Free online GTD contexts resources
Free GTD contexts resources: Allen’s p.144 starter list, what each context is for, official vs practical guidance, and when to skip the lot.
The short answer
GTD contexts group next actions by the tool, place, or person required. Allen’s starter list (Getting Things Done, p.144) is Agendas, Anywhere, Calls, Computer, Errands, Home, Office, and Waiting For. Keep a context only if it changes what you would do next. In Done Bear, a local-first task manager, a label on the task can stand in.
Official GTD starter context list
Allen’s suggested set, from Getting Things Done p.144. Meanings follow the David Allen Company paper organizers guide; Agendas follows Allen’s own example.
| Context | Meaning | Still earns a list? |
|---|---|---|
| Agendas | Topics to raise with a specific person | Yes, if you batch conversations |
| Anywhere | Actions you can start anywhere, no special tool | Often skippable; Today and Anytime hold these |
| Calls | Actions that need a phone | Only if you batch them |
| Computer | Actions that need a computer | Rarely; a phone does most of it |
| Errands | Out-and-about actions, such as a pickup | Yes; you are away from a desk |
| Home | Actions that need you at home | Yes, if separate from work-from-home |
| Office | Actions that need you at the office | Yes, if it has tools or people home lacks |
| Waiting For | Other people’s actions you care about | A chase-dated task can stand in |
The same page names Projects and Someday Maybe, but those are lists, not contexts.
Official GTD contexts vs a practical 2026 setup
Keep a context when its constraint is real.
| Topic | Official (Allen / DAC) | Practical (this site) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Sort next actions by context | One Next Actions list still works |
| How many | Eight starter contexts on p.144 | Start with none; add one when you scan for it by hand |
| Software | No app required; paper lists are the original | A label on a task can stand in |
When to skip GTD contexts
Skip the full set when:
- You work from one device, so Calls and Computer are the same list
- You hold fewer than about twenty active next actions
- A tag would not change which task you pick next
- You have not yet built the capture and weekly-review habits
Add one back when you keep scanning Anytime for the things you can only do in one place.
Labels instead of GTD context lists
Done Bear has no contexts feature; a label such as @Errands or @Office can stand in. Don’t label inbox items to put off clarifying them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a GTD context?
The tool, place, or person a next action requires, such as Calls, Computer, or Errands, so you only see work you can start where you are.
Do I still need GTD contexts in 2026?
Usually not as a full set: a phone collapsed Calls and Computer for most people. Keep one or two, such as Errands, that change what you pick next.
Is there an official GTD contexts list?
There is no official contexts PDF; the starter set is from Getting Things Done p.144, which company guides call a suggestion, not a requirement.
How many GTD contexts should I have?
Start with none and add one when you keep scanning for the same constraint; three to five is enough for most people.
Where this information comes from
- Getting Things Done, David Allen on why sorting your lists by contexts even matters (the p.144 starter contexts, plus Projects and Someday Maybe)
- The David Allen Company, GTD Paper Organizers setup guide (sample PDF) (context meanings, and contexts as a suggestion, not a requirement)
- The David Allen Company, What is GTD? (GTD’s five steps)
When you might not need this
On one device with a short next-action list, contexts are ceremony.