Getting Things Done

David Allen's capture-clarify-organize loop gives a trusted inbox, next actions, and a weekly review.

Key Concept

• GTD is David Allen's capture-clarify-organize loop for a trusted inbox, next actions, and weekly review.
• Level 1: Empty your mind into a tray, pick the next step, sort it, review weekly - like clearing pockets into boxes.
• Level 2: GTD is like plumbing for open loops - capture, clarify, organize, review weekly so trust returns when tasks leave your head.
• Level 3: Because open loops drain attention, capture and weekly review return trust to the system instead of rehearsing the same worry nightly.
• Level 4: Capture everything on your mind today, clarify the next action for each item, and schedule weekly review - separate tasks from notes if PARA owns the note lane.
• Level 5: GTD vs PARA splits tasks from notes - Allen owns the task side; tasks and notes live in separate systems when PARA Method holds the reference layer.
• GTD vs PARA splits tasks from notes; Allen owns the task side.
• Tasks and notes live in separate systems - capture and weekly review own the task lane.
• Allen's task-inbox system: capture everything, clarify next actions, trust the weekly review.

Examples

• Tournament week and the brain is not a filing cabinet - GTD is one trusted inbox and a weekly review so open loops live on paper, not at 2am.
• Commute errands and neighbor requests hit one pocket notebook - each item gets a next action so nothing rots as background worry.

Note Relationships