A Tale of Two Children

A Tale of Two Children

Any parent with more than one child knows that however identically you think you treat them, kids grow up completely different to each other. It’s a humbling realisation, how little influence you really have. I have two children who have moved through high school two...
Are You Talking To Me?

Are You Talking To Me?

Robert De Niro asks a very important GTD® question with his famous quote in the movie ‘Taxi Driver’. “Are you talking to me?” You wouldn’t believe how many projects are found on lists that don’t ‘talk’ to their owners. First of all, some project names don’t talk to...
Checklists Under Stress

Checklists Under Stress

Written by Kelly Forrister; Senior Coach and Presenter at the David Allen Company. I’ve been practicing and teaching David Allen’s productivity methods for over 25 years. I consider myself pretty organised and minimalist in the way I live (so much so that someone...
Il Camino

Il Camino

For the fourth year in a row I’m out walking Il Camino, the pilgrimage in Spain. It is an amazing experience, but the connection to GTD® might not be obvious. Still, apart from the obvious checklist for all the things I want to bring – ranging from walking boots to...
Are Your Lists Making You Lazy?

Are Your Lists Making You Lazy?

Are you lazy? If you’re reading this, probably not. As my colleague Todd Brown explains over on our YouTube channel, GTD® tends to attract people who are already motivated and successful. To paraphrase Steve Jobs, GTDers are usually folks who are looking to put a dent...
In Praise of the Short Sub-List

In Praise of the Short Sub-List

In their newfound enthusiasm for discovering the freedom and relief of getting everything out of their head, journeymen GTD® practitioners can fall into the trap of believing that small lists are inherently bad. Indeed, David Allen, creator of the Getting Things Done®...
Aristotle helps you with your iPhone

Aristotle helps you with your iPhone

In the week that the latest iPhones were launched, I’d like to encourage you to take a mental journey back to classical Greece, for some helpful advice about modern life. Those of you who have been reading my blogs for a while will know that I’m a history buff, and in...
Eat your greens

Eat your greens

“They’re good for you.” <Sound of silence.> “You won’t get any dessert.” <Look of daggers.> “JUST EAT THEM!” It’s a familiar mealtime scenario. Children and parents in a stand-off over vegetables. Eventually, though, point-blank refusal turns to grudging...
Going beyond the basic checklist

Going beyond the basic checklist

Scott Walker (not his real name) is a good friend of mine. He has nine black belts. Note, they are not in Judo or some other martial art. They have been acquired as a result of arriving at a hotel, looking for a belt for his trousers, and realising that it was still...
How to run a Reggae night

How to run a Reggae night

In his own words he looks like an accountant or a dentist, so how did an English gent from the Cotswolds become the undisputed world champion of the Reggae soundclash, a gladiatorial arena where DJs compete track-by-track to win the crowd, and only the brave survive?...
Surprised? You Should Be! (Now Here’s How to Cope)

Surprised? You Should Be! (Now Here’s How to Cope)

If you are not regularly surprised by new input in your life and work, it may well be that you’ve sunk into a rut. Still, you may find surprises derailing –especially if you are working at capacity, unclear about your goals, or unwilling to compromise to account...