How to Use GTD-Free to Organize Your Daily Tasks Staying organized can feel like a full-time job.
If you are overwhelmed by tasks, the Getting Things Done (GTD) method can help. Created by productivity expert David Allen, GTD clears your mind by moving tasks into a trusted system.
GTD-Free is a lightweight, open-source desktop application built specifically for this method. It is free, private, and runs locally on your computer without requiring a cloud account.
Here is how to set up and use GTD-Free to master your daily workflow. 1. Collect Your Thoughts in the In-Basket
The first rule of GTD is to get everything out of your head immediately. GTD-Free uses an In-Basket as your mental holding pen.
When you think of a task, open the app and type it into the In-Basket. Do not worry about organizing, dating, or prioritizing yet. Just capture it. Examples of items to collect: Email clients about the project extension. Buy milk and dog food. Research flight prices for the October conference. Fix the leaking kitchen faucet. 2. Process and Clarify Your Items
Once or twice a day, empty your In-Basket. GTD-Free provides a dedicated processing screen to help you look at each item and decide what it is. Ask yourself: Is it actionable?
If NO: Delete it, send it to Reference (for information you just need to keep), or move it to Someday/Maybe (for future ideas).
If YES: Determine the very next physical action required. If it takes less than two minutes, do it right now. If it takes longer, advance it to your action lists. 3. Organize Into Next Actions and Projects
GTD-Free allows you to categorize your actionable items so you can focus on the right task at the right time.
Next Actions: These are single-step tasks you can do immediately.
Projects: If a task requires more than one step (e.g., “Plan summer vacation”), mark it as a Project. GTD-Free lets you group smaller, sequential tasks under this main project heading.
Contexts: Assign a context to your tasks based on tools or locations (e.g., @Computer, @Phone, @Errands, @Office). This ensures you only see phone call tasks when you are actually free to use your phone. 4. Execute Your Daily Tasks
When it is time to work, step away from the In-Basket and open your Action Lists.
Filter your lists by your current context. If you are sitting at your desk with an hour of deep-work time, filter by @Computer and high energy. Pick the top item and start working. Because you already did the thinking during the processing phase, you can execute your work without decision fatigue. 5. The Weekly Review: Keep the System Alive
Your productivity system is only as good as its upkeep. Every week, sit down for 20 minutes to maintain GTD-Free: Clear out any remaining items in your In-Basket.
Review your active projects to ensure they each have at least one “Next Action.”
Check your Someday/Maybe list to see if any old ideas should be activated.
Delete completed or irrelevant tasks to keep the interface clean. Why Choose GTD-Free?
Unlike complex, subscription-based project management tools, GTD-Free focuses strictly on the core tenants of David Allen’s philosophy. It features a clean, no-nonsense interface, offline functionality for total data privacy, and a zero-dollar price tag. By using it daily, you will spend less time managing your software and more time actually getting things done.
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