COLLECT

STUFF STUFF
everything, outside your head

MOVE CLOSER PUT ALL “IN”

PROCESS
in-to-empty early, quickly & regularly

:10 – :40
300 – 400
times a day
seconds each Doing
(GET FASTER) NEVER
BACK “IN”

What is it? Is it actionable?

NO YES
1 What is the successful Outcome? 2 What is the Next Action?
What will have happened when this can be checked off? If this was the only thing you had to get done,
Describe it in past tense. More than one step? It’s a Project! what is the very next physical thing you would have to do?

Are you really To be done on a

Do Less-than two minute

Next Action? Do it now!
OR Delegate the best
person to
OR Defer specific day, or
simply as soon
do this? as possible

ORGANIZE
the results of your thinking
NO action now YES actionable, but deferred Support materials
FILL DAILY REFERENCE computer ( )
hard indicates
drive location

5
OUT OF SIGHT MAIL TO SELF
plans travel
folders

REVIEW
as often as needed to keep your head empty
Daily Weekly Occasionally

+ LOOSE
“STUFF”
& MEETING
NOTES

DO
in the moment, guided by intuition, supported by the four previous phases, influenced by reality of current situation

three options at any moment 50,000+ feet (life)

First, by CONTEXT 40,000 feet (3-5 year visions)
Then, by TIME AVAILABLE PREDEFINED WORK (takes discipline)
Then, by ENERGY AVAILABLE
OR OR 30,000 feet
20,000 feet
(1-2 year goals)
(areas of responsibility)
DEFINING (know ALL your work)
Finally, by PRIORITY 10,000 feet (current projects)
AS IT SHOWS UP (can lead to the urgent trap) RUNWAY (current actions)

FEELING TOO MUCH STRESS? Which one of these will help you get more clear and complete?
Only use your inboxes
Do most 2 min. End meetings by
Always have as your inboxes; Decide Outcomes & Don’t allow slips of
actions immediately clarifying outcomes,
a collection tool don’t use your entire Next Actions as soon as paper & meeting notes
if you plan to ever do deciding Next Actions,
close by office, house, things show up to sit unprocessed
them at all and who’s responsible
briefcase or car
Use your List actual Very Next Use and trust your lists Review your
Put ALL your Do your
calendar only for things Actions, not vague, to remind you, not higher altitudes
multi-step open loops weekly review …
that absolutely have undoable “stuff” or your Project support for Outcomes and
on your Projects list weekly
to get done that day Projects in disguise materials Next Actions

Getting Things Done advanced workflow diagram — created by Scott Moehring, based on Getting Things Done by David Allen, www.davidco.com rev. 2/27/04