Quick Guide

Nirvana is built for Getting Things Done® — the proven method for clearing your head, getting organized, and doing what actually matters. This quick guide walks you through the GTD® workflow and shows you how Nirvana supports each step, as described in Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.

Capture

Start by getting everything out of your head and into your Nirvana Inbox — lingering to-dos, open projects, anything taking up mental space. Don't filter yet. Just capture.

on desktop:

Press I from anywhere to capture an item to the Inbox.

Or navigate to the Inbox, then click New Item or press N.

on mobile:

Tap and hold + from anywhere to capture an item to the Inbox.

Or navigate to the Inbox, then tap +.

Clarify and organize

With your Inbox full, go through each item and decide what it is and where it belongs.

Can you do it in under 2 minutes?
Do it now, then move on.

For everything else
Add details to help you act on it later:

Question	Action
What type of activity or category is it related to?	assign tags for context
How long will it take to accomplish?	assign the time needed
How much energy will you need to tackle this?	assign the energy needed
Is there a date by which it must absolutely be done?	assign a due date
Any additional notes you'd like to include?	add some notes

Where does this item belong?

Question	Action
Is it something that needs to be done soon?	move it to Next
Has it been delegated to someone else?	move it to Waiting
Can it be deferred until a specific date in the future?	move it to Scheduled
Do you think you'll get around to it one day?	move it to Someday
Does it require multiple steps to complete?	move it into Projects
Is it reference material rather than a to-do?	move it into Reference
Are you honestly never going to do it?	move it to Trash

Reflect and engage

With everything organized, the question becomes: what do I do next?

Nirvana lets you filter by time, energy, and context — so you're only seeing actions you can actually take right now. For example:

You're at work with 30 minutes free
You're at home but your energy is low
You're about to get on a call with Mary

Focus

In addition the standard GTD® setup, Nirvana includes the Focus list. It's a short, intentional list of what matters most right now — separate from everything else.

A few ways to use it:

Star any item to add it to Focus manually.
Set a due date or start date — when that date arrives, the item appears in Focus automatically. Nothing slips through.
Get a daily Focus email — a summary of your Focus list delivered to your inbox each morning.

Taking it further

Weekly Reviews

Your lists will drift if you don't tend to them. Once a week, scan everything: close out what's done, update what's changed, and flag what's coming up. It keeps your system trustworthy and your mind clear.

Keyboard Shortcuts

For devices with hardware keyboards such as desktops, laptops and tablets:

Navigation


[	Navigate up the side menu
]	Navigate down the side menu
1 – 8	Jump to lists in order: Inbox through Projects
9	Go to Logbook
0	Go to Trash

Tasks


N	Create new task
P	Create new project
I	Create new inbox task (capture from anywhere)
Enter	Save Changes
Esc	Cancel

General


/	Search
C	Move completed tasks to Logbook
D	Toggle sort by due date
G	Manage Tags
H	Show help
K	Show keyboard shortcuts
,	Preferences

Want more speed? See additional keyboard shortcuts, rapid entry, and batch editing.

A few more tips & tricks

Use search to find things quickly.
Add checklists to tasks.
Set up recurring tasks for anything that repeats.
Completed tasks go to the logbook. You can also export your full history.
Capture tasks from email using email-to-inbox.
Get a daily reminder of what matters with the focus email.

Additional resources

Nirvana on social: Twitter/X · LinkedIn · YouTube · Facebook · Instagram