Free online GTD weekly review resources
Free GTD weekly review resources: eleven checklist steps by phase, a head-emptying trigger list, artefacts to keep open, and official vs practical guidance.
The short answer
Free GTD weekly review resources usually mean David Allen’s three phases (get clear, get current, get creative), the eleven checklist steps, a head-emptying trigger list, and artefacts to keep open. No PDF runs the review. Done Bear is a local-first task manager with Inbox, Upcoming, Anytime and Someday built in, so nothing needs assembling first.
Get clear checklist
Nothing left uncaptured.
| Step | Done when |
|---|---|
| Collect loose papers and materials | Nothing loose outside the system |
| Get "in" to zero | Every physical and digital inbox is empty |
| Empty your head | Open loops written down, undecided |
Get current checklist
Every commitment accurate and unblocked.
| Step | Done when |
|---|---|
| Review next-action lists | Each item is still a real next action |
| Review previous calendar | Last week’s missed follow-ups captured |
| Review upcoming calendar | Prep for upcoming events exists as tasks |
| Review waiting-for list | Each item is chase, wait, or drop |
| Review project lists | Every active project has a next action |
| Review relevant checklists | Recurring standards still hold |
Get creative checklist
The phase people drop when the review becomes tidying.
| Step | Done when |
|---|---|
| Review someday/maybe | The list is honest, not a guilt archive |
| Be creative and courageous | One non-maintenance idea captured |
Weekly review trigger list
Prompts for emptying your head. Practical, not from the Allen PDF.
- People you owe a reply, decision, or deliverable
- People you are waiting on
- Projects stalled without a next action
- Calendar leftovers from the last seven days
- Upcoming events that need unwritten prep
- Money, admin, home, and health open loops
- Ideas parked "for later" that you keep rehearsing
- Verbal commitments you never captured
Artefacts to keep nearby during a review
Keep these open so you review, not hunt.
| Artefact | Why it is open | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| David Allen Company Weekly Review Checklist (PDF) | The eleven steps | Official |
| Calendar (past week and upcoming) | Two separate steps | Official |
| Next-action, project, waiting-for, and someday lists | Get current and get creative | Official |
| Physical and digital inboxes | Get clear | Official |
| Recurring "Weekly review" appointment or task | Unscheduled, the habit dies | Practical |
| Done Bear Inbox, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday, and Logbook | The GTD lists, already built | Practical |
Official GTD checklist vs a practical weekly review
Keep the official structure; take a shortcut only when it keeps the habit alive.
| Topic | Official (Allen / DAC) | Practical (this site) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Eleven steps in three phases | When behind, start with clear and current |
| Duration | 1 to 2 hours (Forrister, DAC coaching, not the PDF) | Much less if the system is current; long ones are recovery |
| Cadence | Every 7 to 10 days, most often Friday morning | A recurring task in the system it reviews |
| Waiting-for | An explicit step | Chase-dated tasks can stand in |
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official GTD weekly review PDF?
No. The official checklist is the David Allen Company’s free PDF, linked below; the trigger list and artefact table here are not in it.
Can I use these resources without GTD software?
Yes. Paper works for a small system; software helps when your lists already exist as views.
Should I use this page or the weekly review guide?
Read the weekly review guide once for the procedure and how to restart after a gap, then keep this page open during each review.
Do I need a weekly review if my system is small?
Usually not. Under about twenty active commitments, capture everything and triage the inbox daily instead.
Where this information comes from
- The David Allen Company, GTD Weekly Review (official checklist, PDF) (the eleven steps in three phases)
- Getting Things Done, GTD Best Practices: Review, by Kelly Forrister (1 to 2 hours, every 7 to 10 days, most often Friday morning)
- Getting Things Done, Episode #43: The Power of the GTD Weekly Review (the review as GTD’s critical success factor)
- The David Allen Company, What is GTD? (GTD’s five steps)
When you might not need this
Under about twenty active commitments, a formal review is ceremony. Done Bear keeps Inbox, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday, and Logbook as views; the habit is still yours.