If you’re like most busy people, one of the persistent things on your to-do list is bringing your to-do list into the 21st century. Nowadays, it’s only the rarest of cubicle dwellers who can get by with only a wall calendar and sticky notes. Most of us require something a little more flexible and portable, something that not only can exchange calendar information between various devices and applications but also can organize tasks in hierarchical lists and categorize by project.

The problem is that most calendar applications don’t offer anything more advanced than a nagging reminder window that always seems to pop up at the wrong time. Successfully synchronizing all those Outlook, Google or iCal events to portable devices and other calendars can seem like an act of arcane magic. And even when you’ve mastered the enigmatic art of calendar synching, most applications out there are underpowered or lacking needed features.

Enter the GTD class of applications. That stands for “Getting Things Done,” the name of the book by David Allen that takes a new approach to task and project management that emphasizes, paradoxically enough, moving task reminders out of your immediate attention. This is the school of thoughts that focuses on the organizational and stress-reducing benefits of developing a hierarchical method of managing tasks and projects as well as zeroing out your email inbox on a daily or weekly basis. (Yes, you read that right. When was the last time your inbox was empty?)

Fans of the GTD method have lots of emerging software to choose from to help them achieve these goals. Most of the software emphasizes two things: the ability to organize tasks into projects and the ability to synchronize (or export) those projects and tasks to other devices and calendars. The idea is to take task management, which is becoming increasingly complex and demanding, and create powerful software to match those demands.

You can find a list of GTD software here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_GTD_software. The list contains applications available for most platforms as well as some Web-based ones.

One of the best sites for exposure to GTD evangelism is Merlin Mann’s popular 43 Folders site at http://www.43folders.com. The site actually takes its name from one of the GTD organization methods, and the site is proving to be one of the best resources for GTD users to exchange ideas to help increase work productivity.

Technology has made multi-task a prerequisite in the workforce today. Juggling multiple tasks, e-mails, phone calls, meetings and trying to balance it all with your life outside of work takes up too much time. With GTD advancements we can use technology to get more time back from our busy work day and focus on things that matter. Not working.