Getting Things Done: General
Maybe you get these testimonials all the time -- I don't care, I am ecstatic! I got David's book in November, went to the seminar on December 10, and have been devotedly following his principles ever since. I am 36 years old, and in my entire professional life I have been desperate for a better way to "get things done." I have tried so many tricks I can't even remember them all. They worked enough for me to get by adequately, but now I have what I have always needed to truly succeed. I just want to say thanks!!
I have worked at my present job for almost 3 years. Over the past 2 years, I have been happy when I could keep my emails under 200. Today, I finally got it to zero! I had it down to 25 three weeks ago, and somehow I couldn't get myself to finish those final 25. Today, once I did it, I couldn't believe the overwhelming sense of pride and pleasure.
I could go on and on, because it's not just the email -- its everything else at work and in life that I have to do. But I'll just stop here and say thanks for developing this system and keep up the good work!
Brian Davenport
BearingPoint
Thank you for the extremely practical system that you are living and spreading. It was wonderful the first time that I felt like I had "closed all the loops", and just decided to sit for a few minutes in my office. It was so peaceful, not having my urgent thoughts intruding upon me. I enjoyed the birds singing outside, I looked at the posters and paintings on my wall (which I normally don't see), I felt the calm and drank it in.
I am probably not one of your typical users. I have felt for some time that I need some help in the administrative part of my life, so I began doing some searching over Christmas break. You see, I am a campus minister; I work with college students as a missionary. It is amazing how much I feel like an executive, though. Letters to write, e-mails to respond to, calls to supporters, trips to coordinate, updates to send, studies to prepare, students to visit, events to attend. And then, I would like to spend some time with my wife once in awhile.
Anyway, I downloaded about 12 articles from your site, and immediately started putting them to use. I worked on my projects list while on vacation. Despite a completely drained battery in my Visor, which I hadn't backed up in 3 months, I was off and running in less than 2 weeks. It has now been about 10 weeks, and I am still grasping new concepts, and training my brain to process information immediately. My life is becoming more productive by the week. Actually, sometimes I feel less productive because
I spend a lot of time processing the build-up of years of unfinished projects and random thoughts. However, I know that my productivity potential is increasing, i.e. when I turn my hand to the current projects, I really rock! I feel as if my workload has gone up, simply because I now know about all of the work that I have committed to or have dreamed about doing. The light at the end of the tunnel is now visible, however. Thanks again for your help.
John Vanderhoofven
After using your "Getting Things Done" method for about one year, I am happy to report that I am a much more effective executive and, more importantly, a much happier man. My "system" has become a natural extension of my self-management allowing me to confidently (and calmly!) manage and complete tasks, projects and goals— from the "60,000 FT Level to the Runway." Thanks for your invaluable approach.
Mark Ippolito
MatchLight Software, Inc.
CEO & President
How has GTD changed my life? I don't think I could function without it! My dental office strives foremost to provide excellent customer service but with many employees we needed an effective system to guarantee patients were receiving great service and nothing was being neglected. As a dentist who treats many patients during the day, I want to avoid micromanaging the day to day activities. I would rather focus on dental treatment and patient needs. In addition, I try to support our employees in balancing their personal and professional life so many employees decided to job share.
To be efficient, I had to incorporate GTD in our practice philosophy. In the office manual, every employee is required to receive a copy of GTD and asked to incorporate its principles. We have all the projects for the office listed in the back office. I usually review the projects and the next actions that are required in our morning huddle. In the front office we have sheets with, @Next Action, @Supplies/Shopping, @Errands etc... As each task is done, the employee initials it. As the employer, I am able to maintain accountability of tasks and reward employees who are extraordinarily productive. All of the information can be used for performance reviews. In addition, each employee can continue the tasks of the previous employee with ease.
Patients regularly comment on how well we attend to their needs and we receive many cards of gratitude. Maintaining a high quality customer service organization is possible with the proper systems and the effective use of GTD.
Chithra Durgam, DDS
Durgam Dental
Aesthetic Dental P.C
Thanks for the tips on how to introduce GTD in the classroom. I will probably make it an optional project for students though I will definitely push the topic in class.
I would be honored to be quoted in the email. I have more than one title, but I tend to use "Strategist" or "Strategist and Educator" (I try to steer away from the C-word, consultant. Feel free to use either title.
I'll tell you, acting as General Contractor has taxed my GTD limits over the past few weeks. Mind has not been like water lately. There must be 100+ subprojects that must be completed to get to finishing the "big project" of building a home. In order for me to keep my sanity, I'm learning to use something I don't often do (and you suggest), and that's delegate!
I have 2 weeks off from Dec 21 - Jan 3rd. Those are going to be designated as "GTD Update Days". Outside of the holiday festivities, I'm looking forward to getting back on the GTD wagon in full.
Tim Howes
GTD book
Hi David,
I've had a problem with your book, and I've finally figured out what it is. THERE'S TOO MUCH INFORMATION!
I have read the book. As you know, I've been to the seminars. When you present the information, live and in person, you have, your, well, inimitable pacing, and humorous approach. So, you can wait for the neurons to light up, before proceeding with your next topic. You read, and recognize the responsiveness of your audience. It's so much fun, for us really.
But, in the book. There's no "governor". Nothing to stop us reading faster than we can comprehend. And because its all written in simple words, we BELIEVE we can understand and absorb what is written there, just by reading. IMPOSSIBLE, I say!
So, I've taken another approach, and its working GREAT, just thought I'd share it for the others who may be in similar situation. (Feel free to edit, or paraphrase as you deem fit) I use the book as a REFERENCE. My wife, bless her heart, turns down the bed, and sets YOUR BOOK there for me, in the bed, where I can't miss it. When I retire, I open the book, at random, and read A SENTENCE, or A PARAGRAPH, and then sleep on it. I find myself IMPLEMENTING that ONE THING that I read, the next day, and actually incorporating it into my routine.
That, is where the real power lies, in the implementation. And is inspiring to me. Last night, the comment that I turned to was about "not putting the whole pile in front of you to sort, but only taking the TOP piece of paper". In a quick read, that information will be in and out of the mind so fast, that any hope of remembering is just that... hope. But as I approach my desk this morning, and find the condition of piles here and there that have been interrupted, I concentrate on that "little thing", and I shall incorporate that small change TODAY.
It gives me great joy to work on one thing at a time. Funny thing is, that advice ALSO applies to sentences in your book. It's a masterpiece really, a diamond mine. I'm digging them out, one diamond at a time.
Thanks again for your work.
-barnaby
Thank you.
The method has made a huge difference in my life. People saw me carrying the book and wondered why on earth I would be reading about organizing. I enjoy the reputation of the guy who is well organized and gets things done. This method has taken the stress out of my mind and helped me to work at a much more relaxed state. It has taken me to the next level of productivity and enjoyment.
Unfortunately, I was in NYC on September 11th for business, in Mid-town. We had over 100 people working in the towers. Everything we had scheduled for that day was stopped and we focused all our energies on our people. Over the next several days, after we learned that everyone was safe from our group, we then focused on our customers. For two solid weeks my entire schedule has been completely overtaken by these events. Fortunately I had already begun implementing the method and was able to effectively handle the new demands and keep the old ones on track. This week I have re-engaged in my previous tasks and find that I am right on track.
I know there is so much more for me to do to perfect the use of the method.
I just wanted to thank you and your company for the great solution. It has changed my life for the better. Thank you.
Jeffrey S. Irby,
Partner, KPMG Consulting
I'm between the rock & the hard place of being 75 years old but not yet willing to leave wonderful big old house. Suddenly need razorsharp time-and-energy-management skills for laundry, cleaning, house maintenance, shopping, paperwork, gardening, baking, hobbies -- to get it all done before dark when I don't like to drive, and preferably before 4 o'clock happy hour.
Your book's grand for CEOs and superbusy people with serious responsibilities, but want you to know that it's REALLY great for elderly New Jersey housewives whose waning assets need to be stretched thin (but PERFECTLY) over a job of management and execution that used to be a snap since there was a world of time, and energy unlimited.
The skills I'm adapting from your book are themselves a satisfying new hobby, and I betcha I squeeze out another 10 years of comfortable living in a well-run home.
Anita Owen
North Plainfield, NJ
Products
It's probably been three weeks since I got the GTD-FAST program and have already got the value of the purchase price. The material has already had a profound impact, and I've already recommended your material to a stressed out friend in the States
- referred him to the website, he bought the course for his project team, and commented how you nailed his feelings about "stuff". He works for a large corporation, had two days vacation which he had to reschedule, deleted them from Outlook at 9 am, and by 10.30, his colleagues had filled them both up!
I've been at zero emails for about a week, and yesterday hit zero in my inbox (got it down from the attic last week, following a house move in the summer). Just clearing all of my projects and things left undone out of my psychic RAM was incredibly freeing. I've even remembered (and already dealt with) books I meant to send back to friends who loaned them to me. I've been searching for a job since November last year (since a downsizing), and yet have not felt congruent in fully devoting myself to a jobsearch / next step.
Having just got a view of things still outstanding has been a great catalyst, and I've cleared out stuff from years ago. I'm now well on the way to setting up in business for myself - business process re-engineering using customised MS Office documents, and feel (and am) organised to strike out on my own.
As for resources / cognitive artefacts, I wondered why, a month ago, I bought the lovely leather 4-hole, zipped binder - and then your material showed up - now I've got a great reason to carry it with me, and just ten minutes ago my Brother labelmaker arrived - I've been mindmapping the integrated system I want across my computer documents, emails, internet favourites and paper files, and now I have the products to label them - I just need a larger filing cabinet!
I'll wrap it up here, because typeset labels await!
My sincere thanks,
Nick Romney
I bought the 'David Allen's Workflow Processing Using Outlook' CD from you last year. I was able to institute the process in my new job and I want to say that it is fantastic. Such an excellent and efficient way to manage, and I learned lots of Outlook features I never suspected were there. Thanks for your good work.
You have helped me so much, even when I was in a job where the quantity of work far exceeded any organizational tool. No effort was enough to get a grasp on it all and your methods helped me see that. Now I'm in a vigorous, but organizable position and am really enjoying putting your ideas into effect. Thanks for being there, and thanks for a great concept - well worth the price!
Julianne Reid RN
Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care, Inc.
Quality Improvement Manager
I am, at my core, an "over-promoted programmer" who begrudgingly has to deal with executive level tasks. (I own my own small consulting company now with 12 employees.).
My problem was that I never learned how to manage the hundreds of tiny little items that an exec must deal with on a daily basis. (As a programmer, I had 5 or 6 things to do at a time, all of them required several hours of extremely focused time. But as an executive, I have hundreds of tasks, most of them a couple minutes long. I was trying to do a totally different job using the same processes and methodologies that had worked well as a programmer.
I happened upon your site while searching for information so I could update our filing system. (I was just looking for some advice on how to organize the files.) I read a couple of articles on your site, and thought "This sounds really compelling? I think I should read the book." I immediately went to audible.com and purchased/downloaded the audio book. I listened to it three times that night while parsing through my little file system project.
Over the course of the next two days (Timing is everything -- I just happened to find the site when I had a two day block open over the weekend where my fiancé was out of town!) I completely cleaned out and organized my office, did walkthroughs of my house, office, and workshop -- essentially did everything your book recommended. I then purchased a new iPaq PocketPC and bought your PDF on "implementing the GTD system with Outlook" and followed your advice on how to use Outlook (and, by extension, the PDA) with the system.
That was a few weeks ago. Since then, five clients and every one of my employees have commented that I seem more responsive and "on the ball." My fiancé even mentioned that stuff around the house "finally seems to be getting done.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. It is not overstating things to say that you have changed my life, both personally and professionally -- and for that I sincerely wanted to say "thanks.
Your book gave me tools I needed to excel at running my company. We're sitting around two million a year in revenues, and had run into a brick wall because I was the bottleneck on so many issues -- now I feel a renewed sense of momentum, and feel like we can really focus on growth again.
Thank you again.
Joseph R. Jones
Principal, Critical Domain LLC
Seattle, WA
Keep up the great work. Your products and techniques have transformed our sales staff allowing us to better handle the deluge of information which we receive daily and just as importantly to have a common language (i.e Next Action) when talking about projects and tasks. As a worldwide booking agency exclusively handling the careers of 35 diverse artists like George Winston, Roger McGuinn, Michelle Shocked, Johnny Winter, The Radiators and others, the demands on our time and attention come from a 1000 directions and David Allen has helped us make sense of it all and grow from a $2.5 Million Company to a $10 Million company in the last three years.
10 years ago Stephen Covey and "Seven Habits" gave our start-up a method and language to think about our Mission and to qualify actions and events as "Urgent But Not Important" or "Not Important But Urgent", etc. But Covey provided only limited real world methods for dealing with the flow of information and tasks that attacked us all daily. Your "Getting Things Done" (particularly when applied within Outlook) has allowed us to take our mission and turn it into action. Not only do we deal more effectively with information flow, but taking the time to find the appropriate "Next Action" on a project has truly empowered our staff. The results have been both measurable and satisfying.
Bruce Houghton
Skyline Music
President
I have just finished reading "Getting Things Done" and familiarizing myself with the GTD Plug-in for Outlook 2003, and I can't believe how much this simple system has helped me become more productive and more relaxed. I have tried many different time management techniques in the past, but they were all either too difficult to maintain or too basic to handle all of the intricacies of everyday life. Your system is, in the immortal words of Goldilocks, just right.
Your system came highly recommended by a friend, so I reluctantly purchased the book and read it with a great deal of skepticism. I put off doing the beginning organization step for about two weeks while I digested the content of the book. I read it again while on a business trip, and the system finally crystallized for me. I rushed to your website in April and purchased the Outlook plug-in and did the organization step that weekend. I've been using your system faithfully since then, and it has made a huge difference in my life. My manager even noted that I had become much more productive this past year on my annual performance review!
Thank you for taking the time to document your system, publish your book, and creating the Outlook plug-in. You've influenced so many lives in an extremely positive way! I will be recommending your system to all of my friends and co-workers.
Jonathan C. DeJongh
Program Manager & Senior Network Engineer
TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
Seminars & Coaching
The Getting Things Done training was very beneficial to our company because it really gave us an achievable, yet revolutionary, way of looking at our workload. Our team has greatly benefited from the peace of mind achieved when knowing that everything is written down in its place. Because we have peace of mind, we are more productive, and a lot less stressed out about what is floating around in our head. It was amazing to realize how much of an impact your subconscious could have!
The seminar also taught us to think about the action steps that will need to take place in order to complete a job. This makes the project a lot less overwhelming. Focusing on the "next step" and using a systematic approach to break down the work into baby steps helps by making it all seem manageable - less intimidating. And, the system is something we could start using immediately.
Allyn Elleman
ThompsonMurray
People Development
I attended your seminar in Kansas City. I really enjoyed it and was determined to make it work for me...wow! I am going the high tech route, have been a faithful user of PDAs since 96. I recently switched to a CE device and was looking for a way to optimize my PDA and laptop. You mentioned your hints for Outlook so I went to the web site that weekend. I have to admit I was skeptical about paying $1 a page (how could it be that good?) but took the plunge.
First things first, I had to really pay attention to the dialogue to make it work, once I did, I was very impressed. Truly worth every penny!
I have taken to heart virtually all of your tips and have been very satisfied. My home office and files are organized, I have a sense of control that I haven't experienced in quite awhile. Nice.
Mike Moratz
Merck & Co.
Senior National Account Executive
|
|
 |
|
"What People Are Saying" is a collection of success stories told by those who are out in the trenches applying David Allen's teachings and methodologies.
Got a success story? Please share it!
I wanted to say how overjoyed I am at your book, Getting Things Done, and the changes it's allowed me to make.
I've used this information and snippets from your website in my occupation as a United States Air Force squadron commander (currently running an organization of 550). No longer does a day full of meetings make me dread spending long hours in the night to catch up on what I missed, and therefore get home after the kids are in bed.
I am very excited and thankful at what I've discovered and what you've given out.
Nik Chapapas
Air Force Security Forces Squadron Commander
Here's a great personal "state of the union" we just received from Bob Fairbairn, a long time GTD user.
Bob Fairbairn
IT Security Engineer V
Motorola Information Protection Services
& Motorola Security Services
"I have a huge interest in organization and management writings. I am a fan of Drucker, Hobbs, Covey, and others and now and especially you. You tied everything together. Drucker identified the problems but made the solution too difficult. Hobbs and Covey identified the "high altitude" and "runway" items, but left out the middle to tie them together. And the simple, blindingly obvious solution: PROJECTS!!!! Who coulda thunk it?!?!?!?!?!?????"
Dwight C. Carr,
Major, U.S. Army
Your seminar has helped me transform how I work and live in regards to managing my stuff and my time. I have never been so organized, so on top of things, so at peace with knowing I've got things covered, even the stuff that I don't know what to do with! It's all placed somewhere so I don't have to carry around subconsciously.
My office doesn't look clean and organized, it actually is! Though I've incorporated my own style, personality, and habits (to a certain extent) into the ways you taught and proven your organizational and life-skills, I have not messed with the core of your teachings and practices. And it works! I've even adapted some things to work even better for my life.
Because I know what I have in front of me, and because I ask myself, what's the next step(s), I am forced to take an action. I've had the joy of doing things I hated doing before. And I have the joy of not doing what I don't want to do for good reasons! It's almost perfectly like you described in your seminar...that is, the way life can be when you use your techniques.
I cannot thank you enough. You're definitely a "God-send."
Taek Kim
Minister,
United Methodist Church
I attended your one day seminar in Columbus, Ohio more so I could take a day away from the insanity that had become my life than to learn anything new. I was in for a shocking wake up call! I left your seminar so pumped I had to start right away. I ordered your book from Amazon.com, bought a P-Touch, bought file folders, bought an alpha-divider, and knuckled down to fill my in basket. I can't say the effort was painless. I can't say I smiled the whole time.
I can't say I didn't get frustrated (more with me and what I had allowed to go undone, than you for pointing it out). But I can say I persevered and the outcome is miraculous.
I made my wife do it at home (you believe that, don't you?) And she was inspired, too. I ranted about it over Thanksgiving to friends and relatives. I showed off my home office. I challenged each of them to locate the vacuum user manual in my files in three tries or less (100% success ratio by the way).
My zeal spilled over into work as seven of my co-workers who also attended the seminar but chose not to change their lives, began commenting on how organized my office was, how efficient I had become, how they only have to ask once now and they get a response in 24 hours or less! Amazed, they asked how I did it.
My staff was a little less thrilled since now I know what they are doing and what I am expecting them to do. (It was so much easier to get away with it before) My boss noticed I had extra capacity and gave me more projects. (Judge that how you will)
And now the home run. I have successful begun the conversion of others (hence "disciple") One of my peers bought you book for her supervisors. They are reading it together and implementing it together. (My supervisors all got copies for Christmas)
I tell all my mentees, if they want to successfully manage their careers, get a copy of "Getting Things Done," read it, sign up for the newsletter, then live it.
A good friend of mine (a successful new commercial real estate agent) implemented the system over Christmas. I helped him get it going and he is anxious for some big results. (He bought the book for his boss for Christmas who is now instituting as well!)
Even my wife implemented it at home. We used to plan our Thanksgiving and Christmas family gatherings with 20+ people. We actually spent Thanksgiving day RELAXING instead of running around like nuts trying to take care of all the last minute things we forgot.
We have a new saying in our household - "Did you David Allen it yet or not?" (Sorry, I guess you are now a verb)
Anyway, I have really enjoyed the changes your book has brought into my life and I love seeing the envious eyes of those who work with me and watch me get it all done!
William Miller
Programming and Systems Division Manager
Nationwide Insurance
I wanted to thank you for writing GTD. During the fall of last year, (my third semester of law school) I ended up taking way too much stuff, and GTD was a lifesaver. I don't know how I would have gotten all of that stuff done on time without it.
Boyd Camak
In any area of work, very little "sensations" are as encouraging as the feeling and reality of having time.
Time to focus on any issue of priority.
Time for planning.
Time for reflecting.
Time to make decisions.
Time to offer one´s attention to deserving customers or people who are talking to us.
Time to interact with peers.
Time to read.
Time to give oneself a little treat...
That is the sensation that can be achieved through Mastering Workflow that Getting Things Done offers.
The sense of calm and order to face a problem, a challenge or identify and take advantage of an opportunity, make work more efficient and effective and the chances of success in any given area increase considerably.
Felipe Duarte Olvera
Presidencia Mexico
"Excellent seminar, one of the best seminars I have ever attended. It’s great that most of the material being taught is practical, common sense things that are easy to understand and simple to implement. Finally, an organizational seminar that doesn’t feel overwhelming as soon as its over, I truly feel empowered and inspired."
Eric Nguyen,
The Lancer Group
" I loved the Getting Things Done Seminar and left knowing that most probably the system would become just one of many good intentions in my life.
I signed up for the coaching as a way to keep me to it. I didn't really think it would provide much more than that. As it happens it did. The individualized attention to my lists, my personal situation, and the particular problems that I've been encountering in implementing GTD means that the system has really started to work for me. I have to confess that I think I took two steps back to begin with, but I'm at least two steps ahead after four coaching sessions.
Work has suddenly become a blast. I like my work anyway, but now I'm really having fun. I'm ahead of the game. I'm planning forward, making sure the path is laid out for a project to unfold smoothly. If a client asks me for a document, the following day its in their email. As my backlog is enormously reduced and I'm not in crisis mode, I can provide really responsive service.
I'm a long way from black belt but in some sense, I've "got it" at some level (maybe I'm on the verge of earning my yellow belt) and I can see that the better I get at this the more enjoyable life is going to be."
- Lucy Solymar
Leodas Solymar, Inc.
"You have made the GTD principles become real for me, and the weekly review has become habitual. After more than two-and-a-half years of trying to do it alone, I found that my project list could sometimes go for months unattended. It took the full eight weeks, working with you, to get all my lists in order and to truly complete the weekly review.
I find myself functioning more as a planning manager and less as a firefighting manager. I find myself taking care of details more when they show up rather than doing them at the absolute last minute when they must get done, or not doing them at all because they simply slipped through the cracks. I find that I am more inspired in my work; it is akin to feeling lighter, more nimble, quicker of step after months of a successful physical exercise regimen. For more than two-and-a-half years after first going to the GTD seminar, I didn't talk too much about it, I just plugged away with limited success at working the principles. Now, I talk it up a lot and, as you know, I have just sent three of our managers, and two of our key support staff to the seminar."
- William M. Raeder,
President,
National Braille Press Inc. |
|
|
