Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

This book details a bottom-up system for organizing the ever increasing cascade of stuff that creeps into our lives--and by "stuff" I mean responsibilities, expectations, and hopes. I started getting into GTD as an IT support person drowning in issues and desperate for tools and techniques to capture, organize, and ultimately complete all the problems I had to squash. Now it helps me keep track of all my work and personal obligations and goals. This book is imminently practical and low on fluff, making it easy and quick to read and then start applying.

With all of the existing reviews, there isn't much left to be said. However, I feel I must add my voice to the crowd. As a Ph.D. student who struggles to prioritize under the dozens of potential projects I could be working on, the GTD system was exactly what I needed. Offloading my brain to Evernote (not specifically recommended, but my tool of choice) allowed me to focus on action and avoid the procrastination that had plagued me for too long. If you are a person who has demands pulling at you from all different directions, and if you struggle to stay on top of your many many commitments, I highly recommend you read this book. And more than that, I recommend that you follow this system. It has changed the way I work and let me feel so much better about the things I get done.

It's not a complete solution, and it needs to be tailored to individual needs, but this book has helped me tremendously. I now find it much easier to keep track of things--personally and professionally--and worry less about it.