Getting Things Done is a system built on one insight: your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. Every open loop — the email to answer, the call to make — occupies mental space until you capture it somewhere trustworthy.
The full system has five stages; here is the practical version that works.
The five stages
Capture, clarify, organize, reflect, engage.
- Capture: put everything into one trusted inbox. App, notebook, whatever — one place.
- Clarify: for each item, decide what it is and what to do with it.
- Organize: file it, schedule it, or put it on a next-actions list.
- Reflect: review the system weekly so nothing is forgotten.
- Engage: choose what to do now, from a trusted system, not from memory.
The moment of relief is real: when every commitment lives in a system you trust, the mental load drops dramatically. Capture is the load-bearing wall.
The two-minute rule
The system answers the "what do I do with this?" question fast.
- Takes under two minutes: do it now.
- Takes longer but is yours: put it on a next-actions list.
- Not yours: delegate or discard.
The weekly review
Thirty minutes a week to empty your inboxes, update lists and plan. The weekly review is what keeps the system from rotting.
A clear mind is a system away.
GTD FAQ
Do I need special apps for GTD?
No. A notebook or any task app works. The system lives in the discipline, not the software.
Is GTD too complex for busy people?
Use the essence: capture everything, clarify it, and review weekly. The full ceremony is optional; the habits are not.