Getting Things Done - a quick off the top of my head summary of what I remember as useful

My copy of David Allen's Getting Things Done: How To Achieve Stress Free Productivity is on loan but I plan to run through some of the principles with a friend, so here are some jottings to remind me.

There are different ways of doing this but you need a really reliable consistent system. Keep it as simple as works for you.

If you apply this system it should make you more reliable and productive. Likely it will also make you much less stressed and free up your head space. You won't have to remember stuff: you can trust your system.

You need a really relaible non-leeky set of buckets to collect tasks. This probably means a notebook or filofax with section dividers or an electronic device. A physical bucket (like a storage box) might also help: then you can put in it the letter you mean to answer, the mug you want to fix and the book you need to read.

Then you've got to process your bucket. You have a number of options:

DO - if it takes less than 2 minutes to do it you should do it immediately if at all possible. This is because it probably takes longer to DELAY it

DELAY - either enter it on a to-do list for later or make a note in your diary or on your calendar or phone. You may even want a filling system for each day of the year or each month that in effect allows you to post something to yourself to arrive say in June (when you expect to deal with it). Obviously all this only works if you then check your diary, phone, calendar, to do list or file.

DELEGATE

DROP / DON'T DO IT (you could have a SOMEDAY MAYBE category too)

(In deciding what to do when Steven Covey's Important and Urgent matrix thing might be of use)

When it comes to your to-do list it might be divided up something like this:

PROJECTS - any jobs that take more than one step - e.g. visit Mrs Smith, start Youth Group

The important thing then is to think about NEXT STEPS. These might be phone Mrs Smith or invite all the potential stake-holders in a youthgroup to a meeting. Single step projects that are on-off things to do

It might be helpful to divide up your next steps into where you can do them. So some jobs can only be done at CHURCH, like putting up the posters and correcting the coffee rota. Errands to be done next time you're in TOWN like buy new printer ink and pay in those cheques go on one list. Many of your jobs you'll do in your STUDY where you have your books and filling cabinet etc. Obviously these days many PHONE or EMAIL jobs can be done almost anywhere. You might have a section for key people like your MANAGER or the people who report to you. Things you need to discuss in your weekly meetig go there.

To stop the whole system leaking you probably need a WAITING FOR list too. If you have to leave a message for Mrs Smith and a list of people need to confirm whether or not they are coming to the meeting.

REVIEW your lists maybe a quick scan once a day but a proper thorough goiung over once a week.

Getting  Things Done Wikipedia article

David Allen's website

43 Folders website - Getting Started With Getting Things Done