GTD System - Getting Things Done with Claude Code

A comprehensive Getting Things Done (GTD) implementation with claude code powered task processing and daily planning features.

New here? Run /onboard. It guides the first setup, brain dump, project map, daily
plan, and next habits. ONBOARDING.md is the written reference.

Overview

This system implements David Allen's GTD methodology with modern AI enhancements for:

Smart task capture and processing
Automated project organization
Daily planning and work logging
Integration with external tools through MCP (Todoist, Google Calendar)

Features

Core GTD Implementation

Inbox for quick capture with timestamps
Projects with dedicated tracking and task management
Contexts for organizing next actions by location/tool
Waiting For list for delegated items
Someday/Maybe for future possibilities
Reference materials organization

AI Enhancements

Smart capture that auto-processes obvious actions
Intelligent processing that skips unnecessary GTD steps
Daily planning assistance
External tool synchronization

File Structure

gtd/
├── inbox.md                    # Raw capture with timestamps
├── projects.md                 # Project dashboard (read-only overview)
├── waiting-for.md              # Delegated/expected items
├── someday-maybe.md            # Future possibilities
├── calendar.md                 # Time-specific items
├── projects/active/            # Active projects
│   └── [project-name]/
│       ├── info.md             # Project goals, outcomes, progress
│       └── tasks.md            # Context-organized next actions
├── projects/archived/          # Completed projects
├── reviews/weekly-review.md    # Review templates
├── daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md         # Daily planning and work logs
└── reference/                  # Non-actionable materials

Commands

/capture [item] - Smart capture with auto-processing
/daily - Plan for the day
/todoist - Sync with Todoist through the Todoist MCP server
/calendar - Pull Google Calendar context through the Google Calendar MCP server
/weekly - Conduct weekly review
/onboard - Guided first-run setup and GTD onboarding
/restart - Restart the day from current context
/shutdown - End-of-day reconciliation
/journal - Capture a journal entry

Context System

Organize tasks by context for efficient execution:

@work-code - Coding tasks (work)
@work-errand - Work-related errands
@home-computer - Personal computer tasks
@home-calls - Personal phone calls
@sideprojects-code - Side project coding
@sideprojects-errand - Side project errands
@mobile-anywhere - Mobile tasks
@errands - Out-of-home tasks
@agenda-[person] - Person-specific items

Project Management

Each active project contains:

info.md: Goals, desired outcomes, progress tracking, history
tasks.md: Next actions organized by context

Projects move to archived/ upon completion with proper status documentation.

Daily Planning

Daily files (daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md) include:

Daily Plan: Priorities, time blocks, energy mapping
Work Log: Timestamped activities with durations
Reflection: What worked, improvements, next day focus

Setup & Installation

Prerequisites

Claude Code - The AI assistant that powers this system
Just - Command runner for project automation
- Install: cargo install just
- Documentation: https://github.com/casey/just
Todoist MCP server - Configured in .mcp.json
Google Calendar MCP server - Required for /calendar, /daily, and /weekly

Installation Steps

Clone this repository:
```
git clone <repository-url>
cd gtd
```
Run the setup command:
```
just setup
```
In Claude Code, run:
```
/onboard
```
Confirm the MCP servers are connected in Claude Code, if using integrations:
- Todoist: .mcp.json points to https://ai.todoist.net/mcp
- Google Calendar: connect the calendar MCP server for /calendar
Start capturing tasks with /capture!

Additional Commands

The justfile includes helpful commands:

just setup - Creates private local files from templates without overwriting existing data
just onboard - Prints the first-run command sequence
just add-project project-name - Creates a new project with info.md and tasks.md

Privacy

The repo is designed to share commands, skills, and templates while keeping personal data
local. The default .gitignore excludes daily logs, journals, active projects, identity,
calendar mirror, inbox, waiting-for, someday/maybe, todo.md, and local MCP config.

Smart Processing Logic

The AI assistant intelligently processes captures:

Auto-processes: Clear, single actions with obvious context
Sends to inbox: Vague items, multi-step projects, unclear scope

During processing, it skips obvious steps:

Already defined items skip "What is it?"
Action verbs skip "Is it actionable?"
Specific actions skip "Next action?"
Complex tasks skip "<2 minutes?"

Best Practices

Capture everything - Use the inbox liberally
Process regularly - Keep inbox at zero
Review weekly - Maintain system integrity
One task, one place - No duplication across files
Update progress - Keep project info current

Energy Management

The system supports energy-based planning:

Track energy levels in daily planning
Map tasks to appropriate energy states
Review energy patterns in weekly reviews

Integration

Designed to work with:

Todoist MCP for task sync and mobile capture
Google Calendar MCP for schedule context and time blocking
AI assistants for processing automation

License

This GTD system structure is open source and available for anyone to use and adapt for their personal productivity needs.

Credits

Based on David Allen's Getting Things Done methodology with AI enhancements for modern workflows.

cc-gtd