Podcast Summary: Getting Things Done – Ep. 328: GTD List Manager with Emacs

Air Date: September 17, 2025
Host: John Forrester
Guest: Matt M.

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between John Forrester and Matt M., a software engineer and longtime GTD (Getting Things Done) practitioner. Matt shares his journey from discovering GTD as a high school student to creating one of the most customized GTD systems ever seen—built on the text editor Emacs. The episode combines practical GTD principles with deep technical insights on using, adapting, and extending Emacs (especially Org Mode) for managing complex, personal productivity workflows. The conversation also highlights broader lessons about system customization, GTD tool choices, and maintaining flexibility over time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Matt's GTD Origin Story

[01:03–06:08]

• Matt first encountered GTD in 2015 while in high school, searching for ways to learn faster and reduce stress.

• GTD became a necessity as his responsibilities grew as a software engineer.

• Initial struggle with contexts and tools (e.g., Omnifocus) led him to read all of David Allen’s books.

  “GTD is like programming for life.”
  – Matt M., [06:08]

• Matt self-describes as someone who sought systems and structure for personal management from an unusually young age.

2. Emacs: The Ultimate Customizable Tool

[06:34–12:12]

• Emacs, short for "editor macros," is introduced as the backbone of Matt's customized GTD system.

• While often labeled a “text editor,” Emacs is better understood as an “operating system for text, extensible to the nth degree.”

• The system leverages Emacs' vast package ecosystem, especially Org Mode, and custom Elisp development for productivity needs.

  “Once you get past that learning curve, you quickly realize how awful everything else is by comparison.”
  – Matt M., [07:33]

• Discussion about Lisp programming and Emacs’ unique flexibility compared to modern languages.

3. Demonstration: Matt’s GTD System in Emacs

[12:12–29:19]

• Matt demonstrates his “demo” Emacs-GTD setup, explaining both interface and philosophy:

  • Icons, menus, and custom commands for capturing entries, organizing, reflecting, and engaging.
  • Multiple capture modes (quick capture, minesweep, creating actions/projects/calendar events/notes/routines).
  • Focus on keyboard shortcuts for speed, while acknowledging Emacs' legendary complexity.

  “I started making my own GTD application in 2018 ... this is version like 400 of my software.”
  – Matt M., [12:41]

• Inbox Processing: Items are quickly captured and then classified through a custom menu, guiding the user through the “Clarify” process, with options for Next Action, Project, Deferred item, Someday/Maybe, etc.

• System Flexibility:

  • Context, tags, priorities, agendas are all customizable via a JSON properties file ([25:12–27:30]).
  • The system supports linking any item to any other item: projects, actions, calendar events, notes.
  • “Today view” for focused daily work that persists until cleared (unlike Microsoft To Do).

4. Review and Reflection Features

[18:17–22:42, 29:19–32:00]

• Built-in Weekly Review checklist per David Allen’s recommendations.

• Progress tracking throughout the review: “You’re 33% through your review.”

• Support for custom review cadences and historical tracking.

  “You can link to anything else in the system ... That is something I'm really proud of creating.”
  – Matt M., [19:19]

• Multiple “views” (filtered lists) available from a sidebar, e.g.: Inbox, Projects, Actions by context, Agendas, Deadlines, Waiting For, Tickler, Someday/Maybe.

• Visual calendar integration, allowing for detailed planning of deferred and due dates.

5. Daily Workflow: Capture, Clarify, Organize, and Engage

[22:42–44:44]

Hands-on example:

• Capturing an action ("clean out my kitchen cabinet above my countertop") → clarify (next action) → assign context ("home") → auto-sorted to the action list.

• Contexts are user-defined in properties; easy to add/edit agendas and link notes or reference material to any task.

  “There’s a difference between a GTD list and a GTD view: a list is just a plain text file, a view is a special filtered, grouped display based on your workflow logic.”
  – Matt M., [27:33]

Advanced navigation:

• Sidebar “View Navigator” includes a mini-calendar; clicking calendar brings up a full, interactive calendar for deferred/due dates.
• Actions, Projects, and Next Actions all visible in grouped, color-coded views.
• Ability to hyperfocus, e.g., “Show all actions at home” with a single command ([35:52]).

6. Contextual Linkages and Notes

[35:52–44:44]

• Creating notes and linking them to actions or projects is seamless and bi-directional if needed.
• Detailed example: Capturing an agenda with “Janet,” adding a note with ideas, linking references for easy pulling up during meetings.
• Jotter functionality mimics “back of the envelope” note-taking for quick brainstorms during meetings ([44:44]).

7. Advanced Features: Tickler, Someday/Maybe, Horizons of Focus

[44:44–53:09]

• Tickler: Set specific future dates for incubation (“Look into ChatGPT and LLMs on May 15”).

• Someday/Maybe and Tickler views are unified for simplicity.

• Horizons of Focus are managed as simple, ad-hoc text files—editable, linkable, but not over-structured.

  • All levels present, from Life Purpose down to Projects and Next Actions.

  “You may want vertical linkage of everything—but only if you want to go to all that effort.”
  – John Forrester, [51:41]

• Clear distinction between “on hold/inactive” and “active” projects in views.

8. Broader GTD Lessons (with David Allen’s Message)

[53:09–end]

• David Allen (pre-recorded) reminds listeners that their GTD practice will go through cycles:

  • Initial inspiration and information overload.
  • Plateau/stabilization and then becoming a resource for others.
  • The value of revisiting the GTD “manual” over time.

  “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.”
  – David Allen, [~54:00]

• Connect is described as a “gold mine” to dip into for new layers of insight.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "GTD is like programming for life."
  – Matt M., [06:08]

• "Once you get past that learning curve, you quickly realize how awful everything else is by comparison."
  – Matt M., [07:33]

• "I started making my own GTD application in 2018 ... this is version like 400 of my software."
  – Matt M., [12:41]

• "There's a difference between a GTD list and a GTD view: a list is just a plain text file, a view is a special filtered, grouped display based on your workflow logic."
  – Matt M., [27:33]

• "You can link to anything else in the system ... That is something I'm really proud of creating."
  – Matt M., [19:19]

• "You may want vertical linkage of everything—but only if you want to go to all that effort."
  – John Forrester, [51:41]

• "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."
  – David Allen, [~54:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:03] – Matt's GTD discovery and early adoption
• [06:34] – Emacs as a GTD tool: power and philosophy
• [12:12] – Start of live demo of customized Emacs-GTD system
• [19:19] – Linking functionality and pride in customization
• [22:42] – How to process and clarify inbox items in the system
• [27:33] – Difference between lists and views in Matt’s Emacs system
• [29:19] – Visual navigation: sidebar and calendars
• [35:52] – Focused context views for actionable next steps
• [44:44] – Jotter function; quick notes during meetings
• [47:15] – Tickler and Someday/Maybe explained and demonstrated
• [50:32] – Horizons of Focus management in Emacs
• [53:09] – David Allen’s closing message on GTD cycles and learning

Tone & Style

Conversational, geeky, and friendly. Matt’s enthusiasm and deep technical expertise shine, matched by John’s genuine curiosity and ability to anchor the discussion in practical GTD principles. The episode is a hands-on masterclass in the intersection of personal productivity and software customization, peppered with humor and relatable anecdotes of the GTD learning journey.

For New Listeners...

If you’re considering building a truly personalized GTD system or are interested in how far you can push Emacs and Org Mode for workflow management, this episode is a gold mine of practical inspiration and technical detail. Even non-Emacs users will discover valuable lessons about process, customization, and the lifelong evolution of GTD practice.