Getting Things Done — A review

Recently I finished reading Getting Things Done by David Allen. This was one of the many books I've read in the past few months in an attempt to build better time-management skills and keep my life more organized in general. I would say that this book is extremely helpful and I highly recommend you to read it if you feel like you tend to forget assignments, commitments, or feel unorganized about the way you keep track of your time.

The core of this book is that our brains shouldn't be used for keeping track of things. We should be using our minds to come up with great ideas and take on challenges. We have less space in our brain for self improvement and learning if we have to keep track of everything. So, Allen proposes that we put everything down in a physical form. "Open loops" such as an item on your to-do list, a novel idea, an assignment you need to accomplish, all into one bin full of stuff. Since you captured this, the open loops won't bother your head anymore.

Afterward, you should check your bin every day and organize them, either by integrating them into your to-do list or putting it in your future ideas folder. Either way, you can capture anything that comes across in your mind and your head won't be filled with worrying about whether you're forgetting something.

There is a lot more detail, but overall this book is highly recommended if you want to be a more organized person. Go read it!