GTD sucks for creative work. Here’s an alternative system
I too find GTD unsuitable for creative work, mostly because it doesn&#x27;t handle open-ended, non-tickboxy tasks well, though I can&#x27;t say that I was using GTD properly -- for example, I couldn&#x27;t bring myself to do weekly reviews. Overall, GTD felt like it requires too much willpower to run.<p>Have you tried Mark Forster&#x27;s Autofocus or Final Version Perfected systems? If not, you owe yourself a try. The systems, at their core, are very simple:<p>1. You have a long list of tasks (the same &#x27;ubiquitous capture&#x27; principle as in GTD and other systems) 2. You scan the list for tasks that &#x27;stand out&#x27; for you as &#x27;ripe&#x27; to be done &#x2F; worked on. This means that you&#x27;re mentally ready to do these tasks. 3. Work these tasks for as long as you feel like. It&#x27;s not necessary to finish these tasks. 4. After you&#x27;ve dont with a task, you either cross it off the list, or re-append it to the end of the list.<p>I found his systems much more tolerant of creative work, and much less willpower hungry. A downside of these systems is that they&#x27;re not capable of handling tasks with start &#x2F; due dates.<p>Also, regarding de-cluttering todo lists, I firmly believe that:<p>1. ALL your tasks and actionable thoughts must be captured in your system. 2. Your <i>current</i> todo list must only show items that you are ready to do <i>right now</i>, at the moment. For example, your todo list shouldn&#x27;t show the task &#x27;Vacuum the floor&#x27; if you&#x27;re not at home. Therefore, there must be ways of de-cluttering your todo list that allow you to defer the tasks until your external (or internal!) conditions are more conducive to working on these tasks.<p>(I got fed up with the inability of most todo apps to do the above, so I&#x27;m working on my own todo app).