How to Get Things Done the Stress-Free Way

Simplify, organize, thrive!

During my 15 years in the software industry, I have worked in many different companies with different cultures and met new people.

I still remember the day I got my first job and how excited I was.

Even before I got over the joy and excitement of the new project, I soon felt pressured to deliver my work.

Starting a new side hustle is exciting and challenging in equal measure.

It brings with it unique and unforeseen challenges.

Like most of you, I have tried many side hustles and failed miserably at some.

For entrepreneurs, it could be developing a product or start-up that solves people’s problems.

We are constantly bombarded with endless information on the internet.

We must constantly improve our work skills to stay relevant in this fast-paced world.

Then there are the processes, systems, software, and so on.

Constant pressure from one thing or another keeps us stressed and busy, significantly affecting our mental health and productivity at work.

According to research, 83% of Americans experience work-related stress every day.

Stress and anxiety are among the most common challenges in the workplace.

It is important that we combat the symptoms of stress and anxiety through appropriate lifestyle choices and strategies.

It is about reducing the pressure of information overload and responsibilities related to work and personal life and increasing overall productivity.

You may already be aware of the negative consequences of stress, such as burnout, low morale, and absenteeism.

Another major factor affecting our productivity is information overload due to how we consume information in the internet and social media age.

According to medical research, information overload is linked to burnout and various health complaints.

It is associated with serious performance issues, particularly disruptions, interruptions, and the quality of an individual’s decisions.

We need strategies to manage our daily tasks and responsibilities to grasp all these external factors that affect our health and productivity.

How to get things done

We are drowning in the chaos of overwhelming information and work.

I greatly admire David Allen’s most popular book from the early days of millennials, “Getting Things Done.”

In the book, David Allen outlines the roadmap for streamlining our lives through time management and stress-free productivity hacks in this chaotic and modern world.

Allen emphasizes the need to revolutionize traditional time management methods for optimal productivity.

The strategies he shares could save the people of our generation.

Clearing the mental clutter

David’s productivity method works according to the simple but effective principle: “Do it, delegate it, postpone it, do not do it.”

Our brain is like a messy room that is constantly cluttered with ideas, problems, solutions, tasks, and responsibilities.

The chaos we create in our heads hurts our productivity and efficiency in getting work done.

To eliminate the clutter in our brains, he proposes a solution.

Immediately complete any task that comes your way if it takes less than two minutes, delegate it to someone else if possible, or skip it if it’s not that important.

You can use popular productivity tools such as Todoist to implement the GTD principle.

My first choice is Todoist.

It is one of the most popular task managers or “to-do” list apps used by millions worldwide.

Todoist makes it easy to stick to the “two-minute rule” by allowing you to add and manage tasks and assign due dates quickly.

The tool offers a simple but intuitive user interface that ensures you can track tasks efficiently.

It also ensures that you don’t pile up the tasks, which leads to mental strain.

Reassessing goals and staying focused

The “Getting Things Done” framework emphasizes regularly re-evaluating our goals.

The idea behind it is to maintain focus when unexpected events occur.

This happened to me a lot when I changed jobs and pursued goals for my side hustles.

Whenever I am fascinated by a shiny idea, I act and define the goals.

But when faced with challenges or obstacles, I lose focus and track of my goals.

The GTD approach has allowed me to adapt to the changes quickly.

I can re-evaluate my goals and actions according to my short-term and long-term vision.

I have been using Evernote, a popular note-taking and task management app that helps you organize your ideas and tasks, for some time now.

It’s easy to record your long-term visions and goals and review them regularly.

You can tackle projects at work or home with your focus and accountability.

You can upload and organize different types of information, e.g., text, images, videos, etc.

Evernote is ideal for clarifying our goals and staying focused as we adapt to change.

Project planning and overcoming overwhelm

I have seen many projects at work and on the side that have been completed smoothly and others that have stalled for one reason or another.

It became discouraging when I had no way to move forward with them.

Sometimes, I had to call for a quit after months of working on important projects with the potential for a good return on my time and energy.

The GTD framework systematically solves this problem for project planning and execution.

I still remember my first blog post about online affiliate marketing from 2012.

It was so overwhelming and full of mistakes that I still shy away from sharing it.

Today, it’s a little different.

By applying the GTD principles, I have made steady progress on some of my projects.

Trello is another tool I use to manage my personal or side hustle projects to free myself from being overwhelmed.

Trello is based on the concept of Kanban boards for managing different projects.

The visual components make it easy to break your project into smaller, more manageable components and tasks.

It helps organize ideas and track progress so you stay focused and can progress steadily on your projects.

Conquering confusion, anxiety, and overwhelm

I usually think through many options, ifs, and buts when I have a smart idea.

I became restless and confused for days and could not take any concrete action to put the idea into practice.

The uncertainty and fear of the results of implementing this idea kept me awake at night.

It was as if I was drowning in a loop of thoughts that would only harm my ambitions and health.

We have all been there: we feel confused, anxious, and overwhelmed by uncertain events in the future.

According to Allen, these are the consequences of “open loops” or unfinished work.

He advises storing memories in a trusted external system rather than accumulating them in your head.

The external system can be tools or apps such as a calendar, lists, an email inbox, or a computer.

This frees you from having to tackle and manage these tasks yourself, saving you energy and time that could be spent on other tasks.

I have been a fan of Microsoft OneNote since my college days and have used it at many companies where I worked.

It has been my buddy, capturing and organizing my ideas, notes, and data.

Thanks to its flexibility, you can create notebooks for different aspects of your life that work like a digital filing system.

You can reduce confusion and anxiety by incorporating OneNote into your GTD practice.

It keeps relevant information organized and easily accessible.

When I outsource or let the system handle a few stuff, I feel less stressed and can see my things more clearly.

GTD workflow

The GTD workflow is a five-step process that consists of capturing, clarifying, organizing, reflecting, and engaging.

The clearly defined workload allows you to maintain control while remaining flexible.

Once again, Todoist helps define the GTD workflow by providing a seamless experience from task capture to engagement.

You can categorize the captured items into different projects and set the priorities.

Put the due dates for each item, and rest assured that the tasks are on track and ready to go.

Todoist proves to be a smooth app for transitioning through the entire GTD workflow.

Weekly review and reflection

The weekly review of my work has significantly increased my productivity.

It allows me to reflect on my life goals, side hustle projects, and work at different levels.

I get a holistic view of my progress and the areas that need improvement.

The self-feedback I receive through the weekly review aligns my focus with my broader and long-term vision.

Again, I use Evernote to review the work over a week and ensure that any progress I make during the week aligns with the long-term goals.

Evernote has proven to be an invaluable tool that fits seamlessly into my self-reflection process.

The more thorough the reviews are, the more sustainable productivity we can achieve.

Tools like Evernote help us keep track of the review and reflection process.

The only reason I use this technology is to run my routine flawlessly.

My weekly reviews have become a compass that directs me to what’s important and keeps me away from unnecessary distractions.

Final thoughts

David Allen’s Getting Things Done technique can be the key to eliminating chaos and creating clarity in our minds.

Using the to-do apps to manage GTD workflows, overcoming project overload, and externalizing the chaos makes it more manageable.

GTD is a proven strategy to take back control, reduce stress, and achieve sustainable productivity.

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Originally published at: https://hardikraval.com