If you want to learn how you can use the GTD (Getting Things Done) system to help improve executive functioning, this article is for you.
The GTD system is a time-management methodology developed by David Allen. It can be used to help individuals with executive functioning issues, such as ADD, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder, improve their executive functioning skills.
Executive functioning, as you probably already know, is the ability to plan and manage one’s life in an organized way. Without solid executive functioning skills, a student might struggle with things like time management and task initiation, problem-solving, verbal reasoning, memory, and attention.
It might seem like executive functioning is something that is innate, or a skill that can only be improved through intensive behaviors or therapies. Fortunately, that’s not the case.
Here’s how you can use the GTD system with your child to help you – you guessed it! – get more done.
What is the Getting Things Done System?
The Getting Things Done system, created by David Allen, a self-described “productivity consultant,” is a process of increasing your productivity that is designed “not to be a time management system” but instead to bring action and order to your otherwise disorganized, randomized world.
It centers on the idea of moving all items of interest, from tasks and projects to information you need to remember and even tidbits of information that are just fascinating to you personally, out of your mind. You’ll record these items externally before breaking them down into actionable steps that you can then work on.
When you record these steps, the focus is primarily on taking action on those tasks rather than just noting them. Although this is not a new book – it was first published in 2001 – it was updated relatively recently, in 2015, to include the changes to our productivity that were brought about by the rise in technology usage.
GTD centers around five simple practices to help clear up clutter in the brain and get things done.
The first principle is to Capture Everything. This, again, involves writing down everything you are thinking about – nothing is too big or too small.
The second is to Clarify. This will require you to process everything you have captured into clear, actionable steps. You’ll decide if each item you downloaded is a project, a reference, or a next action.
Next, you’ll Organize. You’ll put everything into the right place, adding dates to the calendar, sorting your tasks, and perhaps delegating tasks to other individuals,
Then you’ll Review by looking over, updating, and revising your “to-do” lists on a regular basis.
Finally, you will Engage – you’ll get to work on what’s important!
As you can see, this system does require a significant amount of time and energy up front to set up. However, if you’re already working with your child to improve his executive functioning and to set up a clear, actionable routine, then this is a good system to consider – you’re already investing a ton of time and energy up front, anyway. Once it’s set-up, it will pay off, too.
How To Use GTD With Your Child
1. Capture
The first step of GTD is to Capture. Because of this, you’ll need to teach your child how to download all of his thoughts. The first few times you work with this system, you’ll likely need to be a very active participant in this process, helping your child think of and “capture” all of the thoughts and tasks that need to be written down. Where you capture all of this information will be known as your “inboxes.”
Although you don’t have to rely on technology in this step, it can be helpful, especially for the child with unique learning needs. Consider using an app on your phone or computer to record the tasks you need to gather.
You also need to consolidate these tasks. If your child is trying to consolidate things like messages from a remote learning app, reference materials he needs to save as research for a school project, or something else that all falls into a common pot, you may want to use an app like Todoist.
Todoist offers email-plugins as well as team messaging task consolidation for apps like Slack and Twist so that everything can be aggregated into one common location. This may eliminate some of the overwhelm your child feels when it comes to consolidating tasks and new information.
When you’re working to capture tasks, you might even find it helpful to have your child take photos of event reminders, reading assignments, homework assignments, or other things that need to be remembered.
2. Clarify
Now that everything is written down, it’s time to transform the chaotic jumble into concrete action steps.
If an item will take less than two minutes to complete, do it right away. If it needs to be delegated, give it to someone else.
Otherwise, if an item needs to be done at or by a specific day or time, give it a due date. If it’s not something that is actionable, delete it.
The rest of the tasks should be made as specific and actionable as possible. For each task on the list, break it down into clear action steps.
Rather than writing, “do homework,” you might break that task down into steps such as:
- Read chapter 5 for Biology homework
- Review flashcards for English quiz 5 times each
- Complete questions 1-10 in Math textbook
3. Organize
Once you’ve organized your tasks, you will need to label them. This can be challenging for anybody, let alone a child with unique learning needs, so you will likely need to do a lot of assisting in this stage. Technology, like color-coding and labeling features of organizational tools like Google Calendar, can also be helpful at this stage.
You will want to label all of the work in your child’s workflow. You can adapt the labels to meet your needs, but you might include things like:
- One-off Tasks
- Projects
- Personal
- Homework
- Chores
For this step, you can really get as specific (or not) as you’d like. For example, you might further categorize items based on whether they have due dates attached or require reference materials. You might also include categories for tasks that can be delegated or tasks that you’d like to complete someday, but you aren’t sure when. This will help you keep track of them without having your mind bogged down by all the mental “clutter.”
You can even include a category or label for tasks that are awaiting action. This can be helpful if your child is working on a project or task that requires someone else’s participation, like a group project for school.
4. Engage
Now it’s time to jump in to tackle these tasks – potentially one of the most challenging aspects of GTD. Your system is now loaded to the brim with actionable, concrete items. How can you figure out what needs to be tackled first?
Timeliness is the first thing to consider. Of all the labels that were created, which ones had due dates? Which of those due dates is drawing near? Obviously, those tasks should be handled first.
Use these four factors to figure out what to do next:
- Context – What can I do right now – what makes sense for the context I am in? Maybe you are waiting in a waiting room. While you likely can’t work on large homework assignments, you can use your time wisely, perhaps by responding to a few emails or sending a message to friends.
- Time available – How much time do you have to get things done? If you’re fifteen minutes from your next appointment, you probably shouldn’t dive into a task that will take an hour.
- Energy available – Energy levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day. Schedule tasks that require full concentration at times that best suit your natural rhythms.
- Priority – Which task is most important? Once you’ve figured out all the other factors, start with this task.
5. Reflect
While many “reflection” stages of similar programs might require just passive thought about what went well and what needs work in a system, the “Reflect” stage in GTD is more of an active one.
Not only will you need to think about what went well and what still needs to be done in your planning system, but you also need to continually go back to your “inboxes” to empty them out. Emptying doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to finish everything – it just means that you might go back and reapply the steps of “capture, clarify, organize” to all of your items.
Go back and do the following, at least once a week, to your inboxes:
- Empty your head – write down all of the new ideas in your head at the end of the week
- Inboxes – record ew ideas, tasks, and dates in your GTD system
- To-do list – is your list up to date? Have you crossed off everything that needed to be done?
- Project lists – is your list of projects up to date? Have you completed at least one action in the past week to move major projects forward?
- Someday list – have you transferred items from this list to your project list or to-do list to work on now?
- Calendar – is your calendar up to date? Did you keep all of your appointments or reschedule those that needed to be moved? Did you enter in all of your new appointments?
- Waiting for list – what is the status of items you delegated? Have you followed up as needed?
Benefits of GTD
GTD is a good choice for the child who is overwhelmed, particularly the child who might be overscheduled, overbooked, and straight-up overtaxed. If your child has a tendency to start lots of projects but doesn’t finish them, it’s a great choice, too. It can also help your child remember small details that might otherwise slip through the cracks.
This system can help your child learn how to stick to deadlines and avoid missing or skipping important tasks. Although there are sure to be some bumps in the road, it can help him prioritize his time more confidently and independently.
GTD is a reliable system that can help you and your child stay on top of everything that needs to get done. It prevents both of you from getting overwhelmed because it’s broken down into small, manageable steps. It also offers a clear structure and an actionable routine, something that is hugely beneficial for the child with unique learning needs.
Challenges and Limitations of GTD
The biggest limitation of GTD, when it comes to using it with a child with unique learning needs, is that it only addresses one aspect of your child’s functioning – executive functioning. If executive functioning skills are not a challenge for your child, meaning he already knows how to focus, how to make choices, and how to decide on actions, then this system might now be of much use.
It is also important to determine whether your child is emotionally and cognitively ready to make the changes in this system. You won’t be successful in making any change to your child’s routine without first ensuring his readiness to do so.
Although GTD does offer a significant amount of structure, when done correctly, it does offer freedom. For many, this is a benefit. For the child with executive functioning issues or diverse learning needs where rigid structure is a must, this can be a detriment.
It doesn’t help to optimize daily or weekly planning and needs to be used in context with an already established routine.
Therefore, it’s important that you embark on the journey toward implementing this system with your child only by doing so together. Do not expect your child to implement this on his own. Additionally, it needs to be broken down into miniature baby steps so that it’s not overwhelming to your child – which would defeat the whole purpose of the system in the first place.
Questions to Ask Before Implementing GTD
Before you decide to jump right into using the GTD system, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you and your child comfortable with his level of executive functioning skills? Does he need support in improving these?
- Can the time and space necessary to implement this system be provided to your child?
- If you decide not to implement the whole system, can you adapt just a few of these ideas to work for you both right now?
Ultimately, the Getting Things Done System won’t always be the right choice for your child. Although it works well for a lot of people, particularly those who prefer a highly analytical and structured approach to tackling priorities and goals, it can be excessive for the child who needs a more simplistic method of planning.
Consider giving it a try – or even a simplified version of it that’s adapted to meet the needs of your child and your family – to enjoy better organization and a cleaner, better-flowing routine.
Further Reading
- Getting Things Done book by David Allen
- Getting Things Done for Teens: Take Control of Your Life in a Distracting World book by David Allen
- David Allen Company: What is GTD – Getting Things Done
- Rebekah Pierce: How to Help Your Child Create Habits That Actually Stick
- Rebekah Pierce: How to Assess the Likelihood That a New Routine Will Stick
- Amy Sippl: Executive Functioning Skills 101: All About Organization
- Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules: Build New Routines