Books>Business, Finance & Law>Careers>Job Hunting>
Job Hunting Search Job Hunting Job HuntingGetting Things Done: How to Achieve Stress-free Productivity
Piatkus Books Search Piatkus Books by David Allen Search David Allen
Amazon.co.uk Review
With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow", "mind like water", and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance.
Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-dos clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organised, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru", suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech sabre known as the mobile phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.)
As whole-life-organising systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk. The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket".
That's where the processing and prioritising begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's common sense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment. Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belaboured, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to football mums (who, we all know, are more organised than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy
Customer Reviews:
Review
I liked very much this book. Most of the topics are mainly common sense, and David Allen teaches you how to make a plan based on what your life really is.
A life-changing experience. Really.
I usually dislike over-enthusiastic slogans, which too often don't mean much really.
In this case though, never have comments such as "life-changing", "fantastic", "essential" been more appropriate.
Basically, the GTD approach to things will make you effortlessly change your direct environment and the way you consider and manage your everyday tasks.
From there, and before you know it, the way you envision and address the really important things in life (such as family, career, changing home, health etc) will be completely changed - for the better: more hands-on, dynamic, and also relaxed and easy.
I also recommend reading Ready For Anything, by the same author, after having read this book.
An excellent method of organising your life
I was first introduced to the principles of GTD when, after a period of extreme stress at work, a friend recommended this book and the approach it takes to helping us to manage things better, with less stress and anxiety. During this period, everything seemed just too much - overwhelmed as I was with e-mails and conflicting demands. Working long hours and commuting long distances only added to the problem, for it's always more difficult to manage things when tired and fatigued.
The book itself if comprehensive, yet written in a friendly style that everyone can relate to. Admittedly, not all of the approaches are appropriate to all of us, and for me I skimmed over certain sections of the book as they weren't relevant to my circumstances.
That said, I have now implemented all the approaches the author has suggested, and the results have been dramatic for what was, really, very little effort it has to be said. I now have control over all my projects, and I no longer feel stressed. My boss has noticed the difference, and all in all, I'm pleased with the result.
A good read and highly recommended.
Job Done
What can I say? David Allen talks sense. Once you understand the system, which is pretty basic, but different from traditional management techniques, you'll find it liberating. What makes us more disorganised is the not knowing what to do next. With this system, you always know what your next step will be - for everything.
an amazing tool for today's competitive time 
this book is vital tool for today's hectic and competitive life. i have gifted atleast 10 of this book to friends and family. GTD isnt book actually its whole system and thinking pattern. David done extensive work on this concept and he got lots of plug in kind of software and templates to achieve desire result of this productivity plan.
i recommand this book to anyone who lives professional life with life long goal to achieve most in life.
good luck:)
Listmania Lists:
Books I read in 2005 (Part Two)
My favourite personal finance and non-fiction books
For product specialists
Great stuff
I'd Buy Again
Real-world software development (whilst staying sane)
Starting System Administration
Recommended Reading
Most Popular Procrastination Books
Most Popular Time Management Books
RELATED:
Getting Things Done: How to Achieve Stress-free Productivity & More...
related blog:
My Recommended Books - Windows Live
ISBN: 0749922648. My method of choice for dealing with "information overload" and simply making sure days *aren't* spent panicking about what needs to be done, and never getting anything done! Simple and effective advice. ...
http://cid-bdc5d8cc9bea292b.profile.live.com/Lists/cns!BDC5D8CC9BEA292B!648/
reccomended books on management
getting things done. david allen. http://www.amazon.co.uk/getting-things-done-stress-free-productivity/dp/0749922648/ref=sr_1_1?ie=utf8&s=books&qid=1243953777&sr=1-1.
http://www.webmarketingadvisor.com/SEO-blog/reccomended-books-on-management#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss
tracks
... lately getting through [getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/asin/0749922648/qid=1114626476/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-4789491-9030823), 250+ pages of management babble. ...
http://www.neverendingbooks.org/index.php?p=104
7/10 - getting things done by david allen (29/06/06)
isbn: 0749922648. publisher: piatkus books inspired/suggested by: wishlist item that i read through a bookring. book jacket: 'it's possible for a person to have anoverwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with ...
http://nia-daemonwolf.livejournal.com/148691.html
only 24 hours in a day...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/getting-things-done-stress-free-productivity/dp/0749922648/ref=sr_1_1?ie=utf8&s=books&qid=1214381882&sr=8-1. in conclusion, were stuck with 24 hours in a day, so learn to manage your time as best as possible.
http://lastcoderstanding.blogspot.com/2008/06/only-24-hours-in-day.html
getting things done
0749922648.jpg. i am giving myself 10 years to adapt to the system and integrate the principles more fully into my life. i think that is realistic - as someone once said 'people generally overestimate what can be achieved in the short ...
http://www.sanctuary-westminster.org/blogs/jonathan/?p=300
2984: david allen ”getting things done”
titel: getting things done: how to achieve stress-free productivity: författare: david allen: isbn: 0749922648: förlag: piatkus: utgiven: 2001 (utgåvan 2006): format: storpocket: utläst (var, datum): 2006-11-14: bktjd: 2984: köpt: ...
http://2652.se/2006/11/2984-david-allen-getting-things-done/
david allen: getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity
title: getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity. date added: 2009/02/22. publisher: piatkus books. date published: 2002-01-24. pages: 282. published in: english. asin: 0749922648. giver: lbnblbnb (united kingdom) ...
http://www.bookmooch.com/detail/0749922648
getting things done
getting things done myバインダーへ追加. getting things done 保留状態で脳にたまっている「やるべきこと」を、巧妙なファイルとやることリストにダウンロードする完全なシステムを提供。心を解放し、今やっている作業に集中できるようにしてくれる。 ...
http://mediamarker.net/media/0/?asin=0749922648
