Customer Reviews: Read 472 more reviews...
 My two-cents November 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a very poorly written, poorly edited, dare I say disorganized book that contains some very good ideas. It will make your head hurt to read. However, some of the information is very useful.
 Brilliant action management book November 24, 2008
David Allen did something very different with Getting Things Done. One the surface, it is just like any other productivity system. You have things to do (Next Actions) and you need to do them. David's system gives you mental hints on when/where you should be doing them, and which thing you should be doing next.
It's less about what is the highest priority item, it is more about what is the highest priority item at this exact moment, with the tools you have at hand, and in the mood you are in.
I enjoyed the paperback version so much that I also bought a eBook copy to keep on my phone, for review at all times.
I'm looking forward to his next book coming out this winter.
Very Helpful November 24, 2008
I have had my department expanded and really needed to "get organized". This book was a great help in getting started. It has some simple ways to get through the daily "stuff" we all deal with. My daily routine has become more organized and I have a clearer idea of my plan of action.
will help you radically reduce the clutter and 'must do' projects in your life November 23, 2008
Why Bother?: Maybe you will find it as useful as I have and throw out your todo lists, day planners and scraps of paper on your nightstand. This simply-titled book started something of a revolution in the tame world of personal organization. In the words of an article in Wired, Allen inspired a "new cult for the information age".
Core ideas: The inspiration for this book was a realization by Allen that until the `information age' most people worked at jobs where achieved tangible outcomes such as building a house, cooking a meal or healing a patient. Today, the typical information worker rarely gets that feeling of accomplishment. Even people working in traditional occupations suffer from this malise: a vague and constant feeling that there is something you need to get done though you are not sure where to start, nor if you are making progress once you do.
Allen devised a simple system that allows people to get all of that stuff out of their head. He discourages priority based todo list. A lot of the stuff we worry about is the little stuff, such as the birthday present to buy for a relative or a library book to return. The first step is to throw all of that "stuff", no matter how minute or mundane, into a "bucket". These are then filed into folders with tangible, well-defined outcomes, thrown away or saved for reference. There is a lot more to his system and Wikipedia does a fairly good job of explaining it. Or if you prefer a hands-on introduction to his system over reading about it, install ThinkingRock.
Visit my site for more reviews: http://softwareandresearch.com/blog/?cat=16
 Good Information For Those New To The Subject November 23, 2008
I'm glad I bought the condensed version (audio download) of this, because the information presented is the same information given those of us who first learned to multi-task and otherwise become insanely effective twenty-five years ago with Stephen Covey.
It's great, valid material . . . if you haven't already read or otherwise obtained productivity information elsewhere. If you're an old hand at this and are looking for something new, however, you won't find it here.
And even for those who are clueless about organization, productivity, attaining goals, etc., I recommend the abridged version. I've flipped through the book at Border's, and there appears to be a lot of repitition, unnecessary filler, and other padding that isn't necessary. Anyone with half a brain (and if you're reading this, I'm sure that's you) can figure out how to set up a workable program from the condensed version.
|
