46 pages • 1 hour read
David AllenGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Explain the link Allen makes between knowledge work and the increasing pressures of the 21st century. How does his emphasis on maintaining boundaries counter this effect?
Describe the five main steps involved in implementing Allen’s organizational system.
What does the term “open loops” mean in the context of GTD? Why do open loops create stress and feelings of guilt?
Which is more effective, a front-end or a back-end approach to workflow? Explain your answer, giving examples of both.
Describe Allen’s concept of a “mind like water.” Why does this state of mind increase productivity?
Allen says, “Things rarely get stuck because of lack of time. They get stuck because what ‘doing’ would look like, and where it happens, hasn’t been decided” (21). What does he mean by this statement?
Explain the difference between the top-down and bottom-up approaches to productivity. Which does the author think is better, and why?
Describe the psychological benefits Allen ascribes to his productivity system. To what extent can GTD be described as a spiritual philosophy?
How does the author establish the link between ease and efficiency in the book? Give examples from different parts of his methodology.
Describe the author’s use of generic self-help devices in the book. Do these techniques make his message more persuasive?
