Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life

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Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life

by David Allen

3.54 · rating details · 613 ratings · 73 reviews

In Getting Things Done, David Allen offered a breakthrough system to enhance productivity-at work and in daily life. Now "the guru of personal productivity" (Fast Company) asks readers what is holding them back and shows how they can be ready for anything-with a clear mind, a clear deck, and clear intentions.

Based on Allen's highly popular e-newsletter, Princip...more

Hardcover, 192 pages

Published September 15th 2003 by Viking Adult (first published 2003)

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Aug 06, 2007

Duc rated it

· review of another edition

I received ‘Ready for Anything’ (RfA) as a belated birthday present from my sister. She saw it on my Amazon wish list. This came as a surprise. I don’t remember putting it on the list. Earlier, I dismissed this book in a conversation with Jennifer George, who thoroughly analyzed the text. I’ve been wondering several points about this slim book. I want to make comparisons to it as investigations into the organization philosophy. This book was born after ‘Getting Things Done’. In the order of thin...more

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Dec 26, 2007

Chris is currently reading it · review of another edition

David Allen is my super nerdy organizing your life boyfriend. This book is hot. It should be combined with his celebrated (I'm still raising a glass) Getting Things Done, better know in left/anarchist circles as the GTD Revolution.

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Jul 24, 2008

Tricia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: own, 2008

I found this book a nice review of the Getting Things Done system, and while a lot of what the essays are saying is general, I think anyone reading would be better off already familiar with GTD.

These essays were a nice length, easily digested in a quick sitting with some interesting relevant quotes for each one. Some of them fire you up, some make you muse on your work and systems, but all succintly focus on an aspect of productivity, organisation, goals or structures.

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Apr 22, 2008

Lost In A Fog rated it

Shelves: business, self-help

I like David Allen's take, even when I don't agree with him. Like Chapter 7 about Prioritization. But I'm nitpicking.

This is a nice follow on to Getting Things Done where David offers 52 short chapters each dealing with a different topic. Having spent some time working on GTD methodology I re-read this one and definitely took more from it than the first time!

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May 05, 2010

Matt Burgess rated it

· review of another edition

Ready For Anything (2003), David Allen
Ready for Anything is the second book by David Allen that I found unengaging in majority. Allen does present some practical ideas for clearing the mind, organization and planning which can be summed up with these four parts found on the back jacket of the book:
-Clear your head for creativity
-Focus your attention
-Create structures that work
-Take action to get things moving

To begin to make sense of the whopping 52 subt...moreReady For Anything (2003), David Allen
Ready for Anything is the second book by David Allen that I found unengaging in majority. Allen does present some practical ideas for clearing the mind, organization and planning which can be summed up with these four parts found on the back jacket of the book:
-Clear your head for creativity
-Focus your attention
-Create structures that work
-Take action to get things moving

To begin to make sense of the whopping 52 subtopics (mysteriously an equal 13 subtopics per part, but I digress) for the four parts its almost neccessary to do one of two things to make sense of it all:
-Read one subtopic per week
-Read this book at least twice

I recommend the first option because I do not feel Allen's books are worth reading twice. If your experience with his work is like mind, you will find empty treasures with an occassional gem. The real gems I found were in the quotes in the margin luring my attention away from body of the book throughout my experience. Here is a strategy for navigating this book for the best return on investment, which I consider a balance of maximizing learning without wasting your time: Read each subtopic, the italicized summary directly beneath and accompanying quotes while skipping the body.

Prior to opening the book, my already impressed view of David Allen was skewed even more. Using a technique described in 10 Days to Faster Reading, I read the front and back of the book to better understand the context of the book and its author. What I found was a quote by several people used to sell readers like me on the validity of the methods described within. One of the quotes was by Arianna Huffington. Arianna Huffington?!? Please!!! On the book jackets she says, "What a sensible dose of common sense!…David Allen is a master at marrying the sensible with the sublime." Of course I would expect this to fly over the heads of most readers specifically leftfield liberals, but upon hearing Arianna Huffington debate in several forums and considering her biography I wouldn't credit her with sensibility or an expert on marriage. For Allen to use a Huffington quote as a creditable source on this subject greatly defaces his credit and integrity. Following up a mediocre at best experience with Getting Things Done, my overall experience with Ready For Anything is in line with my original sentiments for David Allen's work.(less)

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Nov 20, 2011

Jay rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: linkedin-review

I see what many of the other reviewers are saying when they say this is really nothing new -- this is just philosophical discussions of how to plan and therefore live better. I find that these kinds of books can provide topics for further reflection and can, if you happen to read it while thinking of a related topic, have a big impact on your thoughts and actions, and I found it valuable for that. It also serves as a reminder on the GTD system, which I personally needed six months after first re...more

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Apr 05, 2011

Reggie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: personal-development

I made a really big push with the GTD system this year. I listened to the GTD Live audio sessions and then I read Ready for Anything. More than ever I'm relying on GTD to manage my life.

What I learned this time around is how connected organization and creativity are. We're either being creative and making new stuff, or else trying to organize all the stuff that we have created so that we have more space (psychological or physical or otherwise) which will then allow us to be creative a...more

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Jan 10, 2010

Russell Allison rated it

· review of another edition

I'm a big fan of David Allen, but this book was a big disappointment. Its a series of 52 essays that are reprints from Allen's newsletters and website, and they tend to be short, pithy, and reasonably readable pieces that riff on the core principles of Allen's Getting Things Done book. However, the problem with it is that after 2-3 of these things, they bleed together, and you're reminded that all the good ideas were in the original book. Others might like it more than me -- Allen spends lots of...more

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Aug 02, 2011

Bill rated it

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David Allen's approaches to Getting Things Done are often revolutionary, to say the least. This book successfully frames his approach in a set of guiding principles that can serve to make the soft edges of GTD a more intrinsic part of your reality.

To read a book about getting, being and staying organized that reflects a deep understanding and appreciation for Eastern philosophies is a find. To hear say someone say that being relaxed is a key part of success is a bit annoying as it's so obvious. ...more

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Aug 15, 2009

Mark rated it

· review of another edition

I've listened to the Audible audiobook versions of Getting Things Done and Making It All Work twice and plan on listening to them again 4-6 months from now.

That being said the audio version of Ready for Anything escaped me on the initial listen. I plan on listening to it again, but if I had to rate David Allen's books in terms of usefulness I'd rate:

#1 Making It All Work
#2 Getting Things Done
#3 Ready for Anything

If you're a GTD convert then I reco...more

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Jul 03, 2010

Lance rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: have-read

I read a book in February, and only now am I getting around to writing the review. Yeah, I know. I'm a bum. At least I am working to conquer that natural man instinct.

And this is a book quite up that alley. It is a follow-up to the excellent Getting Things Done, which lays out a very practical plan for personal productivity. I've always had an interest in this subject since entering the so-called real world. I remember when I read Getting Things Done for the first time how I wa...moreI read a book in February, and only now am I getting around to writing the review. Yeah, I know. I'm a bum. At least I am working to conquer that natural man instinct.

And this is a book quite up that alley. It is a follow-up to the excellent Getting Things Done, which lays out a very practical plan for personal productivity. I've always had an interest in this subject since entering the so-called real world. I remember when I read Getting Things Done for the first time how I was impressed by some ideas and not others. So I adopted some things and rejected others.

The items I adopted have worked very well for me, so well that in February I turned to this book. It was an act of pure serendipity. I had found the book in a local bookstore that was closing its doors after almost 20 years of wonderful business. The book was paperback, which I normally don't care much for, and it was signed by the author David Allen himself. I was amazed at what I had found! Of course I purchased it, together with the author's third book, Making It All Work, also paperback and signed by the author. It was almost like a message was trying to reach me, that the time had come to shore up my systems for handling anything that would come my way. And as I had a goal for the year to clear all of the clutter out of my life, of whatever form, it seemed to fit like that last piece of a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

The book itself was tremendous and inspired me to return to Getting Things Done for a primer review. What appealed to me about this book is the focus on the more philosophical side of Allen's organizational method. He speaks of the need to clear your head in order to unleash creativity, and the way you clear your head is by taking all of those lower-level tasks and put them into a trusted system that works. And all along the way quotes from all over the place fill the margins of the pages. Take this one: "Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do do things." -Robert Heinlein. Or this one: "Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle." -Michelangelo. Or this one: "You've got to think about big things while you're doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction." -Alvin Toffler. The quotes enhance the principles Allen teaches in the book.

And the principles he teaches are encapsulated in the chapter titles. 13. You are not your work. 14. For more clarity, look from a higher place. 25. Only one thing on your mind is "in the zone". 29. Your system has to be better than your mind for your mind to let go. 32. The effectiveness of your system is inversely proportional to your awareness of it. 40. You're the only one playing your game. 51. It's easier to move when you're in motion. All of these things make sense, but too many of us -- myself included -- don't include these things in our daily approach to life.

And so you see why I could read all of this in February but only now in July get to writing the review. Nonetheless, my hope is that by getting in motion (i.e. writing this review) I will develop some momentum to keep moving. And I haven't been a total bum. I have returned to Getting Things Done for that primer of Allen's organizational system, I have committed to adopting more of it in my life, and I have started that process of clearing out my inbox. I still have a ways yet to travel, but just the piece I have completed brings a tremendous amount of freedom to me. I feel less stress. I still have some residual stress remaining, but that will clear itself out once I have Allen's system completely employed. This man takes his hammer and hits the nail square on the head. Speaking of which, I need to head out. I gotta get things done.(less)

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Apr 24, 2009

Jackie rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Notes:

One's ability to be productive is a directly proportionate to one's ability to relax.
David Allen's program is irreducible. It is as simple as it can be and not simpler.

1. capture and corral ALL our internal and external "open loops" to regain clarity and energy.
2. Consciously managing our focus within the multiple levels of outcome and responsibilities to which we are committed.
3. creating trusted structures and consistent usage of them to tr...more

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Oct 06, 2011

Mike Gibbs rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: productivity

This is a great book that challenges people to stop and really think about their lives. While the context of this discussion starts with a simple conversation regarding the "to-do" items, David Allen artfully shows how the decision about what you're doing right now needs to be based on a conscious decision about where you want to end up in the future.

Overall, this collection of essays is a great "why" compliment to the "how" that was spelled out in Allen's...more

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Aug 12, 2011

Aleksey Trufanov rated it

· review of another edition

Эта книга, в отличие от другой известной книги Аллена «Getting Things Done», является не «инструментальной», а «стратегической»: объясняется не КАК, а ЗАЧЕМ это всё, и ПОЧЕМУ это работает. Состоит из 52 небольших «статей».

Рекомендую книгу читать неспеша, маленькими порциями.

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Dec 21, 2010

Andy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: productivity

Found it a great resource for provocation as I continue to run down the productivity lifestyle.

Encapsulated some of my thoughts. (blog article)

I can understand why some people might not enjoy this, or might end up putting it down. If you are already a GTD'r then it's just a great reinforcement with a ton of anecdotal references. Don't expect it to rock your world, but help in solidifying your resolve along the path.

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Dec 15, 2011

Jeff Yoak rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audio-collection, read-in-2011, probably-never-read-again

This is a broad, abstract, almost philosophical attempt to wrap up the work in the previous books into what it all means. Interestingly, this is real content, but content that was absolutely implicit and in some cases explicit in other materials. Maybe there is more here for people who aren't total converts, don't read all the books and listen to all the podcasts, etc., but for me, it was a stream of, "Yeah, I know."

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Aug 04, 2011

Reid rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

OK, I'm through with the supplemental David Allen Material. Just like Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life, this book doesn't add a whole lot of new material to the GTD library. If you're already practicing GTD at a really high level, this book might add some refinements and encouragement that you could find useful. For me, though, the most useful pages of this book were the last five: the Appendix that summarizes Allen's GTD approach.

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Jan 03, 2009

Candace Beach rated it

· review of another edition

I'm resisting the urge to give this book an unfairly low rating because if I'd read it without having read Allen's previous book, I probably would've found it a lot more useful. However, having committed most of GTD to memory (and a little to practice) I found it to have more reminders of the GTD way than new material. A bit disappointing.

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May 28, 2011

Andria Bentley rated it

· review of another edition

Quick read, lots of great tips and reminders about helpful GTD principles. Probably more useful after reading Getting Things Done, but even if you haven't, I think checking out the appendix section at the back of this book would provide enough context to get a lot out of it.

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Sep 25, 2011

Robert rated it

· review of another edition

My recollection of this one five years later is there wasn't much worth recollecting. Time is better spent rereading Allen's brilliant Getting Things Done that reading this collection of asides. That said, I did give it 5 out of 5 stars on audible, so I should challenge my memory with another listen.

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Feb 13, 2009

Joe Brunory rated it

· review of another edition

gets into some of the inner dialogue that happens in our daily decision making. Also some good alternative approaches to productivity that might not have been considered. Easy short chapters followed with thought provoking questions.

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Sep 17, 2011

Jon rated it

· review of another edition

This was very helpful to me. I listened to the CD version during my drive to/from work. He has a lot of great insights about time and productivity. He even did a great job of ready the book in the studio to create the audio version.

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May 16, 2011

Simon rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: miscellaneous

I think this book is designed to be read after reading "Getting Things Done" (which I haven't read yet). But I found it a helpful introduction to thinking about how to be more productive. It also inspired me to read "Getting Things Done" as it's given insights into the thinking behind the method. It's very easy to dip into as it's broken up into 52 one to two page articles that are sprinkled with quotes.

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Jun 09, 2010

Bree rated it

Shelves: nonfiction

A bit repetitive if you've already read GTD - this is more a synthesis of a lot of the newsletter essays into one volume.

Useful perhaps as a daily or weekly reader, to keep GTD fresh.

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Jul 14, 2009

Leo Polovets rated it

· review of another edition

Very repetitive because it repeats a lot of stuff, which is to say that a lot of essays are repeated over and over with repetitious phrasing. A few good insights though.

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May 09, 2010

Scott rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Not as good as his first book, Getting Things Done, but a good companion to it. Pretty much a series of blog-type short chapters printed in book form.

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Feb 21, 2008

Chuck rated it

Shelves: productivity

This is basically a regurgatation of Allen's classic: Getting Things Done. Ready for Anything's one saving grace from one star is that it has useful appendices in the back that summarize Allen's productivity system. Save you time and skip reading this one; just go to the library and photocopy the appendices instead. Then get a copy of Getting Things Done and read it.

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Feb 01, 2012

Cindy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books

This contains some really good tips. However, I need something more like "Getting Ready to Get Ready for Anything."

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Sep 16, 2010

Justus rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: business

Interesting collection of essays. Well worth reading with or without reading his main "Getting things done" book.

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Feb 27, 2010

Edwin Zuniga rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: productivity

Not as informative as Getting Things Done, but a good summary of tips for increasing work productivity.

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About David Allen

David Allen is a productivity consultant who is best known as the creator of the Getting Things Done time management method.

He is the founder of the David Allen Company, which is focused on productivity, action management and executive coaching. His Getting Things Done method is part of his coaching efforts. He was also one of the founders of Actioneer, Inc., a company specializing in ...more

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Books by David Allen

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life

Getting Things Done...Fast!: The Ultimate Stress-Free Productivity System

S'organiser Pour Réussirgetting Things Done

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