Review of 'The Getting Things Done Workbook' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Being a big fan (not an adherent - that would be a different topic altogether) of GTD method, I obviously have a tremendous respect for Mr. Allen. He is definitely a genius of productivity and systematic approach, but I cannot say I enjoy his writing style very much - [b:Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity|1633|Getting Things Done The Art of Stress-Free Productivity|David Allen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1312474060l/1633.SX50.jpg|5759] is a treasure of good advise but it is longish and diluted with lot of quasi-philosophizing. Overall, it is no surprise that people are looking for other sources that could describe the GTD method precisely and to the point.
This workbook is trying to fulfill this role in part, also aiming to build the "GTD muscle" for a new practitioner. This is a commendable goal and largely, the book nails it. You get the detailed method overview, description (and rationalization) of each step …
Being a big fan (not an adherent - that would be a different topic altogether) of GTD method, I obviously have a tremendous respect for Mr. Allen. He is definitely a genius of productivity and systematic approach, but I cannot say I enjoy his writing style very much - [b:Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity|1633|Getting Things Done The Art of Stress-Free Productivity|David Allen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1312474060l/1633.SX50.jpg|5759] is a treasure of good advise but it is longish and diluted with lot of quasi-philosophizing. Overall, it is no surprise that people are looking for other sources that could describe the GTD method precisely and to the point.
This workbook is trying to fulfill this role in part, also aiming to build the "GTD muscle" for a new practitioner. This is a commendable goal and largely, the book nails it. You get the detailed method overview, description (and rationalization) of each step and a number of examples (reasonably realistic). At the end of the day, you'll be better at GTD after reading this book than before.
My primary problem is with the execution. Huge foldouts with philosophical quotes from Mr. Allen's other books look like a waste of space. So is the obsession with large fonts and huge (two-thirds of a page in size!) exclamation point signs and other graphics. I'm sure Mr. Allen is beyond padding the page count with such cheesy tricks, but not only it doesn't add to the book value - it also makes the presentation quite unprofessional.
Overall verdict: the book is helpful (you'll be better at GTD after reading it) but it hardly has any lasting value - even if you decide to read it again (you won't) it will make it more useful. Bottom line: very slightly recommended, 3/5 for value, 1/5 for execution.