Podcast Summary: Getting Things Done - Ep. 296: Put Your GTD Skills to the Test

Release Date: February 5, 2025
Hosts: John Forrester & Ana Maria Gonzalez
Featured Community Participants

Overview & Main Purpose

In this interactive skills lab focused on GTD (Getting Things Done), hosts John Forrester and Ana Maria Gonzalez guide listeners and participants through core concepts that underpin advanced and day-to-day GTD practice. The episode zeroes in on two essential frameworks within the "Engage" phase of GTD: the threefold nature of work and the four-criteria model for choosing actions in the moment. Listeners are invited to test their understanding, reflect on their routines, and learn how to put these foundational models to work—whether they’re managing a busy sales pipeline or leading a large team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Context

• Ana Maria shares her GTD journey, emphasizing the continuous, ever-deepening process of practice, even after more than twenty years with David Allen Company.

  “Regardless of the years that I’ve been on this path, I continue to see how it unfolds and how much more I can go deeper with it.” (01:32, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

• The small group format is celebrated for enabling deeper engagement and personal reflection.

2. Learning Objectives for the Session

• Focus on the Engage step of GTD:
  • The threefold nature of work
  • The four-criteria model for choosing actions
  • Interactive learning via quizzes and scenarios

3. The Threefold Nature of Work ([03:33]–[18:55])

Definitions ([04:33]–[07:34])

• Doing predefined work: Actions from lists or calendar—tasks already clarified and organized.

• Doing work as it appears (unplanned work): Addressing new, incoming demands or opportunities as they arise.

• Defining work: Processing ‘inboxes’—clarifying and organizing new inputs.

  “There is most likely a percentage of your day where [unplanned work is] what you are meant to do… It’s dynamic, it’s built-in.” (06:03, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

Debate: 'Closed' vs. 'Open' Systems ([07:34]–[08:52])

• John highlights that some productivity systems discourage unplanned work, but GTD accommodates all categories, recognizing that valuable surprises or genuine emergencies must be handled.

  “What if somebody said, I’d like to hand you a winning lottery ticket today, and you said, nope, give it to someone else. I have my closed list for the day.” (08:12, John Forrester)

Emotional Reaction to Unplanned Work ([09:52]–[14:29])

• Ridwan shares frustration at unplanned work disrupting planned goals, especially in a sales role.

  “It kind of upsets me and then like I had to go back to the people and... renegotiate everything. But I don't leave this sort of buffer space to do these unplanned work.” (11:49, Ridwan, participant)

• Ana Maria's advice:

  • Build daily ‘buffer’ space into the schedule for the unexpected.

    “If we schedule ourselves for more than 40% of our time, we’re going to start falling behind... Smart to have some windows of opportunity or open space.” (12:56, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

  • “There are no interruptions, there are only mismanaged inputs.” — quoting David Allen

Unplanned Work Can Be High Priority ([14:48]–[18:55])

• John’s story: Accepting an unplanned dinner led to a life-changing job offer.

  “Unplanned work can often be a higher priority. It's always up to us to decide whether it is or not.” (16:20, John Forrester)

• Ana Maria: The ability to evaluate priority depends on having a current and complete system.

  “A system is not a system until it's current, complete, and consistent.” (17:16, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

4. Practice Scenarios on the Threefold Model ([19:25]–[25:14])

• Scenarios examine roles such as a receptionist (mostly “unplanned work”) and a senior manager (split between defining work and unplanned work).
• Nuanced situations reveal that roles may require balancing more than one aspect, and defining work is often foundational for higher-level planning.

  “Leaving that buffer is very important regardless, particularly in a situation where you are the leader of a team.” (24:02, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

5. Self-Reflection Exercise ([25:16]–[28:22])

• Listeners are prompted to rate themselves (1–10) on balancing the threefold model in their own roles.
  • Consider where more time is spent than should be, and where not enough time is spent.
  • Many participants recognize opportunities for change.

6. Four Criteria Model for Choosing Action in the Moment ([28:23]–[47:10])

What Are the Four Criteria?

• Context (where you are/what tools/resources are available)

• Time available

• Energy available

• Priority

• A quiz clarifies that “time of day” isn’t itself a criterion (though it sometimes correlates with energy or calendar scheduling).

  “Time of day could be an element for calendar, but not for your next actions list.” (29:54, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

Sequence Matters

• Context comes first:

  “You know you’re limited by where your body is. Yes, I would love to be shopping cheese in Amsterdam, but I happen to be in Retiro, Colombia…” (34:11, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

• Organize actions lists by context to avoid cognitive overload; only review tasks possible in your current situation.

Priority Comes Last ([38:01]–[43:42])

• Because if you can’t do something due to location, time, or energy constraints, its priority is irrelevant until those are met.

  • Pre-prioritization is error-prone.

  “Pre-prioritizing is what I think could certainly be an error in approach.” (41:17, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

  • Instead, let priorities emerge during review, especially after regular weekly reviews.

• John recounts how priorities are fluid and cannot always be anticipated:

  “There’s too much information coming at all of us to think… we know in advance what will have our priority a week from now.” (43:22, John Forrester)

Role of Intuition

• While higher-level reviews inform decision-making, often the choice of next action is an intuitive hit, enabled by a trusted, up-to-date system.

  “Getting Things Done… helps a lot in fine tuning our listening, in fine tuning our internal, our intuition, our gut feeling, that part inside of us that always knows.” (44:37, Ana Maria Gonzalez)

7. Personal Growth & Revisiting the Fundamentals ([47:10])

• David Allen (recorded message): GTD cycles through phases—initial learning, plateau, and deeper re-engagement as new needs or insights arise.

  “Many people have read Getting Things Done more than three or four times, and every time they read it, they get something new out of it.” (47:54, David Allen)

• Encourages returning to GTD resources (like GTD Connect) regularly, as each pass through the material yields new understanding and supports ongoing mastery.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “If we schedule ourselves for more than 40% of our time, we're going to start falling behind...” (12:56, Ana Maria Gonzalez)
• “There are no interruptions, there are only mismanaged inputs.” (13:47, attributed to David Allen)
• “Unplanned work can often be a higher priority. It’s always up to us to decide whether it is or not.” (16:20, John Forrester)
• “A system is not a system until it's current, complete and consistent.” (17:16, Ana Maria Gonzalez)
• “Pre-prioritizing is what I think could certainly be an error in approach.” (41:17, Ana Maria Gonzalez)
• “There's too much information coming at all of us... to think that we know in advance what will have our priority a week from now.” (43:22, John Forrester)
• “GTD… helps a lot in fine tuning our listening... our intuition, our gut feeling, that part inside of us that always knows.” (44:37, Ana Maria Gonzalez)
• “Many people have read Getting Things Done more than three or four times, and every time they read it, they get something new out of it.” (47:54, David Allen)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:10–02:20 — Intro, hosts' backgrounds, framing the skills lab
• 03:00 — Overview of learning objectives
• 04:33–08:52 — The threefold nature of work explained, and open vs. closed systems
• 09:52–12:44 — Emotional reactions to unplanned work
• 14:48–18:55 — Unplanned work as high priority, personal stories
• 19:25–25:14 — Practice scenarios on threefold work
• 25:16–28:22 — Self-reflection exercise
• 28:23–30:58 — Four criteria for choosing actions, quiz and discussion
• 33:09–36:57 — Why context is first, list organization
• 38:01–43:42 — Why priority is last, pre-prioritization pitfalls
• 44:37–46:59 — The role of intuition and higher horizons
• 47:10–end — David Allen’s message: the value of revisiting GTD fundamentals

Takeaways for GTD Practitioners

• Mastery is ongoing—keep revisiting the models, reflecting on your routines, and updating your systems.
• Maintaining current, complete, and consistent systems enables better judgment and fluid engagement.
• The frameworks (threefold nature and four-criteria model) are not just theory—they shape how you respond to real-world challenges and opportunities.
• Flexibility, regular review, and a bit of self-forgiveness are integral parts of sustained GTD success.

Final Note

This episode expertly balances deep-dive GTD methodology with practical, relatable stories and active learning. It’s essential listening for any GTD practitioner looking to sharpen their skill set and reflect on how their workflow choices enable stress-free productivity.