The GTD® Virtual Study Group

340: How to Handle Big Changes

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Life's big changes can sometimes throw you for a loop. Luckily, GTD® can help us manage life's changes with a little (or a lot) more ease. In this ep...

339: Working With Others

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode, we dive into the unique challenges that arise when applying GTD in team settings. How do you stay organized when your outcomes depend on...

338: Quality Tools

05 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tools matter. Ever have a part of your workflow be changed, and then all of a sudden things don't go as smoothly as they normally do? The struggle wit...

337: Too Many Things

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you deal when you have too many things coming at you? In this episode, we talked about the overwhelm of too many things and how to get out of i...

336: Engaging

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss the Engage Phase of Workflow of GTD. Lots of great insight and shares. Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual Study Gr...

335: Starting

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the hardest thing is just getting started. In this episode we look at how to get over that hurdle, and much more. Enjoy! Check out the Offic...

334: The Day In and Day Out of GTD

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does working in our GTD systems look like for the day-to-day? We share what works and doesn't work for us. Some great insights that just might he...

333: Projects vs GTD Projects - Revamping Your System

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Projects. What's the difference between project management projects and GTD projects? How are they similar? In this episode, we take a look at what ex...

332: New Years Resolutions, GTD-Style

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you make new year's resolutions? OK, so we know they never seem to work. But what if we applied GTD to our new goals. What would that look like? GT...

331: Year Ahead Planning

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As one year ends and another begins, we look at reconnecting and reengaging with our higher horizons. A really great episode on developing our goals a...

330: Tech Tools

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we decided to dive into a bunch of tech tools and discuss what works and doesn't work for us for our workflows. Enjoy! Check out the Official GT...

329: Cleaning Up Your System

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every so often we experience a bit of friction with our task management system. What causes this? What signs can you look for that your system needs a...

328: Managing Backlog

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We all have it... so how do you manage it? Talking about backlogs on this episode of the GTD® Virtual Study Group. How do you keep from feeling overw...

327: Ask the VSG

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We had a number of topics come up before the call, and rather than decide on just one, we decided to do an "Ask the VSG" and touch on them all. We sta...

326: Tickler Files

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An interesting topic for today's call. Tickler Files. In this episode, we talk about how we've adapted tickler files to work in our digital systems. E...

325: Inbox Zero

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone's favorite topic -- Inbox Zero! In this episode we talk about our inboxes, and what's not an inbox. Also some thoughts on the GTD® setup for...

324: What's Your System Look Like

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In GTD®, it's important to have a trusted system. But does that mean that you have one app to store everything? In this call we talk about how we hav...

323: Mind Like Water

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is Mind Like Water®? How do you get it? How do you keep it? What does not having it feel like? In this call we look at what it means to us. Spec...

322: Next Actions, Contexts, & Prioritizing

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With all of your project's next actions defined and captured on context lists, how do you know what to do first? And next? In this episode, we dive in...

321: Working With Partners

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Working with partners is tricky, especially if they don't practice the same process and systems that you do (GTD®). So how do you get on the same pag...

320: Defining the Higher Horizons

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Projects, Actions, and even Areas of Focus and Responsibility are pretty easy to define. The higher horizons, not so much. In this episode, we talk ab...

319: Energy Management

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding your energy levels and their impact on your productivity is so important. Are you a nightowl? Are you swamped with back to back video ca...

318: A Meander Through GTD®

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We had some fun just wandering around without a set topic in this episode. We talked about all sorts of stuff -- system bankruptcy, dealing with backl...

317: ChatGPT

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The future is really upon us! ChatGPT and AI are really starting to take a hold and our world is going to look very different to us all very soon. In ...

316: Hard Edges In Action Lists

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the tricky things in keeping hard edges in a task management system is capturing and processing projects and tasks without enough clarity aroun...

315: What's the Future Evolution of GTD®?

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the VSG hypothesizes on what the future of GTD® might look like. The future is now! 😲 Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual...

314: When Others Don't Do GTD®

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever find yourself annoyed with someone who is less organized than you are? It happens. Maybe even more when you're GTD-level organized. ;) So how do ...

313: Recalibrating Horizons With Shifts In Life

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When life throws us curve balls with major shifts, we often need to review and recalibrate our Horizons of Focus. In this episode we share our experie...

312: Boundaries

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss boundaries and how we use GTD® to help us manage them. So many great insights in this conversation! Enjoy! Check out the O...

311: Defining Next Actions

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we dive into the meaty topic of defining next actions. What are they really? How do they differ from projects and actions? What's the ...

310: End of Year Hodgepodge

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we were nearing the end of the year in this call, we shared our thoughts about wrapping up the year and starting the next one. Preparation for the ...

309: Experience with GTD®

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we share our experiences with practicing the GTD® methodology through the years. The benefits we've experienced, the things we love a...

308: Finding Your Joy with GTD®

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is your system sparking joy? Do you feel inspired by it? In this episode, we look at our systems from that perspective. How can we inject more joy and...

307: The Importance of Reflection

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we really step up a couple of horizons and look at the importance of reflection. We often get so bogged down in the doing that we forg...

306: GTD® on the Go

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So now that we are getting back to normal(ish)... we're looking at how we engage with GTD® while we're on the go and some of the logistics around tha...

305: Journaling

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Journaling can add a whole new dimension of introspection for our systems. We look at journaling from many angles in this episode. Such a great listen...

304: Deep Dive - Omnifocus & Todoist

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode started out as a pros and cons of task management apps. We ended up really focusing on looking at Omnifocus and Todoist, with some other ...

303: Routines

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we talk about routines and how they can be used to help us be more productive and engaged. Lots of great tips and tricks in this one! ...

302: Play & GTD®

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all experience friction in our systems from time to time. One way to look at this is as an opportunity to make some improvements to our systems and...

301: Timeblocking

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What a great discussion! With all of the virtual meetings of the past few years, it has become more and more important to learn how to time block and ...

300: Successes with GTD®

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we look at the successes we've experience with GTD®. We also share some other way that GTD® has influenced our lives and even the li...

299: How to Keep Your System Fresh

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is filled with a bunch of great ideas on how to keep your GTD® system fresh! Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual Study Group web...

298: What's an Inbox?

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oh!!! What is and what isn't an inbox? Such a great conversation! Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual Study Group website for resources from t...

297: Renegotiation

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Renegotiation is an important process in getting things done. In this episode we look at this process of revising our GTD® systems to accommodate our...

296: Minor Tweaks to Make Your System Sing

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our systems get so much better with the little minor tweaks we make to our systems. We're not talking the tool swapping/hopping here. We're talking ab...

295: Distractions & Focus

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we look at what causes distractions, why we could be having a hard time focusing, and how we might address it... or not. An interesti...

294: Struggles When Starting GTD®

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Starting up a GTD® system can be daunting. And there's lots of stuff we learn how to do better as we continue our practice over time. In this episode...

293: 4,000 Weeks

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by the book 4000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, we discuss the idea of finitude and how that impacts our lives and our systems. How do we achieve ...

292: Journaling

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What a great episode! We really dive into journaling from all sorts of angles! Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual Study Group website for res...

258: GTD® Workbook Study Group Program starting 1/3/22

02 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! In this special episode, Ray Sidney-Smith and Michelle Gunn talk about a 12-week program that Ray is running for the GTD® community -...

291 Project Planning Cont'd - Evernote Deep Dive

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We continue the discussion on project planning in this episode. A tone more tools shared. And Ray shares a whole bunch of info about Evernote and inte...

290: Project Planning

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you plan your projects and integrate those into your GTD® System? How do you collaborate with your teams and manage your tasks separately from...

289: Year End Planning

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A deep dive into Annual Reviews -- the good, the bad, the ugly! ;) Enjoy!

288: External Brain

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most important pieces of our GTD® practices is our "trusted system" which includes our external brain or second brain. We talk about this ...

287: Checklists

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is all about checklists!!! Such a great listen! Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual Study Group website for resources from the ca...

286: Tool Switching & System Tweaking

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We started out thinking about tool switching and then found ourselves diving into all the tweaks we do/can do to our systems. Shiny things!!! We talk ...

285: Reference Filing & Evernote

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An important part of our system is our reference materials. Many of us use Evernote and they had just come out with some major updates at the time of ...

284: Renegotiation

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have to renegotiate projects, tasks, deadlines from time to time. In this episode, we look at what might be causing the renegotiations and how ...

283: Workflows

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Workflows are so important in managing our systems. They help keep things flowing. They can provide safeguards (like backing up or printing out). In t...

282: Black Belt and the Basics

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does being a black belt at GTD really mean? Some surprising insights! You're really going to enjoy this one! Check out the Official GTD® Virtual...

281: When Is Enough?

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes life hits you with a bunch of projects all at the same time. How do you deal with the overwhelm? How do you know when to say "when"? In this...

280: Working from Zero

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss Working from Zero. Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD Virtual Study Group website for resources from the call and more: http...

279: Doing & Prioritizing

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Always a great topic! This is on of the places where people tend to get stuck in the GTD methodology. We talk all about the doing phase, now called th...

278: Communication

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Communication plays such an important role in all of our lives. In this episode, we talk about communication from so many different perspectives. So m...

277: What is a Next Action?

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Oh! This is good one! An existential question: what is a next action? Interesting how it evolves for everyone over time. And so many great ideas on ho...

276: Spring Cleaning Your System

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we talk about cleaning up our systems - spring cleaning and even declaring bankruptcy on our systems and starting over. So many great ...

275: Workflows

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the VSG talks about our workflows. One of the topics we dive into is processing our inboxes outside of the Weekly Review. And then we...

274: Mindfulness: Being Present

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we talk about mindfulness and being present in our worlds. We dive into what causes the friction to take you out of mindfulness and ti...

273: Three-fold Nature of Work in 2021

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this call from 2021, we talk about the challenges of working from home and non-stop video conferencing as knowledge workers all over the world were...

272: The Best of Both Worlds — Hybrid Systems

12 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you considered switching from digital to analog? Do you use both? How do you keep a hybrid system in sync? So many great ideas in this episode!! ...

271: Tactics to Deal with Overwhelm

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about dealing with overwhelm in this episode. Not just system or task overwhelm, but everything from a higher level perspective. This one is j...

270: Workflows for Managing Multiple Projects

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So you've got a bunch of projects or a couple of huge projects with lots of moving pieces. How do you keep all those plates spinning without any falli...

269: Reviewing and Remodeling Your System

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss reviewing and remodeling your system. Enjoy! Check out the Official GTD Virtual Study Group website for resources from the ...

268: 2020 In Hindsight

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No, I've not been sitting on that one! ;) It's been a crazy, crazy year. It's been hard on every one of us. But there's also been some good. In this e...

267: Is GTD Still Relevant

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This topic was floating around the inter webs, so we decided to take a look at it -- is GTD still relevant in today's world? A lively discussion, for ...

266: Quarterly Planning

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the GTDVSG discusses the value of quarterly planning for our GTD systems and the impacts for both higher horizons and daily tasks. Yo...

265: Workspace and Workflows

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a Mac or a PC? ;) In this call, we talk about the comfort with our systems and how they become second nature and the impact of having to chang...

264: Time Blocking

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you time block? You may already be doing it and not even realize it. On this call, we dive into the topic and share all new perspectives. Enjoy! Ch...

263: Partial Implementation

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Can partial implementation of the GTD methodology be effective? We dive into the topic and discuss how we all see to have begun with partial implement...

262: Three-Fold Nature of Work

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we talk about the Three-Fold Nature of Work -- pre-defined work, work as it appears, and defining work. Enjoy! Check out the Official ...

261: Tickler File

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you use a tickler file? It's a staple of the GTD methodology. And it's interesting how's it's evolved over time from paper systems to digital syste...

260: What is missing in GTD model?

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Oh, the heresy! 😉 Is there really anything missing from the GTD Model? In this episode, we dive into an interesting conversation about GTD and what...

259: Understanding the Horizons

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Such a great conversation about Horizons and how we come to understand and develop them for ourselves. If you've been struggling to define your higher...

257: Capture Workflow

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What does capturing look like? Analog? Digital? Separate Inboxes? Combined Inbox? On the go? What's the workflow? We chat all about this in this episo...

256: Contexts

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss Contexts and how they are used in today's world. Contexts and their relevance has been a controversial topic for years sinc...

255: Improving Project Timeline Estimations

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you improve your estimations of project timelines, or task timing? It's such a vital piece of managing projects and managing expectations — o...

254: GTD® and Extraordinary Times

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

GTD® is the art of stress-free productivity. And, we're finding that that couldn't be more true at this time in our world. GTD® is providing a bit o...

253: Reevaluation

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our world is a little topsy turvy at the moment. We're all experiencing a paradigm shift that was not a personal choice any of us made. So how can you...

252: Time & GTD®

13 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Setting up your GTD® system can be time consuming! So when do you start to see return on your time investment? And what is the return on your investm...

251: GTD® Morning Routine

13 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A big thank you to Ray Sidney-Smith for guest hosting this episode of the GTDVSG!!! What does your morning GTD® routine look like? How do you set you...

250: Personal vs Work Projects

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes it's tricky to separate our personal and professional lives in our systems. Sometimes we have to due to requirements, but if we don't then t...

249: Context Avoidance

24 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find yourself avoiding using contexts sometimes? I know I did! (And not so secretly now, do still sometimes.) What's that all about? We cover t...

248: Motivation

10 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you keep yourself inspired to manage your tasks using GTD®? In this episode of GTDVSG, we talk about our motivation — today, as well as, whe...

247: The How To of Focusing on Goals

27 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing the topic of Focusing on Goals from last episode, today we shared some more practical ideas around making those goals become projects and n...

246: Focusing on Your Goals for the New Year

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The end of the year is one of the natural points for reflection, of the past, the present, and the future. End of decades have an especially weighty f...

245: Organizing Individual Tasks

15 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

So what do you do when a task really doesn't have more than one next action but you can't do it now. The VSG discusses how we handle that in our syste...

244: What To Do When Feeling Out of Control

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We all experience it… that time when your day gets out of control! In today's episode, we talk about things your can do to get back in control and s...

243: Year End Contemplation

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We're getting started on considering this past year and planning for the upcoming year a little early! What did you do differently this year that work...

242: Transitions

28 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today we talk transitions, like leaving a job, starting a job, moving, etc. Transitions are also a great time to take a look at your higher horizons a...

241: Digital Cleanup

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To clean up your digital backlog or not to clean… not really a question for most of us Type A folks. 😉 In this episode we talk about the process ...