Getting Things Done

Chapter 14: Cognitive Science Backs Up GTD Methods

When the original version of this book was published in 2001, the primary evidence of the Getting Things Done program’s effectiveness was anecdotal from the author’s own experience and the experiences of his clients. However, by the time the updated version was released in 2015, multiple cognitive science studies had confirmed the principles behind the GTD methodology.

The GTD system offers more than just a way to manage your time and your tasks—GTD encourages more meaningful work, a more mindful approach to living, and an overall sense of empowerment and reduced stress through outcome thinking (projects) and longer-term goals (higher horizons).

Several psychological theories and principles that back up GTD practices, including:

  • Research on distributed cognition proves that your brain is great at thinking and having ideas, but not great at remembering them.
  • Studies show that unfinished goals, actions, and projects (a.k.a. open loops) weigh heavily on your mind, decreasing your clarity and ability to focus.
  • Self-leadership strategies help people control their own actions with techniques such as self cueing (such as adding items to your action lists), natural rewards (such as the sense of accomplishment from completing captured tasks), and positive mindset (such as feeling motivated and empowered). Self-leadership strategies are proven to increase people’s sense of self-efficacy, the feeling of confidence and control over your ability to perform tasks.
  • Research shows that the most effective way to achieve goals is through implementation intentions, or making a plan that includes the necessary actions and the contexts for completing them.

Let’s take a closer look at two other areas of psychological study that support the GTD system.

Experience Total Focus Through Flow

Flow is the state of being totally engaged and performing at your peak; athletes call it being “in the zone.”

The GTD program facilitates several conditions that are necessary to experience flow:

  • You must be working on just one activity. The goal of GTD is to clear your mind so you can focus on one task at a time.
  • You must have clear goals in mind. The GTD system requires you to define projects, desired outcomes, and next actions, so you know the purpose behind each activity you engage in.
  • You must receive some form of feedback. The GTD program helps you see and track your progress on your actions and projects lists, which is a form of feedback.

When you achieve flow, you experience:

  • Total concentration
  • A sense of being in control
  • Clarity of your goals
  • Little to no self-consciousness
  • No sense of time
  • Intrinsic motivation

Once you’ve experienced flow, you’re likely to be drawn to repeat the activity. In other words, if you experience flow while doing a task at work, it’s going to motivate you to do it more.

Psychological Capital: A State of Stress-Free Productivity

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a framework for measuring workers’ effectiveness and psychological well-being.

There are four components of PsyCap, and the GTD system promotes each of them:

1) Self-efficacy (as we mentioned above) is the confidence that you can tackle and succeed at a task.

The GTD practice of capturing and clarifying all your open loops creates a complete picture of your commitments and next actions. Seeing all this in front of you gives you confidence that you know what you need to do and how to do it.

2) Optimism is your positive feeling about your ability to succeed now and in the future.

The GTD system helps you track your progress on projects and actions, and every step forward you make gives you a psychological “win” that boosts your motivation and confidence in your future success.

3) Hope is your ability to work toward your goals, even when it means redirecting your paths to get there.

The GTD program emphasizes front-end decision-making by forcing you to identify projects and clarify next actions. This practice involves setting goals (identifying projects) and determining the paths to achieving them (clarifying next actions).

4) Resilience is your ability to bounce back and persevere after encountering problems.

The GTD system aims to give you a sense of stress-free control over your life, and when you feel like you have a handle on everything in front of you you’ll be able to face challenges with more calm and clarity.