19 POWERFUL IDEAS FROM ”GETTING THINGS DONE” BY DAVID ALLEN 

1. If you’re waiting to have a good idea before you have any ideas, you won’t have many.”

2. “Often the only way to make a hard decision is to come back to the purpose of what you’re doing.” 

3. If you’re not sure why you’re doing something, you can never do enough of it.”

4. “One of the most powerful life skills and one of the most important to hone and develop for both professional and personal success is creating clear outcomes.” 

5. If a project is still on your mind, there’s more thinking required.”

6. “The big secret to efficient creative and productive thinking and action is to put the right things in your focus at the right time.” 

7. One of the best tricks for enhancing your productivity is having organizing tools you love to use.”

8. “Until you’ve captured everything that has your attention, some part of you will still not totally trust that you’re working with the whole picture of your world.” 

9. You can only feel good about what you’re not doing when you know everything you’re not doing.”

10. “Your best thoughts about work won’t happen while you’re at work.” 

11. The world itself is never overwhelmed or confused—only we are, due to how we are engaged with it.”

12. Allen recommends to always keep an inventory of things that need to be done that require very little mental or creative horsepower. 

13. One of the best ways to increase your energy is to close some of your loops.”

14. “It is impossible to feel good about your choices unless you are clear about what your work really is.” 

15. There are no interruptions—there are only mismanaged inputs.”

16. “Handle what has your attention and you’ll then discover what really has your attention.” 

17. Allen believes the most important thing to deal with is whatever is most on your mind.

18. “If you’re not totally sure what your job is, it will always feel overwhelming.” 

19. “When you’re not sure where you’re going or what’s really important to you, you’ll never know enough.”