Category Archives: Free Resources

In this brief recording, David Allen discusses how he answers the question he is often asked. “How do I set priorities?”

Jukka Backman is a GTD trainer and coach, as well as the managing director for GTD in Finland. In this recording, he shares about the multifaceted value of writing things down. Jukka says, “There is definite power in writing things down. When externalized (from the mind) our perception of the things that took our attention, changes.” He talks about the specifics of how to use a worry list, how to start or refine your use of the Mind Sweep, harnessing the power of your self-talk, and his use of the Intention Journal.

In another installment of their occasional chats, David and Dave talk about travel productivity, and paper versus digital. They also weave in discussion of the psychology and philosophy of GTD.

In another David and Dave talk, David is asked whether he does a larger than usual review at the beginning of the year, and David replies about what times of year and events in life prompt what kinds of reviewing. Dave says that moving every two years is a good way to limit how much stuff you keep. David jokes that moving onto a sailboat is a great way to decide which stuff you want to keep. (David did in fact live on a sailboat years ago.)

David Allen talks with Jerry Michalski, for a look inside Jerry’s brain, as documented by his extensive use of TheBrain. Over the years you may have heard David talk about his use of TheBrain. Jerry is one of the earliest adopters, and has tracked an astounding number of ideas and their interconnections. By using TheBrain, Jerry says it shifts him from system 1 thinking (fast) to system 2 thinking (slow). He describes the need for a fundamental shift from thinking of ourselves as consumers to thinking of ourselves as citizens. He also talks about the importance of designing systems that start from trust, which get better results that cost less and have terrific side effects, like rebuilding community and releasing our inherent genius.

Marcus Ramtohul is a musician, actor, model, husband, father, and . . . a GTD trainer! You’ll hear him describe his move from a paper-based system to digital, as his life and responsibilities grew more complex in the last ten years. His creativity and humor shine through as he describes encouraging family and colleagues to adopt any of the GTD best practices. He talks about the subtlety of correctly defining next actions, assigning contexts, his customized contexts, and much more.

David Allen, Eric Mack, and John Forrister continue their discussion about their software journey, from early years to their current use of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. If you haven’t heard the first part, you may want to watch or listen to that first, but it’s not required.

In this recording, they talk about the evolution of eProductivity and how much of its functionality is available in the Microsoft tools. Beyond that, it’s a wide-ranging discussion of how to think about productivity, and how getting organized is an ongoing process, not a one-time destination. And of course there are some software details, such as how David is tracking Waiting For items.

Melissa Garner has a big job as the Director of IT Governance, Policy & Strategy at the Oregon Department of Education. She also has a busy family life and makes time for her creative pursuits. In this interview, she talks about her longtime enthusiasm for GTD, and how she supports her staff to be their best. One of the highlights is her detailed walk-through of her GTD system in OneNote.

David Allen, Eric Mack, and John Forrister discuss their software journey, from early years to their current use of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. A consistent theme is that it’s not about the tool, but about bringing a productive mindset and habits to any tool. They discuss how the tools shape our behavior, and may or may not promote good GTD habits. The story starts in the mid-1990s with Lotus Notes. They talk about why Notes, and also why Microsoft 365 now. There are interesting tangents into groupware, CRMs, and instant messaging.

In another chat with David Allen, Dave asks about the Clarify and Organize steps. But they also veer off the agenda to talk about what goes on the calendar and why, the Someday/Maybe list, and feeling good about what you choose to do in any moment.

In another chat with David Allen, Dave asks about the Capture step. David explains why he changed the first step in the GTD workflow from collect to capture. They also discuss the change in mental clarity and space that comes from getting everything off your mind, and deciding next actions on each thing.

You may already be familiar with Peter Byrom from his insightful participation in the GTD forums. Now you’ll have a chance to hear him describe the arc of his GTD journey. He talks in detail about the digital tools he has used, including Things, Todoist, and Outlook. Peter also reflects on his recent experience with the more subtle relationship between next actions and projects, and the Purpose and Principles horizon.

In another chat with David Allen, Dave asks about the Mind Sweep. How often to do it? What to do with the results? David replies and also explores what happens when a team or a couple does a Mind Sweep.

David Allen, Ana Maria Gonzalez, and John Forrister talk about various angles on productively working from home. They cover communication with other remote colleagues, time and space boundaries, differences between the home and office environments, and more.

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith discusses how daily questions and especially active questions can be used to increase individual effectiveness and build employee engagement. Dr. Goldsmith is the world authority in helping successful leaders achieve positive, lasting change in behavior.

Mirabai Weismehl Rosenfeld is the Concertmaster of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. David talks with her about her professional journey, and how she heard about GTD. Mirabai also shares about how GTD supports her creative expression. You will also hear delightful surprises at the beginning and end of the recording.

David Allen has an engaging dialog with Oliver Burkeman, the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking.

Alba Leal is a GTD Trainer in training in Mexico City. She has a fascinating background, including journalism, corporate work in Silicon Valley, and a new degree in art therapy. She is currently working on a doctorate in Organizational Psychology. As usual, we talk about how she got into GTD, and what tools she uses. After that she goes into more detail on her journey, and the changes she plans to inspire in organization cultures.

Please join us for a working session designed to optimize your system so that you can trust your priority decisions on a moment-to-moment basis. This webinar involves the practices for achieving and maintaining a longer-horizon experience of control and focus, of life and work. After completing this session you will be able to better understand the value of evaluating your system and adapting it to optimize its usefulness. Presented by Ana Maria Gonzalez and Robert Peake. And David Allen makes a surprise appearance at the end.

This is a webinar with Suzanne Strisik, Ph.D., a psychologist and longtime GTD enthusiast. We’ll be looking at dreaded next actions and how they can trigger the same anxiety as the thought of an encounter with a dangerous animal. If you’ve been confounded by a project or a task that lingers on one of your lists, then this webinar is for you. Suzanne will guide us in understanding the dread in the task and how it relates to something deeply meaningful to us. From there, we’ll make a pathway back to the flow of our good work.