Your brain is not a filing cabinet. It's time to stop treating it like one.
As a manager, you face a unique challenge: you're responsible not just for your own work, but for enabling the work of others. The mental load is enormous. Commitments, follow-ups, decisions, projects, and meetings all compete for space in your head.
This is where Getting Things Done (GTD) comes in—not as another productivity hack, but as a fundamental shift in how you manage work and attention.
This guide assumes you're familiar with basic GTD concepts. If you're new to GTD, we recommend starting with David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" for the complete methodology.
Why GTD Works for Managers
GTD isn't just another task management system. It's a methodology designed to achieve what David Allen calls "mind like water"—a state of relaxed focus where you can respond appropriately to whatever comes your way.
For managers, this matters because:
- You can't hold everything in your head. The more responsibilities you have, the more your brain becomes a bottleneck.
- Context switching is expensive. Every "oh, I need to remember to..." interrupts your focus.
- Trust enables delegation. When you trust your system, you can truly let go of tasks you've delegated.
The Five Steps of GTD
1. Capture
The first principle is simple: get everything out of your head and into a trusted system.
This means:
- Every task, idea, or commitment goes into your inbox
- Capture immediately—don't trust yourself to remember later
- Use whatever capture method is fastest (voice, text, email)
Helm makes this easy with multiple capture methods: email forwarding, Slack integration, Siri shortcuts, and quick-add from anywhere.
2. Clarify
Processing your inbox is where the magic happens. For each item, ask:
- What is it?
- Is it actionable?
- What's the next physical action?
- Does it belong to a project?
The key insight: decide now what each item means. Your brain shouldn't have to re-process the same item multiple times.
3. Organize
Put items where they belong:
- Today: Actions you've committed to completing today
- Next: Ready actions for when you have time and context
- Waiting: Tasks you've delegated or that are blocked
- Someday: Ideas and possibilities for the future
4. Reflect
Regular reviews keep your system trusted. This includes:
- Daily review: End each day by planning tomorrow
- Weekly review: Comprehensive review of all projects, goals, and open loops
Without reviews, any system degrades. The weekly review is non-negotiable.
5. Engage
With a clear mind and trusted system, you can focus on doing. Choose your actions based on context, time available, energy, and priority.
Ready to implement GTD?
Helm makes GTD implementation effortless for busy managers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Keeping Tasks in Your Head
If you catch yourself thinking "I need to remember to...", that's a signal. Capture it immediately.
2. Skipping the Weekly Review
The weekly review is the engine that keeps GTD running. Skip it, and your system will degrade within days.
3. Making Tasks Too Vague
"Work on project" isn't actionable. "Draft outline for Q2 presentation" is. Every task should be a clear next physical action.
4. Not Using Context Tags
Use contexts to filter your task list based on where you are and what tools you have. Common contexts: @computer, @phone, @office, @home, @waiting.
Getting Started Today
You don't need to implement everything at once. Start with these three steps:
- Set up your inbox. Choose your primary capture method and commit to using it.
- Schedule your first weekly review. Block 60-90 minutes this weekend.
- Process everything currently on your plate. Do a complete "mind sweep" to capture all open loops.
The path to a free mind starts with a single step: getting things out of your head and into a system you trust.
Have questions about implementing GTD? Contact us—we'd love to help.