GTD Gems

Episoade

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  The GTD Horizon That Answers "Why Does Any of This Matter?" 10.08.2026 7min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards explores the highest horizon in the GTD framework — horizon 5, purpose and principles — and shares personal stories about how fleshing out this level changed the way she makes decisions in both her personal and professional life. Featuring readings from Getting Things Done and David Allen's Making It All Work. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 What David Allen means by purpose and principles — and why it's the ultimate job description 👉...
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  The GTD Level That Changes How You See the Present 03.08.2026 6min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards explores the vision level of the horizons of focus — horizon 4 — and shares a deeply personal story about what happens when you lose sight of your own vision, and what it takes to get it back. Featuring readings from Getting Things Done and David Allen's "Making It All Work." What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The difference between the goals level and the vision level in GTD 👉 David Allen's "great secret" about goals and vision that many peop...
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  Why Setting More Goals Might Be the Wrong Move Right Now 27.07.2026 6min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards explores the goals level of the horizons of focus and makes a case for why setting new goals before you have control of your everyday world can actually work against you. Featuring a reading from chapter 8 of Getting Things Done. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why GTD takes a bottom up approach before tackling goals and vision 👉 What David Allen says about setting goals before you're ready 👉 How getting control of the lower horizons naturally op...
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  How to Think About Your Work on Six Different Levels 20.07.2026 8min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards introduces the Higher Horizons of Focus and shares the fascinating story of how David Allen first discovered the six-level framework — including the Wall Street executive whose schedule problem turned out to be about something much more important. Featuring a reading from David Allen's "Making It All Work," chapter 2. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The origin story behind David Allen's Six Horizons of Focus 👉 Why thinking on all six level...
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  What Is Your Procrastination Really Trying to Tell You? 13.07.2026 7min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards tackles one of the most common struggles she sees in coaching — procrastination — and shares David Allen's take on why smart people are actually the most likely to get stuck. Featuring a reading from chapter 12 of Getting Things Done. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why the smartest, most creative people procrastinate the most 👉 How to "befriend" your procrastination instead of fighting it 👉 David Allen's concept of "intelligent dumbing down" and why i...
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  How Many Times Have You Wished You Had a Checklist? 06.07.2026 3min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards shines a light on one of the most important steps in the weekly review — the checklists prompt — and why building even a few simple checklists can save you from repeated mistakes and forgotten details. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why checklists keep getting pushed aside during the weekly review 👉 Where to store your checklists and how David Allen defines their purpose Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & The Weekly Review Checklist Prompt 01:03 Why ...
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  The GTD Project List Mistake That Creates More Work 29.06.2026 4min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards takes a fresh look at the GTD the project list and why ignoring your "secondary" projects might be creating the very fires you're constantly putting out. Featuring a reading from David Allen's "Ready for Anything," chapter 7. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why your B and C priority projects are quietly causing your biggest problems 👉 Why David Allen recommends a complete project list with no priority distinctions 👉 The one clean distinctio...
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  The GTD Concept That Makes Unplanned Work Easier to Handle 26.06.2026 5min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards unpacks one of David Allen's most powerful concepts, the threefold nature of work, and why understanding it can completely change how you experience your day. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The three types of work everyone does, and why most people only recognize one 👉 Accepting unplanned work as a part of life 👉 How naming your work in the moment can change your entire relationship with your day David Allen's article on the Three-fold Nat...
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  The GTD Secret to Freedom With Structure 15.06.2026 4min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards explores how to have control without feeling constrained. Featuring a reading from David Allen's "Ready for Anything," chapter 3. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why control doesn't have to mean restriction — and how to reframe it 👉 The two moves that give you both freedom and structure: concentration and cooperation 👉 What these two concepts look like in GTD coaching sessions Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & The Freedom vs. Structure Problem 00:52 ...
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  Why Getting Organized Isn't the Same as Getting Things Done 08.06.2026 4min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards tackles one of the most common traps in productivity, spending so much time getting organized that you never actually get things done. Featuring a reading from David Allen's "Ready for Anything," chapter 41. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The difference between getting organized and actually getting things done 👉 Why micro-organizing everything is a trap, and what to do instead 👉 The one GTD step most people skip that makes all the difference T...
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  Why Some People Get GTD (And Others Aren't Ready Yet) 01.06.2026 7min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards takes a step back from the mechanics of Getting Things Done to explore the bigger question: why do some people take to GTD instantly while others never quite get it? Featuring a reading from David Allen's "Ready for Anything," chapter 50. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why GTD attracted Meg when other productivity systems failed her 👉 The one common denominator among people who successfully implement GTD 👉 Why you shouldn't be discouraged if the...
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  What's Really Keeping You Up at Night? 01.06.2026 4min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards introduces one of the most powerful concepts in the Getting Things Done methodology, Open Loops, and why capturing and clarifying them is the key to reducing stress and gaining focus. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 What open loops are and why they pull at your attention 👉 How unmanaged commitments create stress, even when you don't feel stressed 👉 Two powerful questions to help you identify your own open loops Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & What Open L...
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  How Much Snow Is on Your Runway? (GTD Reference Explained) 18.05.2026 5min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards breaks down the third and final "no side" tool in the GTD clarifying and organizing process — Reference — and why getting it clean and current can change your entire work environment. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why reference has no psychological weight once you've decided it's not actionable 👉 How to think about your reference system as a personal library 👉 The runway analogy that captures what messy reference does to your productivity Timestamps: 00:00...
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  Never Forget a Time-Sensitive Task Again 14.05.2026 6min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards explains what a Tickler file is, how it differs from the Someday/Maybe list, and why it's one of the most underused organizational tools in the GTD system. What You'll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The key difference between a Tickler and a Someday/Maybe list 👉 How to set up both a physical and electronic Tickler 👉 Real-life examples of what belongs in a Tickler Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & The "No Side" of GTD 00:53 Tickler vs. Someday Maybe&...
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  The GTD Someday/Maybe List Explained 04.05.2026 4min

  GTD coach Meg Edwards provides an overview of the Someday/Maybe List and how it helps prevent everything you say yes to from becoming an immediate next action. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why the Someday/Maybe list is not a “graveyard” for ideas 👉 Ways to organize your Someday/Maybe list 👉 The “infinite possibilities” causes stress Timestamps: 00:00 The Yes Side of Clarifying 00:39 The No Side of Clarifying 01:26 Book Passage 01:36 Breaking Up the Someday/Maybe Li...
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  Where to Start With GTD When You Feel Overwhelmed 27.04.2026 5min

  Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start with GTD? If your system feels like there’s too much to do, even after years of practice, this simple reset can help you regain clarity quickly. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why starting with your current reality beats starting with priorities 👉 How small, unfinished tasks create mental overwhelm Timestamps: 00:00 Where do you start with GTD? 00:36 Making It All Work Passage 02:34 Client Story 04:10 Reflection ▶️ Watch the...
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  Stop Procrastinating: Use the 2-Minute Rule 20.04.2026 1min

  The 2-Minute Rule is one of the simplest ways to stop procrastinating, and start building momentum immediately. David Allen says: if something takes less than two minutes, do it now. This simple rule helps you find clarity, stay focused in fast-paced environments, rid yourself of unnecessary overwhelm. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 What the 2-Minute Rule is and how it works 👉 How small tasks create “drag” on your system 👉 Why immediate action beats organizing or delaying Timestamps:...
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  The Simple Productivity Rule: Create or Complete 14.04.2026 2min

  David Allen shares a powerful insight: everything you do falls into one of two categories, create or complete. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 The difference between “creating” and “completing” 👉 Why finishing tasks often sparks new ideas 👉 A simple mental model to guide your next action Timestamps: 00:00 Meg introduction 00:30 You're here to complete and create 01:49 Best practices for each ▶️ Watch the full GTD Gems playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=GTDGems ...
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  Your Brain Is a Terrible Office (Here’s What Works) 13.04.2026 3min

  Trying to keep everything in your head? If you’re using your brain as a to-do list, this insight from David Allen may change how you work. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why your brain is a “crappy office” for managing tasks 👉 The hidden cost of trying to remember everything Timestamps: 00:00 Meg introduction 00:47 Building an external brain 01:50 Your mind is sneaky 02:19 You are not your work ▶️ Watch the full GTD Gems playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=GTDGems ...
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  How to Make Your GTD Weekly Review Work for You 30.03.2026 5min

  Are you finding it tough to stay consistent with your GTD Weekly Review? Do you sometimes feel guilty for not doing it “the right way” as it’s written in the books? In this episode of GTD Gems, GTD coach Meg Edwards shares how to make your GTD Weekly Review work for you through customization. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 👉 Why the Weekly Review isn’t one-size-fits-all 👉 How to “get off your back” and build a review habit that sticks 👉 Simple ways to get clear, curren...