I picked up this book after reading the Sprint book by Jake Knapp. Knapp said in his book that Getting Things Done was one of the book for future reading, so I went ahead and starting reading Getting Things Done after finishing the Sprint book.

The author, David Allen, stressed that Getting Things Done (GTD) can be read as a reference book by picking topics that the reader is interested or can be read from beginning to the end. I read it from the beginning to the end and I definitely will use it as a reference book as I am implementing the GTD method for personal and professional work.

I hoped I read this book before I was introduced to different organization software such as Evernote, Inbox by Gmail, or Asana.

When I started using Evernote, Inbox by Gmail, and Asana, I had a hard time understanding how to use them. When I was going through GTD, these software started to make sense.

For example, every projects in your Evernote is basically a notebook. As you were doing research or receiving email, organize them into each notebook for immediate use or future reference.

Every incoming email is basically a to do job. In Inbox by Gmail, if the incoming email can be done in 2 minutes, do it. If not, set it to late time by snoozing it and set it at the time I felt I can do it. If it's someone else's job, forward it to the appropriate person. If the task is something I will do in the future but no time limitation, just snooze it without setting a date. It's a reference? Put it to Evernote. It's an useless email? Delete it or archive it.

In Asana, set the goal (or I like to call "end game") and layout the steps needed to take to accomplish them.

I wish I had the knowledge of GTD before I have the tools. Now the tools all make sense and I wish the GTD method will help me be a better person at time management and a team player.