I've seen this book on almost every list of self-improvement books, and know that it spawned followers like 43folders.com and the Get-It-Done Guy podcast, so I had to read it. The format was somewhat confusing; it starts with an overview of the main points that didn't seem high-level enough; there were still too many details included. This would be fine, except that the rest of the book goes into additional detail for each point, sometimes overlapping the beginning, and sometimes not. I also found all the quotes from other people in the margins distracting.

The book's subtitle is "The Art of Stress-Free Productivity", and this becomes plain in the book. Allen often talks about getting things out of your "psychic RAM" so you can stop worrying about it and reduce stress. The instructions and advice are written for physical file cabinets, folders, and files, but the concepts can be applied to digital files as well.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to regain control of their time and become efficiently productive. My notes follow:

Managing commitments
1. Write down the project/situation on your mind.
2. Describe a successful outcome
3. Write down the next physical action required
4. Keep reminders

File management
Use a simple A-Z filing system
Keep general reference files within hand's reach
Purge your files at least once a year

5 Stages of Mastering Workflow
1. Collect
2. Process
3. Organize
4. Review
5. Do

Collect
Find everything that isn't exactly where it should permanently be, and put it in an in-box
Gather 100% of incompletes (paper notes, digital documents, email, etc.)
Put all incompletes in a container (physical or digital box, list, etc.)
Use as few containers as possible
Empty containers regularly

Negative feelings don't come from having too much to do, but from broken agreements with yourself. Possible solutions:
1. Don't make the agreement - be responsible about commitments
2. Complete the agreement - do the task!
3. Renegotiate the agreement - consciously decide what do to and not do

Process
Go through in-box one item at a time, using LIFO
Don't skip anything
Figure out the next action for each item

Is it actionable?
- No - trash or keep for reference
- Yes - decide what the next action is
-- Do it if it takes less than 2 minutes
-- Delegate it if others can handle it
-- Defer it if you must do it, but not in less than 2 minutes
-- Identify and list any projects (more than 1 action step)

Prevent procrastination by focusing on the next action rather than becoming overwhelmed by the big picture
"Long-term" means "more action steps until it's done", not "no need to decide next actions because the deadline is distant"

Organize
Put everything in actionable lists
Keep lists completely separate, or they lose their value
If there's more than 1 step, it's a project

Calendar
- Only time and day-specific actions and info
- No daily to-do list, because it will crowd out the things that must truly be done
- If something goes on the calendar, it must be done that day or not at all
- Remind yourself of events you may want to attend
- Remind yourself of major decisions to make on that day

Reminders
- Go on "Next Actions" list

Incubate - stuff to keep
- Someday/Maybe list - do at some point; review regularly
- Tickler file - reminder to yourself in the future
-- Create a folder for each day (43 folders for 12 months and 31 days) that contains physical reminders like tickets and event notifications
-- Check the day's folder each day

Context lists - context-specific lists like "at computer", "calls", or "errands" to reference the next time you're in that context
- Lists for people that you can reference the next time you see them
- "Agenda" lists for recurring meetings
- "Read/Review" list should only contain items you truly intend to read

Waiting For - deliverables you're waiting for

Email - treat inbox like a blinking voicemail light; it only holds messages you haven't processed yet

Project list
- Review weekly
- Index of projects - actual actions will go on action lists
- Project support material and ideas - keep accessible but don't use as reminders (that's what list is for)
-- Purge old notes to keep this useful

Non-actionable data
- Reference material - pure reference material adds no "psychic weight", but keep only as accessible as necessary
- Someday/Maybe list - creative ideas related to hobbies, toys, trips, things to see or do
-- Recording these unclogs your mind and work space from undecided and unfinished items

Review
Daily review
1. Check calendar to see "hard landscape" of the day
2. Follow context lists

Weekly review - do the 5 steps until you know what you're not doing

Do
Natural Planning Model
1. Purpose: Why are you doing this?
2. Vision: What will the outcome look like?
3. Brainstorm: capture ideas as you have them, since they come randomly. Take any idea at this point; you'll evaluate them later. A mind map can be helpful; write the core idea at the center of a page, then draw related ideas branching off it.
4. Organize: create the structure of the plan
5. Next Actions: Decide on the next actions