Why I Ditched the Classic GTD Method (And What I Do Instead)

I remember the day I first discovered the Getting Things Done (GTD) method. It felt like finding a secret map to a hidden treasure called \'peak productivity.\' The promise of a \'mind like water,\' with every single task, idea, and reminder captured in a trusted system, was intoxicating. I bought the book, set up my lists, and for a few weeks, I felt like I was finally in control.

But then, cracks started to appear. My trusted system began to feel more like a demanding taskmaster than a helpful assistant. The weekly review, which is the cornerstone of GTD, became a dreaded, hour-long chore that I’d often \'postpone.\' My lists grew into an overwhelming jungle of \'next actions\' and \'someday/maybe\' items that I rarely looked at. Honestly, I was spending more time managing my productivity system than actually being productive.

The problem with GTD\'s perfectionism

For me, the core issue was the rigidity. The classic GTD method, as written, feels like it requires a level of discipline that just didn\'t fit my creative and often chaotic workflow. I fell into what I now call the \'collector\'s fallacy\'—I was brilliant at capturing everything, but terrible at actually processing and doing.

My \'inbox\' was overflowing, and the complex web of contexts (@computer, @calls, @errands) felt outdated in a world where my computer is also my phone and can be used anywhere. The system that promised to reduce stress was, ironically, becoming a source of it. I felt guilty for not \'doing GTD\' correctly. That\'s when I knew I had to make a change.

My new approach: The \'action-centric\' method

I didn\'t abandon all the principles of GTD. In fact, its core idea of getting things out of your head is pure genius. Instead, I stripped it down to its bare essentials and blended it with other, more flexible concepts. I call it my \'Action-Centric\' method, and it’s built on a few simple pillars.

1. The \'Three Buckets\' system

Instead of a dozen complex lists, I now operate with just three:

• Today: This is a very short, curated list of 1-3 critical tasks I am committed to finishing today. No exceptions. This creates focus and a daily sense of accomplishment.
• This Week: These are tasks I want to get done by the end of the week. I pull from this list each morning to build my \'Today\' list. It provides a clear, medium-term view without being overwhelming.
• Later: This is my simplified \'Someday/Maybe\' bucket. It\'s for ideas, non-urgent tasks, and anything without a deadline. I only review it once a month, which keeps it from becoming a source of distraction.

2. The daily reset, not the weekly review

The hour-long weekly review is gone. In its place, I do a 10-minute \'Daily Reset\' at the end of each workday. I clear my inboxes (email and physical), review what I accomplished, and pick my top 1-3 priorities for tomorrow\'s \'Today\' list. This continuous, low-friction process keeps the system current without the massive overhead of the formal review.

3. Focus on energy, not just context

Instead of tagging tasks with contexts like \'@computer,\' I now think about the energy required. I have simple tags like #deep_work, #quick_win, and #low_energy. When I have a 15-minute gap and my brain is fried, I can just pull up the #low_energy list and knock out something simple, like tidying my desktop. It\'s a system that works with my human limitations, not against them.

Finding what truly works for you

My journey away from classic GTD taught me a valuable lesson: the best productivity system isn\'t the one you read about in a book. It\'s the one you can stick with consistently. It’s a personal framework that adapts to your brain, your work, and your life. For me, that meant ditching the dogma and building something simpler, more flexible, and ultimately, more effective.