I picked up Getting Things Done by David Allen when I realized the ‘GTD’ acronym was becoming a mainstream term for organization. If a book had been pervasive enough to coin a new term, I had to check it out. I wasn’t disappointed.

The first chapter was engaging. David explained why letting your mind keep track of what he calls “open loops” can create stress and anxiety. It reminded me of one of those magic 8-balls. Every minute your subconscious is shaking it up and presenting you with some random commitment you’ve shirked at some point. This quote sums up the objectives discussed in the rest of the book:

The methods I present here are all based on two key objectives: (1) capturing all the things that need to get done—now, later, someday, big, little, or in between—into a logical and trusted system outside of your head and off your mind; and (2) discipline yourself to make front-end decisions about all of the “inputs” you let into your life so you will always have a plan for “next actions” that you can implement or renegotiate at any moment.

The rest of the book followed the usual format—an overview, and then an in-depth look at all the components. The GTD system requires a sizable time slot to kick start and supplies you may not have on-hand, but even if you employed a few of the tricks within you’d likely be a lot better off than you are at the moment.