Small Task, GTD Task Management Notion Template

Whether it’s for study, work, or life, we face various tasks and ideas every day. Although these tasks may not be difficult, the issue lies in their number. When we have many things to do, time might not be enough.

Take work as an example. In my previous job, if my superior assigned me one or two tasks daily, I could complete them easily and still have time to slack off and leave work early.

However, if my superior suddenly assigned a more complex task one day, along with several minor tasks that needed to be completed on the same day, it became overwhelming. Additionally, during this time, colleagues might frequently come to ask for help or assign new tasks, or I might receive sudden instructions from the boss on enterprise WeChat.

This can make an already hectic situation even more stressful, causing you to feel a bit anxious or even frustrated. As a result, you might miss some tasks or fail to complete everything in an organized manner. While these tasks may not be complex, their number and disorganization can lead to forgetfulness and inefficiency.

Therefore, it’s common to see colleagues sticking notes with daily tasks on their computers or desks to remind themselves and avoid forgetting anything. This is a good practice since our brains are meant for thinking, not for memorizing tasks.

Besides writing down daily tasks, there is a more efficient task management method called GTD.

What is GTD?

GTD stands for "Getting Things Done," a task management method proposed by renowned time management expert David Allen in his book "Getting Things Done." The main principle is that one should record all tasks to clear their mind, allowing them to focus on the current task and work more efficiently without stress.

The concept is similar to the example above—writing things down. Whether it’s a to-do list, daily tasks, or any thoughts that come to mind, write them all down. This is the first core step of GTD: Getting Things Written.

Unlike the previous example, GTD isn’t just about writing down daily tasks. You can also note down tasks for the week, month, or any future plans.

According to GTD, this step involves putting all your thoughts, to-dos, tasks, etc., into a collection box to clear your mind and focus on the present task.

What are the benefits?

Continuing from the previous example, if I’m working on a task and suddenly think of something else or get interrupted by a colleague or new tasks, as long as it doesn’t need immediate attention, I can put it into the collection box. This way, I don’t have to worry about forgetting it, and I can stay focused on the current task.

When we are more focused on the present, our efficiency naturally increases, rather than constantly being interrupted.

You might think, “Isn’t this the same as using sticky notes?”

Yes, because I’m just introducing GTD. GTD involves five processes: Collect, Process, Organize, Review, and Do.

To demonstrate the GTD process, I have designed a Notion template based on GTD. Below, I will show how to use this template, which is available for free at the end.

1. Capture: Clear Your Mind

In this step, simply write down everything you receive, plan, or think about, just like using sticky notes, and put them into the “collection box.”

You don’t need to process or think too much about the information during this step—just write it down and put it in. This clears your mind and allows you to focus on the current task without being affected by other information.

In the template, you can collect tasks using shortcut buttons on any page:

With just a click, you can create a collection in seconds. Besides the PC, you can also create tasks using your phone, shortcut commands, or even Siri.

As shown above, there are multiple buttons. Besides putting tasks into the collection box, you can directly create a new task that goes straight to execution without going through the subsequent steps.

2. Clarify: Clear Your Collection Box

After completing all tasks, take some time to process and clear your collection box. In the template, this step is combined with organization.

Processing involves handling and categorizing the collected information. First, determine if the information requires action. If it’s just a thought, decide whether to delete it, archive it, or record it in a note (note and data system currently not available in the template).

If it’s a task, decide if it’s necessary. If it’s optional, decide whether to delete or archive it, or put it on hold.

If it’s not to be deleted or archived, determine if it requires multiple steps to complete.

For example:

• Walking the dog: just go outside, so it’s a single task.
• Creating a Notion template: involves multiple steps, so it’s a project.

Once categorized, move it to the appropriate section—tasks or projects.

In the template, there is a dedicated page for processing and organizing:

As shown, there are sections for the collection box, tasks, and projects. Drag items from the collection box to tasks or projects.

Once the collection box is empty, you’ve completed the processing step.

3. Organize: Assign Tasks

After processing, organize the tasks by configuring their attributes in Notion:

Change the status, set the priority, context, deadline, etc. Determine if the task can be done immediately, deferred, or delegated. Set the status to “to-do” or “doing” accordingly.

For delegated tasks, set the status to “waiting” and add the person to the context, setting priorities and deadlines as needed.

Once configured, the task will appear in the appropriate view, such as:

• Action list

  

  

  
  
• Calendar

Reminders will be set based on the deadlines.

The template also includes an Eisenhower Matrix:

The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple time management method that helps prioritize tasks effectively.

4. Review: Check and Revise Your Tasks

Reviewing is essential to ensure your system remains organized and tasks don’t accumulate excessively. Regular reviews help maintain the system’s smooth operation.

Many people give up on tools like these because they create too many tasks initially, leading to disorganization and abandonment.

Review tasks regularly to check for missed items, ensure tasks are reasonable, and update as needed.

For post-execution reviews, the template includes an automated review page:

This page automatically creates daily review blocks. It tracks completed tasks and projects, displaying them for easy review.

Currently, it only includes daily reviews, but monthly reviews may be added in the future for comprehensive summaries.

5. Engage: Complete Your Tasks

The final step in GTD is taking action. This involves working through your task list and completing tasks.

Task management is the core of this template, and it includes various views to display your tasks:

• Eisenhower Matrix
• Upcoming tasks
• Today’s tasks
• Weekly tasks
• Calendar view
• Timeline view

Tasks are also categorized by context, status, and type, for example:

• Priority view with context tags

This helps prioritize tasks based on the current situation (e.g., tasks requiring a computer or tasks to be done while out).

These classifications can be customized to fit your habits and usage scenarios.

Although these steps may seem complex, they only take a few minutes each day to manage.

Like in school, where teachers manage your tasks and time, now you must do it yourself. Organizing your tasks and time effectively helps reduce confusion and ensures you know what to do next, which is essential for every adult.

Conclusion

The template is named “Small Tasks,” but it delivers significant efficiency. It helps collect and manage daily tasks systematically, clearly showing priorities and deadlines, enabling better time management and avoiding omissions and procrastination.