David Allen's methodology, the apps that support it, and Reddit's honest take on whether pure productivity is enough.
Last updated: January 2025. Based on discussions from r/gtd, r/productivity, r/OmniFocus, r/thingsapp.
"I've been doing GTD for 5 years. I have 1,247 tasks across 23 projects with perfect weekly reviews. I crushed 847 tasks last year. And I feel... exhausted. When did productivity become the goal instead of the means?"
This confession appears in GTD communities more often than you'd expect. The system works. But for what?
GTD is a personal productivity methodology designed to achieve "stress-free productivity." The core insight: your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. By capturing everything and organizing it into a trusted system, you free mental bandwidth for actual work. The method has 5 steps and emphasizes "next actions" - the specific physical action required to move something forward.
Get everything out of your head into your inbox
What is it? Is it actionable? What's the next action?
Put it in the right bucket: projects, next actions, waiting, someday
Weekly review to keep system current
Actually do the work
| App | GTD Support | Projects | Contexts | Weekly Review | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OmniFocus | Built for GTD | Full hierarchy | Tags + perspectives | Review feature | $149.99 (Mac+iOS) |
| Things 3 | GTD-inspired | Areas + projects | Tags only | Manual | $49.99 (Mac) + $9.99 (iOS) |
| Todoist | Adaptable | Unlimited nesting | Labels + filters | With setup | Free / $4/mo |
| Notion | Fully custom | Database relations | Any property | Build your own | Free / $10/mo |
| TickTick | Flexible | Lists + folders | Tags | Smart lists | Free / $35.99/yr |
| Funtasking | Life-balanced GTD | 8 life areas | Built-in categories | Visual balance | Free / $2.99 Pro |
Built specifically for GTD. Perspectives, defer dates, review cycles, nested projects. Extremely powerful, steep learning curve. Apple-only ecosystem. Reddit consensus: "If you want full GTD, this is it. If you don't need full GTD, it's overkill."
GTD-inspired but not dogmatic. Best-in-class design. Areas for life categories, projects for actionable items. Less powerful than OmniFocus, more approachable. One-time purchase (Apple only).
Works everywhere. Natural language input. Can be configured for GTD with labels and filters, but requires setup. Karma gamification (love/hate). Reddit: "Good enough GTD for most people."
Not a GTD app - it's a canvas. Build exactly the GTD system you want. Extremely flexible, extremely time-consuming to set up. Reddit: "You'll spend more time building the system than using it."
A pattern emerges in r/gtd: users with perfect systems, hundreds of completed tasks, pristine weekly reviews... and burnout. GTD optimizes for getting things done, not for living a balanced life. Your inbox fills with work tasks because work generates tasks. Where are the tasks for rest, fun, relationships? GTD captures what you add - and you add what feels "productive."
GTD organizes tasks by context (@home, @work, @calls) and project. But it doesn't ask: "Are you spending time on what matters?" You can complete 1,000 tasks and still neglect health, relationships, and joy. The system is agnostic about what you do - only how you organize it.
Funtasking adds a layer GTD lacks: life balance tracking. Every task belongs to one of 8 life areas (Work, Body, Mind, Connection, Learning, Impact, Play, Space). The visual Purpose Wheel shows which areas you're focusing on - and which you're ignoring. It's not anti-GTD; it's GTD with guardrails against burnout.
Common complaint. GTD purists say 1-2 hours weekly; many users report 3+ hours. Solutions: time-box reviews (45 min max), simplify your system, or accept less-than-perfect reviews. Some users switch to daily mini-reviews instead.
The meta-work trap. If your system requires constant maintenance, it's too complex. Simpler systems (like time blocking or MIT - Most Important Tasks) might serve you better. GTD's overhead is worth it for complex project management; for simpler lives, it's often overkill.
Controversial. Some ADHD users thrive with GTD's external brain. Others find the maintenance impossible. ADHD-friendly adaptations: visual systems (not text lists), gamification, body doubling for reviews, simpler categories. Apps like Funtasking add immediate rewards that help ADHD brains stay engaged.
The core issue. GTD asks "what's the next action?" but not "should I be doing this at all?" It's a productivity system, not a life-design system. Consider combining GTD with life balance approaches that ensure you're completing tasks in areas that matter, not just areas that generate tasks.
Instead of lists, schedule blocks of time. "Deep work 9-11am" instead of "15 work tasks." Reduces decision fatigue, creates boundaries. Works better for day-to-day; GTD better for project tracking.
Pick 3 MITs each morning. Everything else is bonus. Simple, low-maintenance, focus on impact. Pairs well with light GTD for capturing ideas.
Apps like Funtasking organize by life area first, tasks second. Ensures you're not just productive but balanced. Shows neglected areas before burnout hits.
Analog system with flexibility. Migration (rewriting tasks monthly) forces intentionality. Creative outlet + productivity. Slower than digital but more reflective.
8 life areas ensure you're not just productive but balanced. Visual wheel shows what you're neglecting. Gamification keeps you engaged without karma guilt.
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