
  
  
  
• Still BUSY as ever
  By A3LBDYCG0TA442 on 2002-09-19
  I bought this book with high hopes, and it does help with the endless stream of e-mail. I find that filing e-mail under action catagories doesn't get the work done!

  The best advice David Allen gives is to ask what the next action is for any project. That helps my inactivity at times. I have had general tasks like: "do expense account", on my to do list for weeks. The right thing for me was: organize receipts from last trip.

  The author tells you to get rid of the tasks that take under two minutes to complete. Most of my tasks that take "two minutes" or less are not important, and I can sidetrack my self with "two minute" projects resulting in a wasted day. I'm not sure I buy that portion of his program. I do tend to respond quickly to most simple requests, but there are a lot of those every day. Some need to be put off in favor of more meaningful projects.

  I put together the tickler file and inventoried my office, even made a plan for Friday review. I don't end up looking in my tickler file, as my work is fluid and I can't follow a structured "to do" list. I have a number of projects going, and I re-prioritize all day long. Friday can be a good day for reflection, or not. I think the office inventory is very helpful if you've allowed yourself to get backlogged.

  There is no answer here for reducing your workload. Which is what all our "time management" problems boil down to. No one really can work 24/7. And the more outside of work commitments you have, including family obligations, the less of the 24 hours there are. Being efficient, and keeping good records can only help so much.

  I am glad for some new ideas... but really what I want is a vacation!!
  
  

• Master of the obvious...
  By A7R1BFC0SNLSK on 2005-03-10
  I got this book because I thought it had some interesting things that I didn't already know... and... it doesn't. In fact, I'm still struggling to finish the book (I've read about 3/4th of it... and I just can't get the damn thing done---so much for the title of the book, heh?)
  
  Yes, the book does have some tips, but it's annoying to read. You know how when you read magazines, you have these "quotes" from the text on the margins?, well, there are quotes from the text on the margins in this book too. Very annoying. It's like reading a long, never-ending magazine article.
  
  The key point of this book is: get things out of your head. That's it. (well, he has some tips on how to organize things) In short, you should write things down, and do little things right away. If you do that, you'll spend less time worrying about doing things ('cause everything that needs to be remembered is written down, and if you handle little things right away, then there won't be that many things on your list). ie: Obvious stuff.
  
  If you're a procrastinator (like me), don't expect this book to change your your life in any way (except possibly consume some of your time to read it).
  
  

• Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life
• The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
• Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook, 2nd Ed.
• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People