Barnes & NobleGetting Things Done- The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Enhances self-organization to boost productivity

My boss is so much a fan of this book that she gave it to me free this month. She reads it every year in pursuit of further mastery of her work and life. Although the obvious application is to the realm of employment, Allen’s approach is applicable to one’s personal/private life and even to stay-at-home parents. It’s about keeping the “projects” in one’s life moving forward without causing stress. Allen’s system runs off on moving things onto whatever is next. He suggests that one keep an external set of notes about each project so that one can quickly be reminded of the next action to take. In this updated edition, he cites research findings of cognitive science to bolster his case that the mind functions poorly at memory. Remembering is what the external notes are for. The brain, then, can focus on organizing and creatively adapting for the future. He also addresses organizational systems to process thoughts. He suggests having one big “In box” and processing whatever comes in each day according to a set scheme. Quick (requiring less than two-minutes) tasks should be handled immediately while other tasks can be planned. This system might seem overwhelming at first, but having a boss who uses it, I can attest that it enhances productivity immensely. I do not and will not follow this book’s recommendations in every jot-and-tittle. Instead, I seek to apply its deeper organizing principles to my work and life. For example, I do not plan to make a physical inbox; instead, I have implemented something similar in a list of several post-it notes that I round on daily. The post-it notes keep track of all incoming information, and I cross off items as I organize them into my system. This looser approach of building a personal system allows me not to feel that Allen’s approach would take over my life. Nonetheless, my approach is fundamentally compatible with Allen’s. Again, this book has obvious implications for those in the world of work. However, it has broader reach into the world of anyone dealing with knowledge. It simply enhances the skill of organization to the individual, whether that be a student, a stay-at-home mom, a teacher, or a researcher. Be forewarned that this book skims on the motivational and inspirational stories in favor of the nuts-and-bolts of how to implement the system. It can be intense at times, but one need not implement the entire system at once in order to see significant benefits. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the results in my daily labor.