David Allen’s book Getting Things Done sold over 2 million copies in 30 languages. Courtesy David Allen Company
David Allen’s book Getting Things Done sold over 2 million copies in 30 languages. Courtesy David Allen Company
David Allen’s book Getting Things Done sold over 2 million copies in 30 languages. Courtesy David Allen Company
David Allen’s book Getting Things Done sold over 2 million copies in 30 languages. Courtesy David Allen Company

Free the mind to get things done


  • English
  • Arabic

You arrive at your desk in the morning and switch on your computer to start the day. Then the nagging thought starts to creep in – “I need to tell my boss something before tomorrow. What was that idea I had in the car this morning? I need to get around to tidying up this desk.”

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding [on to] them”, says motivational speaker David Allen, who is in Dubai on Wednesday to hold a seminar on how we can tidy up our mental clutter.

“A key element to the creative process is to let your mind wander. But that’s disturbed when you’re trying to keep stuff in your head – our minds need space.”

Mr Allen's 2001 book Getting Things Done sold over 2 million copies in 30 languages. It prescribes a method of moving planned tasks out of the mind by recording them externally and breaking them into actionable items, enabling you to focus on your project at hand without being distracted.

The Getting Things Done model did not come to Mr Allen, an American, overnight. "It was more like a long string of epiphanettes, and it took me 25 years to actually figure it all out."

Before then, Mr Allen, 68, dabbled in 35 different jobs by the time he was 35, including stints as a magician, karate instructor, glass-blowing lathe operator, and petrol station manager.

“I’d get bored, then I’d move on,” he says. “What I really liked to do was look at a situation and help improve it in whatever way I could to help people do things easier. Then one day I realised they actually pay people to do that – they call them consultants.

“I hadn’t grow up in a world where consulting was even a recognised profession. So I hung out my shingle, rapidly met as many consultants as I could, and started researching effective life skill models. I wanted to find something new that would work for anybody, no matter what level they were or what business they were in.”

Mr Allen admits he's never been a natural organiser and one reason he developed the Getting Things Done model was to streamline his own life.

“I’ve always been a naturally lazy guy,” he says. “I’m a student of my own advice, because you teach what you need to learn the most. I’ll always think, “What’s the easiest way to do what I’m doing? ... which sometimes looks like organising because the easiest way to do stuff is to create a checklist.

He adds: “But that’s about being smart, not about being naturally organised.”

He claims to hear back from at least one person a week who has enhanced their mental clarity by following his techniques. He says his fans include the comedian Drew Carey and the DJ Howard Stern – who even hired one of Mr Allen’s coaches to be his chief operating officer.

But Mr Allen concedes that although many people read his book, they don’t always heed his advice.

“The process is bullet proof. Nobody has ever written to me and said, ‘gee, something’s wrong in there’. Everybody just goes ‘oh yeah, this is probably right. I just don’t do it.’ That’s the biggest issue we have, is getting people to follow it. How do you market a simple piece of intellectual property like this, and get it to stick?”

Mr Allen is attempting to answer his own question by equipping master trainers in 40 countries to conduct in-house training sessions in local languages. A master trainer based in Egypt will conduct the Getting Things Done programme in the Middle East region.

The time management model itself has also had to adapt to changes since Mr Allen first wrote his landmark book 13 years ago, before smartphone technology had taken off. He’s just finished the final edits on a revised version, which will arrive in book shops in March.

“These days, there are more distractions. You probably got more input in the last 72 hours than your parents got in a month. All that ubiquity of access has upped the game, and it has made it more obvious when people are not sure what they’re doing with their lives.

“But the principles of the book are still the same. When we land on Jupiter, people will still need an in-basket and they still need to decide their ‘next action’ on things. This is eternal.”

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Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.

It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration. 

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
ETFs explained

Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.

ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.

There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.

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Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

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%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

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Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Oppenheimer
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PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League 
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals

2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25  

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Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

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Chelsea 0

Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')

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