Getting Things Done isn't just another productivity fad — it's a complete system that has helped millions of people reclaim control over their work and life. Created by productivity consultant David Allen, GTD transforms how you think about tasks, commitments, and mental clarity.
The magic happens when you stop trying to remember everything and start trusting a system that captures, organizes, and surfaces the right information at the right time. A good GTD app becomes the digital backbone of this transformation.
The Core GTD Methodology
David Allen built Getting Things Done around five fundamental steps: Capture, Clarify, Organize, Reflect, and Engage. The system works because it mirrors how your brain naturally wants to process information — but removes the mental overhead of trying to hold it all in your head.
Capture Everything: Your brain is terrible at remembering random thoughts but excellent at pattern recognition and creative problem-solving. GTD starts with getting every commitment, idea, and task out of your head and into a trusted external system.
Clarify What It Means: Not everything you capture is actionable. Some items are reference material, others are projects that need breaking down, and some are single actions you can complete quickly. The clarification step transforms vague mental notes into concrete next actions.
Organize by Context: GTD organizes tasks not by project or priority, but by the context where you can actually complete them. Calls go in one list, errands in another, computer work in a third. This context-based organization eliminates the friction of constantly re-evaluating what to do next.
Essential Features for GTD Apps
A true GTD app needs to handle the full workflow from chaotic brain dump to organized action. The capture phase demands speed — ideas arrive at inconvenient moments and disappear just as quickly. Your app needs to let you capture thoughts in seconds, whether you're walking down the street or in the middle of a meeting.
Ubiquitous Capture: The best GTD apps work across all your devices with identical interfaces. A thought captured on your phone appears instantly on your computer. Quick capture mechanisms — like keyboard shortcuts or one-tap mobile widgets — eliminate the friction that kills good intentions.
Flexible Organization: GTD's context-based lists require more than simple todo apps provide. You need the ability to create custom contexts (@calls, @errands, @computer) and switch between project views and context views seamlessly. Some actions belong to projects, others stand alone, and your app should handle both gracefully.
Review Workflows: The Weekly Review requires seeing your system from multiple angles — all projects, all contexts, all someday/maybe items. Your app should make it easy to scan everything quickly and update statuses without getting bogged down in details.
Where GTD Apps Often Fall Short
Many apps claim GTD compatibility but miss the methodology's deeper principles. The most common failure is overcomplication — turning simple capture into a form-filling exercise with mandatory fields, complex hierarchies, and feature bloat that slows down the very workflows GTD aims to streamline.
The Reference Material Problem: GTD distinguishes between actionable items and reference material, but most task apps only handle the actionable side. You end up with a fragmented system where meeting notes live in one app, project files in another, and actionable tasks in a third. This fragmentation breaks GTD's trusted system principle.
Context vs. Priority Confusion: Traditional productivity apps organize by project and priority, but GTD organizes by context and energy level. Apps that force priority-based thinking make it harder to see all the calls you could make right now, or all the quick tasks you could knock out during a low-energy period.
Review Friction: The Weekly Review should feel like a quick system scan, not an administrative chore. Apps that require clicking through multiple screens or switching between different modes make the review process so cumbersome that people skip it — and without regular reviews, GTD systems decay into digital clutter.
TaskLoco's Approach to GTD
TaskLoco takes a different approach to Getting Things Done by combining task management with note-taking in a unified capture system. Instead of forcing rigid task structures, TaskLoco lets you capture thoughts as sticky notes and evolve them naturally into projects, reference material, or actionable items as your thinking develops.
The Chrome extension enables true ubiquitous capture — save any webpage, email, or online content directly into TaskLoco with one click. Your notes sync instantly across all devices, and the reminder system ensures nothing falls through the cracks during your weekly reviews.
TaskLoco's flat structure mirrors GTD's context-based thinking. Rather than nested folders and complex hierarchies, you tag and search your notes to surface the right information when you need it. The calendar view lets you see time-sensitive items at a glance, while file attachments keep project materials connected to their actionable notes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Getting Things Done methodology?
Getting Things Done (GTD) is a productivity system created by David Allen that helps you capture all commitments and ideas in a trusted external system, then organize them by context rather than priority. The core principle is getting everything out of your head so your mind can focus on doing rather than remembering.
Can I use TaskLoco for Getting Things Done?
Yes, TaskLoco supports GTD principles through unified capture of notes and tasks, cross-device sync, reminders for review cycles, and flexible organization without rigid hierarchies. The Chrome extension enables ubiquitous capture, and file attachments keep reference materials connected to actionable items. $9.99/month per person (currently $4.99/month per person for first 500 charter members with code CHARTER50)
What features should a GTD app have?
A good GTD app needs fast capture across all devices, flexible organization by context rather than just projects, support for both actionable items and reference material, easy review workflows for weekly planning, and reliable sync so your trusted system stays current everywhere you work.
How often should I do the GTD weekly review?
The GTD weekly review should happen once per week, typically taking 30-90 minutes depending on your system's complexity. This review keeps your lists current, surfaces important projects, and maintains the trust in your system that makes GTD effective. Skip reviews and the system becomes unreliable digital clutter.
Is GTD better than other productivity methods?
GTD works well for people who handle many diverse commitments and struggle with mental overload. It's particularly effective for knowledge workers who switch between projects frequently. However, people who prefer priority-based systems or work in highly structured environments might find other methodologies more natural.
What's the difference between GTD contexts and projects?
GTD contexts group tasks by where or how you can complete them (@calls, @computer, @errands), while projects group tasks by outcome. Contexts help you see what you can actually do right now given your current situation, energy level, and available tools. Projects help you ensure complex outcomes stay on track.
How do I get started with GTD?
Start with a complete brain dump — write down every commitment, project, and random thought occupying mental space. Then sort items into actionable tasks, reference material, and someday/maybe lists. Set up contexts for different types of work, and commit to a weekly review schedule. Begin with simple tools before investing in complex software.
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