A simple + effective system for getting stuff done

David Allen, creator of the super-popular Getting Things Done productivity system, is sweating bullets right now. Because I am about to share with you my simple task management and productivity system, an act that will surely bring down his Getting Things Done empire, leaving his followers distraught and confused as they wade through the smoldering remains of their intricate and well-pruned 43 folder system.

You get this for free -- no charge. To get started, you will need:

An iPad Mini, preferably in white.
A stylus, I like the $10-$15 Targus red ones you can get at Office Depot. But you can certainly spend more if you like.
Moleskine's free journal appfor iPad.

Actually, you don't need any of that stuff. A paper note pad and a free pen from the Hampton Inn will work just as well. Not nearly as nerdy, however.

Here's how my complex and revolutionary task management and productivity system works, and it works really well:

At the end of your workday, or at least first thing in the morning before starting your workday, make a list of things you need to get done the next day. Include all the big stuff, like drafting your client presentation or building your department budget, and the little stuff, like ordering lunch in ahead of time, returning phone calls and critical emails. Get it all down on paper and out of your head. But physically write the list -- typing doesn't work as well.
Pick the task that is creating the most emotional resistance. Do that first. This concept is called "swallowing the frog." The task may be the most time-consuming of the day. It may be the task that requires the most deep thought. Or not. It could simply be an unpleasant phone call you have to make. Pick the task you're resisting the most and do it first. When you're done, cross that item off your list. Take a few seconds and enjoy the feeling of relief and accomplishment. Now the momentum starts to roll.
Pick another item. Do it. Cross it off the list. Feel accomplished. Repeat until list is all crossed off.

That's all there is to it. And this system works for two reasons:

The list is in front of you all the time, so you stay focused on what needs to get done.
The physical act of crossing an item off the list creates positive emotional momentum that becomes a self-fulfilling action loop. "Hey I finished that task and crossed it off the list. I feel like Superman/woman. Let's do another one." This works even with the smallest tasks.

I know, I know. I don't have a book or seminar or expensive materials to sell you. But simple and effective is what we're all about here -- and this system meets both criteria. I have laboratory proof of it's effectiveness, because it has created better focus and productivity for someone I know well who had long struggled with organizational challenges: me.

The larger lesson here is this: to accomplish your goals or conduct self-improvement, you don't necessarily need expensive systems or consulting help. You need to experiment, to try simple solutions until you find something that sticks. All that costs is your time and effort.