The David Allen Time Management Approach: A Different View

The David Allen Time Management approach is a challenge to conventional views of time management. Though his excellent book: Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress Free Productivity, is not explicitly about time management, it takes a radical view of the way we use our time.

In his “whole life” approach to getting organised, Allen provides essential ideas and a proven approach to organising and getting things done. In fact, the David Allen time management approach suggests that we don't really need more time management. What we really need is thought management.

No Time To Get Work Done?

According to the David Allen time management approach, the problem is a feeling that we have too much to do, and not enough time to do it.

"Why do people complain that there's no time to get their work done?

Because there is more work to do than the work they think they have to do."

How many things are on your mind? Many people are stressed by the weight of unfinished tasks, either consciously expressed or looming in their subconscious.

From the mundane to the serious, these tasks are typically poorly defined and unresolved.

The mental clutter of these task lists makes it difficult for us to properly manage them, to prioritise, to meet deadlines, or to complete them at all.


As long as our minds are crowded with clutter, it's almost impossible to manage our thoughts, and therefore our tasks, properly.

The essence of Allen's approach is twofold.

Firstly, it requires us to re-frame our thinking, replacing notions of time management with the more effective thought management.

Secondly, we need to implement action management by: clearing our minds; clarifying our realistic commitments, and using effective task management systems.

The David Allen approach is to actually challenge the whole concept of time management.

Thought and Action Management

For David Allen, time management is a misnomer. It's not time management we should be attempting. It's thought management and how we manage our actions that really counts. It starts with getting our thoughts out onto paper so that we can see what exactly we are trying to cope with. Then secondly to start taking action.

David Allen's website has an excellent range of free gtd action tools available as downloadable pdf’s. For support in dealing with the topics discussed above, we particularly recommend:

• The Threefold Nature Of Work;
• Five Phases of Mastering Workflow;

• Personal Inventory Control;
• Stalking The Wild Projects;
• Workflow Diagram;
• Workflow Diagram - Advanced.

Or download "The Complete Set Of David Allen's Free Articles" zip file, if you want the full set.

Whichever you download, the important thing is that you use them! Use the David Allen time management approach to make the most of your time. Then use it to help your colleagues. That's the Happy Manager approach!

Before you go, have a look at this video clip of David Allen in action. Seven minutes and twelve seconds may seem a long clip, but it's definitely time well spent!

Go to Site Map from David Allen Time Management

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