Is GTD (Getting Things Done) Still Relevant?

Dave, The Notion Coach
9 min readNov 7, 2023

In an era where productivity tools emerge at the speed of thought, and AI is turning the tables on how much individuals can accomplish, Getting Things Done (GTD), a time-tested methodology devised by David Allen, stands as a beacon of organized efficiency.

But is GTD still relevant in a high-velocity business environment, especially within high-growth startups?

GTD was one of the first productivity books I read, and it was transformational in how individuals and teams can manage tasks, define goals, and tie everything together along the way.

But a lot has changed since I read it back in 2014, and definitely since its original publishing in 2001.

GTD’s Five Core Principles Revisited

We (1) capture what has our attention;
(2) clarify what each item means and what to do about it;
(3) organize the results, which presents the options we
(4) reflect on, which we then choose to
(5) engage with.

– David Allen

If you haven’t read Getting Things Done (or you’re a little rusty), here’s a little refresher. There are five core principles covered in the book:

Capture: Collecting What Has Your Attention

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Dave, The Notion Coach

Notion Consultant and Productivity Specialist. Sharing advice to optimize operations and unlock team potential with Notion.