Agentic GTD — Sample System

A markdown-based Getting Things Done (GTD) system designed to be used with Cursor (or other AI agents). Tell the agent what you need done, and it keeps your lists, projects, and reference material in sync.

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How to use it

Just tell the agent what needs to be done. For example:

• "Create a new work project called Refresh Typewriters with these initial tasks" (and add a few likely next steps — the agent can suggest them).
• "Move the first two Inbox items to Next-Actions under Work."
• "Add a calendar entry for March 15: dentist at 10."
• "Put the 'Learn violin' idea in Someday-Maybe as a project with a few starter actions."
• "Process my Inbox and file everything into the right lists."
• "Clean up my Next-Actions list: remove completed items and fix any broken links."

You don’t have to remember the file names or the rules. Say the outcome you want; the agent follows GTD-SYSTEM.md and updates the right files.

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Using this in Cursor

1. Put the system in context
   In Cursor, you can select the lists or projects you care about and add them to context (Ctrl+L or Cmd+L), then say what you want. For example: highlight a few tasks in Next-Actions.md, add to context, and say "Mark these done and move the next actions from their projects onto Next-Actions."

2. Cursor rule
   This repo has a rule that always applies in this repository: .cursor/rules/gtd-context.mdc. It tells Cursor to read GTD-SYSTEM.md as required context whenever you’re working here. So any prompt you give in this repo is guided by the GTD structure and sync rules — you don’t have to paste the system doc every time.

3. Hand-edit when you like
   Everything is plain markdown. You can edit Inbox.md, Next-Actions.md, or any project file by hand. If things get out of sync (e.g. a project action is done but still on Next-Actions), tell the agent: "Clean up my lists and make sure Next-Actions and project actions match."

4. Reference material
   Store notes, checklists, and links in Reference/ (global) or in a project’s reference/ folder. Use markdown or text so it’s easy to search. You can say: "Add a reference note under Reference/work for our vendor contacts" or "Search my reference docs for 'typewriter' and summarize what we have."

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What’s in this sample

• 1st-tier lists: Inbox, Next-Actions, Calendar, Waiting, Someday-Maybe, Trash, each with Personal and Work sections.
• Sample projects:
  • Work: Refresh-Typewriters — plan, actions, and reference (maintenance notes, vendor contacts).
  • Personal: Home-Garden-2026 — plan, actions, and reference (planting schedule, soil notes).
  • Someday-Maybe: Learn-Violin — deferred project with a few starter actions.
• Inbox items that say things like "Tell me to move this task to Next-Actions" so you can try the workflow.
• Standalone actions on Next-Actions (personal and work).
• Sample Waiting items (e.g. waiting on warehouse, landscaping, finance).
• Sample Calendar items (personal and work dates).
• Reference: Reference/ with a short GTD reminder doc; project reference folders show how to keep searchable notes next to a project.

Use or change any of this; it’s a template. Add your own projects, empty the lists, or ask the agent to restructure things.

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A note about work and personal

This system keeps Personal and Work in the same repo and in the same files (in separate sections). That’s convenient but worth thinking about:

• Where you store the repo (personal device, work machine, cloud) affects who might see it.
• What you put in each section — avoid putting confidential work details in a repo that lives only on personal accounts, and vice versa, if your policy or employer requires separation.
• You can instead keep two repos (one work, one personal) and use the same GTD structure in both; the agent can work in whichever repo you open.

Be responsible about how you mix work and personal projects and where you store them.

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Customizing the system

If you don’t like how something works — for example, you want different section names, extra lists, or different rules for Inbox vs Next-Actions — ask the agent to change the rules. The behavior is defined in GTD-SYSTEM.md and in .cursor/rules/gtd-context.mdc. You can say things like:

• "Add a section for 'Errands' on Next-Actions."
• "Change the project template so every project has a 'status' field."
• "Update the Cursor rule to also read Reference/README.md when I'm working on reference docs."

The agent can propose edits to those files so the system fits how you work.