Why should you read this summary?
There are more responsibilities than you can handle if you live on planet earth. Your day starts with a long to-do list that you find difficult to accomplish. Your life feels out of control and you feel stressed. We have the solution for you, so don't worry. You will learn how to get more done in less time by reading this book.
This summary is for who?
• Professionals in their 20s and 30s
• People who are hardworking and want to accomplish more in less time
• Anyone who wants to become more organized
An Introduction to the Author
Time management consultant David Allen specializes in time management. His time management method is known as Getting Things Done. Millions of people around the world have been impacted by this method. His company helps companies spread a mentality of productivity and focus among their employees.
An introduction
Do you have a lot to do but little time? Can't miss a day at work due to your responsibilities because you wish you could take a break? Feeling stuck and in need of a long break?,We've got you covered.Here's a book that changed millions of lives.
We live in a stressful environment, so everyone is looking for ways to work harder and accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. There is a method in this book that can solve all of these problems.
This book will teach you the importance of being organized in order to avoid distractions. It is because you have too many distracting thoughts on your mind that you feel like you don't have enough time.
To focus on your work, you need to change your environment.
Additionally, you will learn how to pick the right tools for organizing your life and how to prepare for the right time and place. Firstly, you will gather information about your physical surroundings, then you will gather information about your mental surroundings.
It is well known that the brain is constantly thinking of ideas that it would like to try. If you keep a filing system for every idea and task in your life, your mind will be calm.
In this book, you'll also learn how to organize your tasks and projects in categories that boost your productivity. Learn how to take control of your life if you're sick of living a stressful life full of responsibilities. For a new reality, a new practice is needed
Can a person manage his long to-do list and still feel relaxed at the end of the day? It is, and this book will show you how.
You need a system that allows you to work and still be relaxed at the same time. It has become increasingly difficult to define what our job is in our current time. Every day, we take on new responsibilities and our jobs change.
Prior to this, job goals were clearly communicated to employees. It is now up to them to understand what needs to be done by the end of the day. There is a lot of pressure here.
A few habits you may be doing wrong need to be changed. You need to be clear about what you want to accomplish. Whenever you have an idea, write it down clearly and set a deadline. You will keep being distracted if you don't. You won't be able to focus on the current task because you'll be thinking about all your other tasks.
Second, focus 100% on the task at hand. In order to achieve more results during the day, you must be laser-focused to complete each task as quickly as possible. You will feel less stressed when you have a clear vision and a distraction-free work zone.
Let me ask you a question, for example. While reading this chapter, has your mind wandered to another place? It is likely that there is a task that you want to accomplish, but you haven't taken the time to clear it from your head.
When you decide to do something, your brain will keep reminding you of it until you complete it. How much distraction would you experience if you had ten unfinished tasks? The task you are doing right now will certainly be difficult for you to concentrate on.
You can solve this problem by making a list of everything that comes to mind. Describe the task and a follow-up sentence with details. Also, you should set a clear deadline for this task so that your brain can stop worrying about it.
There is a simple explanation. Your brain will think that you need to do this task all the time if you don't give it a specific deadline. It has not yet been completed. When you are busy doing something else, your brain will constantly distract you and try to make you do things it believes are more important.
Making a list will help your brain relax. Every week, review this list and make any necessary changes.
It is impossible to concentrate on one task unless you keep a clearly defined to-do list. Focus is the key to doing more in less time, without stress.
Getting Projects Underway Creatively: The Five Phases of Project Planning
The previous chapter discussed the importance of getting things out of your head so you can focus on what matters to you right now.
Sometimes, we lose a few great ideas because we don't review our to-do lists. We need to plan ahead in order to avoid this problem.
Different types of planning exist. Horizontal planning involves clearly defining each task's goal and the steps necessary to achieve it. This type of planning usually requires setting visible reminders that prevent you from forgetting.
Vertical planning is another type of planning. In order to achieve every step, it is necessary to focus on details and come up with solutions. You don't have to sit down and use specific software to accomplish this. On a piece of paper, you can record this information.
Natural planning, however, is the most effective. The brain is the most effective planner in the world. Don't worry about your notebook or software. There are many more useful things you can do with your brain.
There are five steps to natural planning. The first step is to plan your goal. The second step is to have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. The third step is to brainstorm ideas. The fourth step is to organize these ideas. In the end, you need to decide what action you will take next.
We will use the example of planning your dinner to explain further. Planning your everyday tasks is part of your natural way of thinking.
Choosing the purpose of your dinner is the first step. Do you plan to go out with friends to socialize or to party? Is it a celebration, a date, or a business dinner? The boundaries of this dinner are set by your brain, such as money, services, and food types.
As soon as your purpose is clear, you can envision the outcome. Your mind is now wandering to Italian food, a cafe, or a Chinese restaurant. Imagine the place you've decided to visit now. Watching people go by as you sit next to the window. Even the smell and taste of the food can be remembered.
After you have a clear vision, you start to have some ideas. Unconsciously, your brain starts brainstorming. Your mind wanders to the time when you should leave. Is the place going to be open? How should you dress? Does the car look ready for the trip? So on and so forth.
After this flow of ideas has ended, you can start organizing them. Your plan is to leave the house by eight, go to the restaurant you chose, and then sit down. Wear your black dress with your black heels, and bring your coat because it. Watch the full movie of your dinner play out.
Having planned everything out, you decide to take the first step. Ask your friend out, then make reservations at the restaurant.
You probably didn't realize your brain does this kind of planning all day long. How about using this kind of planning to get things done naturally? It will be less stressful than using a chart or software.
Getting Started: Setting up the Space, Time, and Tools
It is possible to change your life forever by adding a simple trick to your life. In order to achieve extraordinary success, most successful people have incorporated a few tricks.
Taking control of your life requires setting the right time, place, and tools.
It takes at least two days to complete the task. This process can be started over the weekend or on your holiday. You may think this is going to take too long, but the results will pay off right away.
To write down and organize your life, you need a desk. You should install a working station at home even if you have an office at work.
You can use tools to process your thoughts and organize them into the right folder. There are several tools you may need, including papers, paper trays, pencils, post-it notes, a stapler, a calendar, and a computer. Depending on your comfort level, you may use more or fewer tools. How you equip your desk is up to you.
Our goal is to create a space where you can clear your mind of all distractions. Getting to your goal at the right time and place is crucial. An example of how you will use your tools can be using your calendar. Having a calendar ready for use is essential for any organizational system.
As long as you use the calendar correctly, it doesn't matter what type you use. Don't use your calendar to keep track of incomplete tasks you'll never complete. It will only make you feel as if your organizational system is not working. You may give up on the whole process as a result.
As a reminder, a calendar keeps track of specific tasks that need to be done at a particular time, such as doctor's appointments or seminars.
If you want to get organized, you may want to use a hard copy or software. No tool can work alone, regardless of what you use. Integrating multiple tools and using different tricks will help you build a solid organizing system.
The Art of Collection: Organizing Your "Stuff"
You now have all the tools you may need for organizing on your desk. You can begin now.
The first step is to gather everything that needs to be organized. You may need to sort through "stuff" for two to six hours, depending on the amount.
Every room and storage unit in your house needs to be checked. The first step is to gather physical evidence. Look for anything that's lying around without a permanent home. Processing will be required for this type of item. Your in-basket contains it.
The second step is to gather your thoughts. On a piece of paper, write down all your ideas. Every idea should be written down and placed in your in-basket. It is likely that you will have a lot of ideas and projects that you want to do but never have the time to do.
Your desk drawers can be an example of your physical gathering. In our desk drawers, we usually store everything we never use.
Most desk drawers contain files, notes, business cards, pens, and other items that we may never use or need.
Each item needs to be reviewed separately. Make sure you check every business card and note you receive. In your in-basket, put anything you feel is still valuable.
Mental gathering can take the form of personal or professional ideas. Organize your email list, clean your garage, or call someone.
Once you've collected everything that needs to be sorted, you'll have a huge pile of stuff. A basket may not be enough to collect your incomplete items, and you may need a whole room.
Now that you have a clear picture of what needs to be done and where you will be once you get everything organized, you can see what needs to be done. Now that all your incomplete tasks have been completed, you can imagine how focused you will be on your work.
When everything distracting you is gathered in one place and ready for organization, you will feel a sense of power you have never felt before. Your messy life will feel in your control and not the other way around.
Don't get discouraged if collecting your stuff takes time. Once everything is put in its proper place, it will be worth it.
Processing: Getting "In" to Empty
In the previous chapter, you learned how to collect all the incomplete tasks that cause you to feel distracted at work.
When collecting all your things, you should have thrown away the things you don't need. Now it's time to tackle the tasks that will only take two minutes of your time.
When you find a task that someone else should be doing, ask them to do it. Ultimately, you will have tasks that will take more than two minutes to complete. It is possible to further categorize these tasks into simple tasks and larger projects. Planning is usually required for projects.
Always start with your top priority tasks when processing your to-do list. Always complete one item at a time and never leave any task unfinished. Procrastination will distract you again, which is the opposite of what you want.
You may think these tasks are easy and clear right now, but if you don't process them, you'll forget them as soon as you leave the room.
To achieve your goal, you need to write a sentence describing what you need to do.
Let’s take a look at an example of what your list might look like.
Make sure the living room is clean.
The task will require you to write something like "I need to clean the carpet, dust the sofa, and maybe move the table a little to the left."
Manage my email list.
As an example, you might write, "I have to remove useless subscriptions, reply to important emails, delete everything that I don't need, and maybe create different categories.".
Go through my closet.
No one enjoys cleaning their closets. Setting a clear goal will motivate you to achieve it. You may write, "I need to get rid of the clothes I don't need".
Presentation preparation.
Put tasks under projects if they require more than one step to complete. Later on, more planning will be required.
The planning of a presentation, for example, is considered a project. Pick a topic, read a few resources, write your draft, prepare a slideshow, then practice speaking in front of an audience.
Making the best choices for action
It is very important to organize your tasks. This allows you to focus on what you need to do without being distracted by other things. If you don't have a system where you write down every idea and plan for its completion, incomplete tasks will always be a distraction.
Once you've collected all your tasks in one place, categorize them accordingly. Among these categories are your projects, your calendar events, your next action list, your waiting for list, and your someday list.
The tasks on your project list require more than one step to complete. All tasks with a specific due date should be listed on your calendar. Action items will be included in your next action list.
You can use a planner, a folder, or software for your other lists. Regardless of what you decide to use, you must keep each category separate. You don't write the same task in two categories. You will only feel confused and like your system is flawed if you do that.
Let's look at your action lists as an example. It includes all tasks that need to be completed in one sitting, such as home chores, computer tasks, phone calls, and errands.
You can save time and effort by categorizing tasks. If you put all the tasks that require computer use in one folder, you can access it whenever you are free to use your PC and begin working right away.
When you open the "At Computer" folder, you will find everything you need. You will never miss a task or forget anything important this way.
It is even possible to have subcategories. You can have online and offline tasks for your computer. Working from anywhere will be even easier with these categories.
Imagine that you are traveling without access to the internet. Simply open your computer folder on your plane, go to your offline tasks, and start working. Online, you are able to do tasks that require an internet connection, such as answering emails and uploading files.
When you categorize everything, you will be organized, never forget anything important, and always stay on top of your to-do list.
By taking control of your busy life, you will no longer feel stressed.
In conclusion
In today's world, the working field has become an unknown territory. When you take a job today, you're expected to deliver results without knowing exactly what to do.
Your life becomes more complicated every day. You never seem to have enough time to accomplish everything on your to-do list.
There is a solution to these problems in this book. Many successful people have benefited from its organizing method.
As a result of reading this book, you have learned how to deal with new responsibilities in your life. As a result of getting your life organized, you were able to focus more and accomplish more.
By doing physical gathering and mental gathering, you also learned how to organize your life. The process of completing every task in order was even taught to you. It will be easier to organize once you have a system that you trust.
Now that you know everything has been handled, you can focus on your work.
Enjoy a life of hard work and achievement.
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