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“Getting Things Done” by David Allen is a productivity and time management book that provides a comprehensive system for managing tasks, projects, and information. Here are the key takeaways from the book:

1. Capture Everything: Allen emphasizes the importance of capturing all your thoughts, tasks, and ideas in an external system to free your mind for more productive thinking. Use inboxes, notebooks, or digital tools to capture everything.
2. Clarify and Process: Once you’ve captured everything, process each item to determine what action is required. Is it actionable? If so, decide if it takes less than two minutes to complete. If not, delegate it, defer it, or put it on a project list.
3. Organize with Lists: Organize your tasks into lists or categories. Allen recommends using a system of lists, such as “Next Actions,” “Projects,” and “Someday/Maybe.” Keep your lists updated and organized.
4. Prioritize: Determine what tasks are most important and need to be done first. Use criteria like context, time available, and energy level to prioritize effectively.
5. Use a Calendar: Schedule appointments and events on your calendar, and also include time blocks for focused work on specific tasks. This helps you allocate time for important actions.
6. Regular Reviews: Perform weekly and regular reviews of your tasks and projects to ensure that your system is up to date. This is a critical step in staying organized and making informed choices.
7. Contextual Lists: Create lists based on the context in which tasks can be completed. For example, you might have a “Phone Calls” list or a “Errands” list to group similar tasks together.
8. Organize Reference Material: Develop a system for organizing reference materials and information so that you can access what you need quickly. Use physical files or digital tools for reference materials.
9. Reduce Mental Clutter: By consistently using the GTD system, you reduce mental clutter and anxiety, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
10. Control and Perspective: GTD gives you a sense of control over your tasks and projects while providing a perspective on your overall goals and priorities.

“Getting Things Done” offers a practical and flexible approach to managing tasks and achieving productivity. By implementing the GTD system, individuals can reduce stress, become more organized, and focus on what matters most in both personal and professional life.

8 Tips From Disability Research for Getting Things Done
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/disability-is-diversity/202211/8-tips-disability-research-getting-things-done

1. Use time blocking.  Paul J. Silvia, recommends scheduling a regular block of time each day for your work and keeping a steady, sustainable pace. Ideally, it should strike a balance between a time when your energy is best for the type of work you do and a time that fits with your other responsibilities. That time can include anything you need to do to move a project closer to completion. Sometimes this means staring blankly and thinking through ideas; other times it means writing in a flow state. Either one should be met with pride and self-compassion.
2. Schedule time off. The benefit of time blocking is that it builds in rest time. Looking forward to that time off allows me to experience anticipatory savoring in addition to the pleasure of rest.
3. A to-do list keeps track of your tasks so your brain doesn’t have to. Free up your working memory by writing it all down. I use a simple notes app on my phone, Google Keep, so I can jot something down whenever I think of it.Facing a long to-do list or a big task can be so overwhelming you can’t even start. Break a big project into small, manageable chunks on a separate, smaller to-do list. That means you eventually get to check off more things from your list and get a dopamine hit for each one!
4. Triage. There will always be lots of things on your to-do list, and you have to prioritize the things that are most important to your goals. Some of the most meaningful work may be long-term research or writing projects that don’t have concrete due dates. Be sure to prioritize these things for your butt-in-chair time.
5. Itinerate.  It is much easier to edit something into good shape than to write it in good shape the first time around. Save a new version of your work each day or use a cloud-based storage system that does this automatically. You can easily go back to a previous version if you need to.
6. Batch your emails. I get an overwhelming amount of email each day. Most emails are not truly urgent; they can wait a few hours. I’ve turned off my email notifications and only check it a few times, and only during my workday, allowing for blocks of uninterrupted work time. This prevents divided attention, task switching, and distractions, which can be especially challenging for neurodiverse people.
7. Inbox zero every day. When I check email in batches, I immediately remove it from my inbox with one of three actions. First, I archive as much as I can straight away. If the message can be answered or acted upon within a couple of minutes, I do it then. If it will require more time, I move it to a “snoozed” folder. Once every day or two, during a time not in my writing block, I tackle my “snoozed” folder like a to-do list.
8. Don’t fall into ableist traps about productivity. Productivity culture can be quite ableist, equating labor with worth. Getting things done looks different for everyone; don’t measure yourself against others’ standards. Use these tips to do the things you value most, which may or may not be the same as your work.