Dear David, Do you ever feel that technology gets in the way of productivity? That tools slow things down? I agree that some communication and project- and time-management tools are invaluable. But often they get in the way of getting things done. For example, the number of apps and tools I must use to complete …
Dear David, I get overwhelmed by the huge lists of things to do because I’m not sure which items to work on next. Any suggestions for that? Sincerely, Challenged Prioritizer Dear Challenged Prioritizer, Yours is a universally common question, and one I frequently hear from people as they begin to adopt the Getting Things Done® …
Dear David, How do I find time to do actual work when all I do is spend time in meetings? I wish I could opt out of meetings, but that’s not an acceptable practice at our organization. And yet my work is suffering. Help! Signed, Suffering From Meetingitis Dear Suffering, Welcome to the worldwide club …
Dear David, I’ve been reading and hearing about the trend to gravitate away from to-do lists. The consensus is that lists get too long, people suffer from to-do fatigue, and despite having things listed out, they continue to procrastinate. But somehow, I still need to keep track of my tasks. What do you suggest? Is …
Dear David, I’ve heard of people who get their inbox to zero. That seems crazy to me. I can’t imagine that ever being a reality for me. I have a huge backlog of over 500 emails and each day I get at least 50-100 new ones. How can having zero emails be realistic in this …
Dear David, Why does Getting Things Done® focus on the “weeds” rather than the higher-level stuff? Why don’t we start with goals and vision and then make our way to day-to-day work? Sincerely, Aspirational Dear Aspirational, I appreciate your question. The professional and personal self-help training programs consistently emphasize higher-horizon focus—clarity of purpose, values, vision, …
Dear David, I can’t seem to get rid of my paper and pencil system. I love to write down lists, track things on sticky notes, and hoard notebooks and handouts from my meetings. In today’s world of fancy phone apps and calendaring systems, I feel a bit archaic. Am I doing it wrong if I …
Dear David, What is the best way to manage true emergencies? My weekly review doesn’t account for those times people come bursting into my office with a fire that only I can seem to put out. When I spend time on these seemingly legitimate emergencies, it can derail my week and put me behind on …
We’re excited to welcome David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, as a contributor to The Crucial Skills Newsletter. Dear David, I can’t help but realize that I never get any of my long-term stuff accomplished. I spend so much of my time in the weeds, trying to put out fires and get through my …
