Getting Things Done GTD®

Back in 2015, David Allen and Brian Robertson had a discussion about GTD and Holacracy. In this new talk, they catch up about the current state of the intersection between individual and organizational productivity. You'll hear some interesting similarities between the two models, as well as some parallels in their history and purpose.
(Originally recorded in March of 2018)

Lars Rothschild Henriksen describes his journey from working as a software engineer to becoming the only certified GTD trainer in Denmark. His inspirational story is based on his Horizon 5 interest in helping people, and finding GTD to be a very effective way to accomplish that purpose. He has used a wide variety of digital tools to track commitments, starting with Remember the Milk, then OneNote, Wunderlist, Outlook, and currently, Todoist. He also uses Evernote and OneNote for different types of reference.
You can find Lars on Twitter, Instagram, and on the GTDnordic.dk site.
(Originally recorded in March of 2018)

Stephen Reese is a professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. He has long been a student of productivity, with years of history using tools from low-tech to high-tech. You'll enjoy hearing him discuss his GTD practice, especially his "habits of the mind for the intellectual craftsman."
The article that Stephen mentions during the interview is "The Intellectual Craftsman in a Digital World". On that page, scroll down to see the full article.
Stephen's faculty page has more information about his background, and links to additional resources.
Note: We had some audio static for a couple of minutes from 6:00 to 8:46, but it's clear after that.

Let's end the year with a compilation of all of David's Two Minute Tips as these turbulent times continue, plus these are gems you can reference at any point of your GTD® life. Happy New Year!

This is an installation and implementation session on the higher Horizons of Focus?. We will spend time exploring if anything has your attention at each of the horizons, and will end with integrating the horizons at the project and next action levels.

During the session, there are sections where you can create or refine what you have on each of the horizons. The prompt questions for each of the horizons are listed below. These sections were about five minutes each in the live webinar. We have edited out those sections of silence for this recording. Please feel free to stop the recording as you reach those sections, and use the prompt questions below to work on each of your horizons.

The webinar concluded with these two thoughts:
Without clear purpose and direction you could easily be busy doing off-course things and wonder why a meaningful life is so elusive Getting the right small things done directly contributes to an authentic and meaningful life
HORIZON 5: Purpose and Principles
My purpose and principles contribute to my authentic life.
Trigger Questions:
What gets me up out of bed in the morning?
What is most meaningful to me?
What, if I am doing or expressing it, makes me feel like I am being who I really am, at my best?
When do I feel like I really ?show up??
What really matters to me, in terms of how I live and work?
What do I hold as standards for myself, no matter what, in terms of how I am living and working?

HORIZON 4: Vision
My purpose and principles influence my vision.
My vision contributes to my purpose and principles.
Trigger Questions:
If I were wildly successful fulfilling my purpose, living my principles, what might be true for me, several years from now?
What might I be doing?
What might I have?
What experiences might I be having?
Contexts: Career
Lifestyle
Energy/health
Finances
Relationships
Time horizons: 5 years?
10 years?
20 years?
More?

HORIZON 3: Goals and Objectives
My vision influences my goals and objectives.
My goals and objectives contribute to my vision.
Trigger Question:
Given what?s currently in play, and what I?ve thought about today, what are the things I need to have happen, or would like to have true for me, within the next 12 to 24 months?

HORIZON 2: Areas of Focus and Accountability
My goals and objectives influence my areas of focus and accountability.
My areas of focus and accountability contribute to my goals.
Trigger Questions:
What are the areas of accountability in my work?
What are the areas of focus in my life?
HORIZON 1: Projects
My areas of focus and accountability influence my projects.
My projects contribute to my areas of focus and accountability.

GROUND: Calendar/Actions
My projects influence my next actions.
My next actions contribute to my projects.
My next actions get the things that are meaningful to me done.

David explores the psychology of productivity with William Elliott, a counseling psychologist and GTD master trainer in South Africa. William describes his own journey with attention-deficit disorder, and finding GTD as a support for becoming more organized. He has wise words about how humility and accepting our limitations can improve our productivity and the overall quality of our lives. You'll likely resonate with his description of the background stress around "What do I say no to?" and how GTD helps with decision making and prioritizing. Regarding what's on our lists, he notes that there is an advance beyond safely ignoring to reach comfortably ignoring. Responding to a question from David, William says that his "brain has accepted that GTD is the life raft." (January 2018)