Making It All Work

In this summary you will learn

• How to use the “Getting Things Done” (GTD) organizational method
• How to gain perspective with the help of the five stages of control and the “horizons of focus”
• How to take control of your life and time, and stay focused

getAbstract rating

Why you should read Making It All Work

David Allen’s bestseller Getting Things Done (GTD) taught readers how to gain “focus, control and perspective.” Simply put, this theory taught that if you organize your catalog of commitments and review it systematically, that process will relieve you of the stress and burden of having a chaotic to-do list constantly tugging at your consciousness. This positive self-management approach frees you to tap into your highest capabilities and experience true fulfillment. While the GTD method has attracted an international following, this follow-up doesn’t quite bring it to the next level. Although it is coherent, cohesive and accessible, it relies a good bit on repetition and rehashes a lot of the original work, particularly in the first two chapters, where Allen sells the system. However, for followers who can’t get enough of GTD, and for those who don’t know it yet and hope to get organized, getAbstract recommends Allen’s latest read, particularly the chapters where he articulates the five stages of control and the “horizons of focus.”

About the Author

David Allen is the author of the bestseller Getting Things Done. He is founder and president of a management, coaching and consulting group.