GTD: David Allen’s Getting Things Done

Definition

GTD (Getting Things Done) is David Allen’s workflow, described in his 2001 book of the same name. The idea is to capture commitments in a trusted system and decide the next action, rather than relying on remembering everything. This can support organisation; it does not guarantee creativity or remove every source of stress.

The five GTD stages

1. Capture — write down what is taking your attention in a trusted inbox
2. Clarify — decide whether an item requires action and identify the next concrete step
3. Organise — sort items into projects, waiting for, calendar and someday lists
4. Reflect — review your lists weekly
5. Engage — choose an action suited to context, available time and energy

The two-minute rule

In GTD, when clarifying an actionable item, you can do it immediately if it takes under two minutes and the context allows. This is a practical guideline for small actions, not a requirement to interrupt important work whenever something arrives.

GTD and Sinqly

Use a trusted place to capture tasks, decide the next action and schedule your own weekly review. Sinqly can be part of your organisation routine. Automatic contextual classification, Sunday summaries and built-in two-minute prioritisation are not promised here.