Dear YS,

My company recently sent my team through GTD training. While capturing and clarifying are incredibly helpful, I’m struggling with organizing, reflecting, and reviewing. Those steps feel time-consuming, and since I value productivity, I often skip them and jump straight from capturing and clarifying to engaging. I’d love to see the “big picture” of my life, but I can’t find the time. Is there a shortcut you can recommend?

Shubbu

---

Dear Shubbu,

Imagine this: your kitchen is a mess, and guests are arriving soon for dinner. If you only focus on the clutter and don’t organize your space or reflect on what needs to happen next, how prepared will you be? To create a great evening for your guests, you’ll need to pause, organize, and reflect on what matters most before you dive into cooking.

Your work and life are no different. Organizing, reflecting, and reviewing allow you to align your actions with your goals. Without these steps, how can you be sure your “productivity” is actually meaningful progress?

The GTD methodology isn’t a random checklist—it’s a system designed to bring clarity, control, and focus. Skipping steps undermines its effectiveness. Regularly setting aside time to review may feel daunting at first, but with practice, it becomes much more manageable. A thorough weekly review might only take an hour or two, and many GTD practitioners say it’s the most valuable time of their week.

There’s no shortcut here because the process itself is what creates clarity and momentum. As the saying goes, the way out is through. If I discover a shortcut, I’ll share it. Until then, give yourself the gift of reflection—you might be surprised how much more productive and at peace you feel.

YS

For more details, visit our website: https://byldgroup.com/

Or call at: 1800-102-1345