This topic is adapted from the Epipheo YouTube channel.
David Allen, author of “Getting Things Done”, teaches us how to be more organized. He describes why it is so hard to remember things and how ineffective our brain really is at planning. Allen walks us through the most effective steps to take in order to organize your life.
Video Highlights:
- Your brain can’t handle the complexity of your life. You may think that simply writing down tasks on a calendar is enough, but you really on track about 3-4% of what needs to be done with this approach. The other 96% of necessary tasks just buzz around your head and keep you up at night. Your mind can’t prioritize and remind you of all necessary tasks. It just isn’t built for that.
- We need a new system when it comes to organizing our lives. Simply writing down broad tasks isn’t enough. You have to clarify, park the results, review your lists, and then actually do what you wrote down. This is the best approach to an effective and organized life.
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- Once you prioritize your tasks, you have more time to think and be creative. When your mind isn’t buzzing with the busyness of life, you can focus on things you enjoy. You can be reassured that things are not falling through the cracks and that the time you spend on enjoyment is not eating into the time you are productive.
The stress from everyday life can become overbearing at times. On top of Allen’s steps to organization, we have to offer up our worries to God. Only through Him can we find peace and comfort, despite the complexity of our lives. Once we do this, we can focus on what is truly important.
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Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- Do you keep a to-do list? If so, describe it. Is it helpful for you? Explain.
- On a scale of 1-10, rate the “buzz” in your brain from all the stuff you need to do each week. Does it affect your sleep? Your quality of life? Explain.
- Is your to-do list filled with broad, generalized tasks? If so, how can you clarify with specific action steps?
- Do you agree that eliminating the “buzz” in your brain could lead to an increased capacity to think and be creative? Defend your answer.
- Read Philippians 4:6-7. From a biblical point of view, a consistent prayer life also impacts the “buzz” in your brain. Why do you think this is true? How can a prayer list free you from the stress of everyday life?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
