1. Welcome to GTSyncD: Executive Function Mastery & Multi-Horizon GTD

1.1 The Challenge of Modern Knowledge Work

In modern knowledge work, our attention is constantly fragmented. Standard to-do lists fail because they dump 5-minute chores next to multi-month career goals without context, sequence, or physical clarity. The result is cognitive overwhelm, avoidance behavior, and persistent background anxiety—what David Allen describes as “unmanaged open loops.”

1.2 What is GTSyncD?

GTSyncD is a high-fidelity implementation of the Getting Things Done® (GTD) methodology, combined with intelligent neurodivergent-friendly cognitive ergonomics.

2. Standalone Architecture & Optional Google Tasks Integration

2.1 100% Standalone by Default

GTSyncD is a fully independent, self-contained GTD platform. Out of the box, it operates with its own real-time encrypted cloud storage, multi-tab offline database, and progressive web app capabilities. You do not need to connect any third-party accounts or services to access 100% of GTSyncD’s features—including Multi-Horizon planning, the NUDGES Integrity Engine, Action Compass triage, NAG AI Assistant, and the Weekly Review ritual.

2.2 Optional Google Ecosystem Sync (Google Assistant & Calendar)

While GTSyncD is directly accessible on phones and tablets through its high-performance mobile PWA, it also includes an optional, live bi-directional sync bridge to Google Tasks. This integration is designed for users who want to leverage Google’s ecosystem tools—such as hands-free voice capture via Google Assistant / Gemini (“Hey Google, add an item to my Errands list”), viewing actions inside the Google Calendar sidebar, or triaging tasks directly within Gmail.

2.3 Board-to-List Mapping

When Google Tasks sync is enabled under Settings → Manage Boards, you can bind each GTSyncD context board (e.g., @computer, @phone, Waiting For, Projects) to its corresponding Google Task List.

3. Capture & Rapid Triage: Establishing “Mind Like Water”

The primary objective of the Capture phase is to get thoughts out of your psychic RAM and into a trusted bucket outside your head.

3.1 Frictionless Capture (?action=capture & Hotkeys)

• Toolbar Quick Capture: Click the + Capture button on the top toolbar (or focus the quick-entry input at the top of any active list) to immediately enter thoughts.
• Global OS Hotkey / Standalone Mode: Use your configured global hotkey (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+C) or launch ?action=capture to open an ultra-fast, single-input capture screen that saves directly to your Inbox.

3.2 The Clarifying Workflow (The GTD 2-Minute Rule)

When triaging your Inbox, process each item through the classic GTD decision tree:

4. Tactical Context Lists & Next Physical Actions

GTD dictates that you should only view actions you can physically perform given your current context. GTSyncD organizes tactical actions into dedicated context boards:

4.1 Strict Physical Verb Formulation

Every action headline must start with an observable physical verb:

• ❌ Poor (Vague / Mental): “Think about vacation” | “Handle car insurance” | “Website redesign”
• ✅ Proper (Physical Next Action): “Search flight prices to Denver on Kayak” | “Call State Farm rep regarding deductible” | “Draft 3-sentence homepage value proposition”

5. The 6 Horizons of Focus: Connecting Altitude to Execution

GTSyncD provides a dedicated Strategic Altitude View allowing you to review and manage all 6 Horizons of Focus:

5.1 Anchoring Projects to Horizons

• Every Project on your Projects board should be anchored to an Area of Focus (H2), Goal (H3), or Vision (H4).
• Unanchored projects are flagged by the NUDGES engine as “Floating Commitments” to ensure you don’t waste energy on busywork unaligned with your life’s true objectives.
• Drag-and-drop horizon cards across columns in the Horizons Alignment Canvas to adjust strategic altitude effortlessly.

6. NUDGES (Next UnDecided GTD Expert System) & Accountability Modes

The NUDGES Engine (Next UnDecided GTD Expert System) is the breakthrough active guardian of GTSyncD. Unlike passive to-do lists that quietly let tasks rot into overwhelm, NUDGES operates as an intelligent expert system that continuously evaluates your commitments against 9 GTD integrity vectors and computes your real-time System Integrity Score (0–100%).

6.1 The 9 Integrity Defect Vectors

1. Overdue Agreements: Commitments whose due date is in the past. (Anti-Shame Hard Floor: Max 40 pt deduction; score never drops below 60% due to overdue items).
2. Stale Inbox Items: Unprocessed items remaining in the Inbox for longer than 48 hours.
3. Stalled Projects: Active project roots that have zero active Next Actions defined.
4. Stale Projects: Active projects with Next Actions that have seen no human activity for over 14 days.
5. Floating Projects: Projects unanchored to any higher Horizon (H2–H5).
6. Matured Ticklers: Deferral cards whose wake-up date has arrived and are awaiting triage.
7. Dateless Ticklers: Cards placed on the Tickler board without a trigger date.
8. Stuck / Resistant Tasks: Actions showing chronic executive friction (RESISTANT, 3x SURVIVOR, 21d UNTOUCHED).
9. Weekly Review Overdue: System overdue for the weekly review ritual (≥ 3 days past schedule).
10. List Bloat: Context boards containing more active tasks than your cognitive threshold (default: 20).

6.2 The Three Accountability Modes

6.3 Neurodivergent-Friendly Coaching Guardrails

• Anti-Shame Guarantee: Overdue penalty is strictly capped at 40 points, preventing shame spirals.
• Track B Inbox Micro-Review: Facing 10+ stale inbox items? Clarify just one item with a “Remind me in 2h” snooze.
• Cognitive List Bloat Valve: Warns when a board exceeds 20 tasks, offering 1-click deferral to Someday/Maybe or snooze until the next Weekly Review.
• Streak Grace Buffers: Completing consecutive weekly reviews awards automatic stale inbox forgiveness tiers (4-week = 1 item, 8-week = 2 items, 12-week = 3 items).

7. The Action Compass: Eliminating Task Paralysis in the Moment

When you are ready to work, don’t scan through hundreds of tasks. Open the Action Compass (click the Compass icon in the toolbar or press A).

7.1 The 4-Fold Decision Pipeline

1. Context Filtering: Uses GPS Geofencing (Home vs. Work vs. Errands) or manual selection to eliminate impossible tasks.
2. Strict Energy Matching: Filters out cognitively demanding tasks when your energy is Low. (Overdue agreements automatically bypass to allow urgent repairs).
3. Time Available Check: Compares estimated task duration against your available window before your next meeting.
4. Altitude Priority Ranking: Orders matching actions by Horizon altitude (H5 Purpose down to H1 Projects), ensuring you work on what matters most.

8. NAG — Next Actions Guru (Natural Planning AI Assistant)

When a project feels ambiguous or overwhelming, summon NAG (Next Actions Guru) by clicking the AI Sparkles (✨ NAG) button on any project card.

8.1 Granularity Slider

• Level 1 (Lumper): Broad phases and key outcome milestones.
• Level 2: Major milestone deliverables.
• Level 3 (Standard GTD): 15–30 minute discrete physical next actions.
• Level 4: Step-by-step detailed task sequences.
• Level 5 (Splitter / Anti-Paralysis): Micro-actions (“Embarrassingly small steps” designed to break through severe executive dysfunction).

8.2 Natural Planning Rules Enforced by NAG

• Action Verbs Only: Every suggestion begins with a concrete physical verb (Call, Draft, Search, Order).
• Conjunction Ban: Forbids “and”, “or”, and “while” in titles, forcing multi-action ideas into clean sequential cards.
• Parallel Threads & Sequential Chains: Groups tasks into workstreams (e.g., Design, Legal, Logistics) with automated dependency locking (QUEUED).

9. Specialized Workflows: Delegation, Tickler File, & Project Momentum

9.1 The Delegation Bridge

Moving any task to “Waiting For” instantly opens the Delegation Bridge Modal:

• Capture the Assignee Name (“Waiting on Dr. Smith”).
• Select the Communication Channel (Email, Phone, Slack, In-Person).
• Set a Follow-Up Date for automated review reminders.
• Automatic Title Cleanup: When the delegated task is completed or moved back to an active board, all prepended "WAITING:" prefixes are cleaned up automatically.

9.2 The Tickler File (Time-Locked Incubation)

• Items moved to the Tickler board are locked to Hold status with a mandatory wake-up date.
• While incubating, tickler items do not clutter your daily context boards.
• On their trigger date, they automatically mature into Ghost Items (GHOST) and surface in your NUDGES stream and Weekly Review for triage.

9.3 The Last Action Completed Guard

When you check off the final active Next Action belonging to a project, GTSyncD immediately intercepts with a prompt:

• Is the Project Complete? (Mark project finished and celebrate!).
• Or what is the Next Physical Action? (Define the next step immediately so the project never stalls).

10. The Guided Weekly Review Ritual & Habit Mastery

David Allen calls the Weekly Review the “critical factor for success” in GTD. GTSyncD provides an 8-phase guided ritual wizard (W):

10.1 Mind Sweep Triggers

During Phase 1, the wizard presents randomized trigger prompts spanning:

• Horizon 2 Prompts: “What needs attention in your Area of Focus: [Health / Finances]?”
• People Prompts: “Are you waiting on anything else from [Colleague Name]?”
• Classic GTD Triggers: Bills, home repairs, vehicle maintenance, digital backups, upcoming travel, doctor visits.

11. Settings, Geofencing, Mobile PWA, & Privacy Safety

11.1 GPS Geofencing Setup

Under Settings → Coordinates & Locations, set your Home and Work coordinates (or click “Detect My Location”). When opening the Action Compass, GTSyncD automatically matches your physical location to your @home, @work, or @errands boards.

11.2 Installing the Mobile PWA

GTSyncD is a Progressive Web App (PWA):

• iOS (Safari): Tap the Share button → “Add to Home Screen”.
• Android (Chrome): Tap the three-dot menu → “Install App” / “Add to Home Screen”.
• Features full offline persistence with multi-tab self-healing cache synchronization.

12. Visual Badges, Keyboard Shortcuts, & Reference Glossary

12.1 Visual Task Badges

QUEUED Subordinated task waiting on a preceding action (dependsOnTaskId).
GHOST Standalone matured tickler item awaiting tactical activation.
NEXT Active Next Physical Action ready for execution.
WAITING Delegated item tracked via the Delegation Bridge.
HOLD Incubating tickler or Someday/Maybe item.
RESISTANT Task bypassed ≥ 10 times in Action Compass (needs breakdown).
3x SURVIVOR Task survived 3+ weekly reviews without action.
21d UNTOUCHED Action untouched for 21+ days.

12.2 Keyboard Shortcuts & Global Quick Capture Hotkey

GTSyncD supports global OS quick capture hotkeys and in-app text editor shortcuts: