David Allen

David Allen is an author, consultant, and productivity expert recognized for his contributions to personal and organizational effectiveness. Allen claims to have held 35 professions before age 35, a diverse background that led him to develop a widely adopted framework for productivity. He began applying his productivity perspective with businesses while consulting at Lockheed's human resources department. What started as informal assistance for friends and small business owners evolved into a consulting and coaching practice serving corporate executives.

After years of research and practice, Allen wrote the international best-seller "Getting Things Done." Published in multiple languages, TIME magazine described it as "the defining self-help business book of its time." Allen later released a new edition of the book, offering updated insights and applications of the GTD methodology. "Getting Things Done" has sold millions of copies and is recognized as a significant work in personal effectiveness. Allen also authored additional titles, including "Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life," "Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life," and co-authored "Team: Getting Things Done with Others," which explores group productivity using GTD principles.

The GTD method is based on moving tasks, information, and projects out of the mind by recording them externally and breaking them into actionable items with clear time limits. This approach allows individuals to focus attention on completing tasks listed in an external record. "GTD" has become shorthand for a comprehensive approach to managing professional and personal responsibilities, inspiring a culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and related resources. The David Allen Company oversees certification and quality standards for global partners offering Getting Things Done courses and coaching.

Allen's experience as a management consultant and executive coach has led to recognition by Fast Company as a personal productivity guru, Forbes as one of America's top five executive coaches, and The American Management Association as one of the top 10 business leaders. Wired described GTD as a "new cult for the info age," noting its popularity among information technology and knowledge workers. Allen's ideas have also been featured on The Howard Stern Show and across the Internet, including blogs such as 43 Folders, Lifehacker, and The Simple Dollar.