Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

“It’s possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control.”

In the opening line of Chapter 1, the author captures the reader’s attention with this bold statement. By combining the adjective “overwhelming” with the oxymorons “clear head” and “relaxed control,” Allen infers that his methods can make the seemingly impossible a reality.

“Most of us have, in the past seventy-two hours, received more change-producing, project-creating, and priority shifting-inputs than our parents did in a month, maybe even in a year.”

Here, Allen explains why society requires his organizational methods. His assertion that readers have to deal with far greater input than previous generations establishes the new challenges of the 21st century. The phrase “most of us” creates a sense of inclusivity, suggesting that the majority of people (including the author) share these issues.

“Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax.”

Allen introduces one of his key goals: achieving a state of “relaxed control.” The statement is designed to intrigue readers as creating power and relaxing appear to be two contradictory states. The author uses a common device of the genre by addressing the reader directly. The pronoun “your” creates a rapport with the reader, reinforcing the power of Allen’s message.