BCHC Newsletter | June 2014

THE NEWS
Call for Expressions of Interest

Would You Like to Host a Learning Event in Your Community?

Deadline June 27th

Do you want to learn how to engage the public more meaningfully in your healthy communities initiatives? Would you like to take your current healthy communities coalition or working group to the next level of collective impact? Perhaps you would like to learn more about a specific health issue that your community is facing around health and well-being, and identify opportunities for shared action with your partners?

Local governments and community partners are invited to submit their Expression of Interest to host a learning event in their community, focused on supporting collaborative community action and building healthier, more sustainable communities.

On behalf of PlanH and other partners, BC Healthy Communities Society and LIRN BC (Learning Initiatives for Rural and Northern BC) bring trainers and facilitators to your community to deliver learning events for local governments and community partners. A limited number of workshops will be provided across the province, to be selected through this Call for Expression of Interest.

Click here to learn more!

Building Healthier, Sustainable and Resilient Communities in the North

Citizen Series 2014

We have just completed our fourth year delivering the Citizen Series Webinars for residents of Northern BC in partnership with Northern Health. These two-hour sessions have invited dialogue from citizens in northern communities on specific topics that are critical to improving the health outcomes of northern people, recognizing that community and civic involvement is a cornerstone to healthy people and populations. This year’s topics included: Harm Reduction Approaches to Problematic Substance Abuse in the North, Storytelling for Health and Place in the North, Social Impacts of Rapid Industrial Growth in Rural Communities, and Equipping our Communities to Support Aging in Place.


In the past few years hosting the Citizen Series, we have witnessed incredibly rich dialogue sparked from these online learning events. This last year we scaled up opportunities for dialogue by coordinating host sites for webinar delivery, bringing together fellow community members with a shared interest in and commitment to improving the quality of life for their fellow community members.

"Our group [at the Centre of Healthy Living host site in Prince George] was so interested and interesting that I nearly bailed on the webinar. There was so much richness in the room and on the webinar and in the chat box!  And that was all down to the excellence of the presenters and their material. What a great learning opportunity – thank you all"

Theresa Healy - Northern Health

We would like to thank all of the wonderful presenters and participants who have taken it upon themselves to be a part of building healthier, sustainable and resilient communities in the north.

If you didn’t get a chance to participate in this online dialogue series, the recordings are available on our website here.

City of Victoria Youth Council is Hiring! 

Youth Council Coordinator Position

The City of Victoria Youth Council (CVYC) is looking to hire a new Coordinator. The CVYC is a youth-­driven, grassroots project that offers opportunities for civic engagement to youth ages 14-­24 who live, work, hang out, or go to school in the City of Victoria.

As the CVYC Coordinator, you will provide a range of supports such as strategic planning, event and project coordination, and administrative support. You will act as an ally and support fellow youth council members.

To find out more about this position CLICK HERE.

THE COMMUNITY

City of Victoria Youth Council 

YOU(th) Employability Fair

On June 4, 2014, the City of Victoria Youth Council hosted a very successful Employability Skills Fair for YOU(th)! In numbers: over 100 youth attended, plus two dozen employers, youth employees and agencies that answered hundreds of questions, and five stellar Youth Council volunteers and event organizers!

Some youth attendees had never heard of cover letters, and some arrived in full suits with prepared cover letters and resumes. Some came with a large group of friends, while some arrived on the arm of their encouraging parent. The whole Victoria Step Up Youth Leadership Crew even dropped by! 

Attendees mingled, asked great questions, sipped Silk Road and Starbucks beverages, and ate pizza from The Joint and snacks from the Market on Yates. Some of the bravest took to the stage for a mock interview while others lingered at the “What Not to Wear: Interview Edition” booth. Still others seeked help at the Resume and Cover Letter station, facilitated by GT Hiring Solutions, WorkLink and Beacon Community Services.

Some employer highlights were Shellie Gudgeon, City Councillor and owner of Il Terrazzo, Chris Shurety, owner of The Patch (a popular local clothing shop), and BC Healthy Communities and the Didi Society representing the non-profit employers. On the youth employee side, we were joined by folks like Léon from the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Caroline from the Habitat Acquisition Trust, and Zoei from the Solstice Café who all shared personal stories and insights.

With such a great community response for this first Employability Skills Fair, we already have our sights on making it an annual event! See you next year?!

If you'd like to learn more about the CVYC and the other exciting projects they've been working on, follow them on Facebook, Twitter or contact the CVYC coordinator at info@cvyc.ca.

THE CHAMPION  

Big Impact in a Little Community

Maggie Bello

My mom likes sports, a good laugh, and seafood. But this last aforementioned interest is one of many reasons she’s excited to move down to the coast. After twenty years as the Executive Director of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Quesnel, she will retire at the end of this month, leaving behind a legacy of compassion.

My mom, Maggie Bello, has been a keystone in the Quesnel community for over twenty-five years. She has volunteered on multiple boards and sports teams, and has made a strong impact instilling compassion and responsibility on people of all ages. She believes that the volunteer ‘Bigs’ benefit just as much as the ‘Littles’ in the program. She has personally witnessed the learning and value of mentorship for all those involved: the adults get a chance to see from a kid’s perspective and the kids learn how to fish (literally, for example) or how positive, one-on-one attention feels (which they might not get in a large family). The outcomes are boundless and unexpected, for example, one particular ‘Little’ attributes his acceptance into the rep soccer league due in part to the consistent, on-time rides to practice from his Big Brother. Large-scale outcomes from these interactions also mean higher self-esteem, stronger peer relationships, and giving back to the community as they grow up. (Find stories and statistics at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Canada website: http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/en/home/default.aspx.)

My mom’s spirit for giving back was nurtured as a young girl. She grew up watching her dad flood the ice rink in her small Ontario home town for all the children to play on; and her teacher, Mr. Kosty, still gets a Christmas card every year for all he did in developing her worldview. Maggie has always wanted to give back, whether at the Quesnel Human Rights and Civil Liberties Centre, Quesnel Tillicum Friendship Centre, Child Youth and Family Network, College of New Caledonia, Women’s Resource Centre, or volunteering with Amnesty International. She enjoyed how the new opportunities to become further involved would present themselves, and so she would go with the flow.

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
~Etienne de Grellet (The quote my mom used in her Valedictorian Speech)

My mom is a Warrior Woman. She stands up for what she believes in; and, she has been fighting (non-violently, of course) for the kids in that community for a long time. Maggie has greatly inspired me to be involved in my community. She continually supports my aspirations to “make the world a better place” while providing the insight into how to realistically enact change. She starts by developing the human potential; looking at the inner individual and strengthening their sense of self, responsibility and belonging. Her integrity in running the programs and investment in these families and volunteers is absolutely inspiring.

Through the many matches between Bigs and Littles, grant applications, and field trips for the Big Bunch, she has connected people within the community and shown them the true value of friendship. Her enormous effort in developing a culture of integrity and commitment among these relationships goes beyond the people enrolled in the program in a pay-it-forward fashion, enhancing the well-being of families, friends, schools, and the world.
 
By Angela Bello

THE ARTICLE 
Influencing Mobility via the Built Environment 
By Michelle Sandsmark

Bike to school? Walk to work? Scooter to the Seniors’ Centre?


The built environment can shape our perceptions and ultimately the decisions that we make, especially when it comes to active transportation. City streets and rural communities can be difficult to navigate by bike, foot, or when using a mobility aid if the appropriate infrastructure is unavailable or inaccessible. This in turn can deter people from choosing modes of active transportation to get around.



The links between the built environment, city planning and design, and health have never been clearer. Communities that have prioritized designing a landscape that encourages biking, is pedestrian friendly, and makes amenities accessible for those using mobility aids are communities that have healthier citizens, environments and economies.


Terms such as bike-ability, walk-ability, and wheel-ability have surfaced in recent years in the planning realm and amongst public health professionals, but is there really a difference? Simply put, absolutely! The facets of each index are complementary, but each have some distinguishable differences.

Bike-ability
Five components comprise the Bike-ability Index: bike route density, bike route separation, connectivity (i.e. intersection density of bike-friendly routes), topography (i.e. average slope), and destination density. This index provides an overall score to the community to determine how accommodating they are to cyclists. Check out the bike score methodology here.


To assess the built environment on the ground level, bike-ability assessments include rating the physical features of the built environment, such as availability of bike racks or bike facilities, and access to bike lanes or paths.  
 






Walk-ability
Walk-ability is measured using four components: residential/population density, land-use mix, connectivity/intersection density, retail floor area ratio. 


Walkability assessment tools may require participants to examine the walking facilities and the maintenance of these, and then rate the conditions on a Likert Scale (e.g. Is the sidewalk free from cracks, misalignment, or other pavement condition issues? On a scale of 1-5, rate the conditions). So why does walk-ability matter? “Jeff Speck: The Walkable City” is a must see inspiring speech to find out more about city design, walk-ability, and the connection with health.  
 




Wheel-ability
Wheel-ability benefits those who use mobility aids such as scooters, walkers, walking poles and wheelchairs. There is not a definite wheel-ability index, however aspects of wheel-ability are comparable to the walk-ability index. 

Wheel-ability assessments will often inspect physical elements similar to that in a walk-ability assessment. These include examining sidewalk conditions (e.g. cracks, narrowness, gradient), access to buildings (e.g. ramps), street lighting, and the traffic light system (e.g. crossing time). The City of New Westminster carried out an extremely comprehensive wheel-ability assessment that led to changes to improve access for mobility aid users.  

Practical Use
Communities around the world are prioritizing active transportation plans to encourage active healthy lifestyles and prevent chronic disease. Walk-ability, bike-ability, and wheel-ability indexes and assessments can help to measure and evaluate the current situation, then develop recommendations for action. 


The connections between health and the built environment are clear, and The Healthy Built Environment Linkages Toolkit is a valuable resource that was recently published in 2014 by the Public Health Services Agency (PHSA) to clearly connect the dots. This tool is based on the latest research and expert opinions from planners, public health practitioners, and scholars. 


If you are in the process, or are thinking about creating a more walk-able, bike-able, or wheel-able neighbourhood, here are some great resources that may help:

Walkability Assessment Tool 
Walkability Toolkit
Bikeability Assessment Guide
Bikeability Checklist
New Westminster’s Wheelability Project 

Fun and Imaginative Solutions

• Many cities have created biking facilities, and the McDonald’s Cycle Centre located in Millennium Park, Chicago, is amongst one of the most impressive. This state-of-the-art facility allows commuters to park their bike, take a shower, and get a bike tune up.
• Street furniture allows for social interaction, and a spot to rest when in need, but these “15 Urban Furniture Designs You Wish Were on Your Street” bring a creative element to the built environment.
• Click to check out this bicycle escalator! This is a fun solution to encourage bicycling in a hilly area.

THE EVENTS 

PHABC's 5th Annual
Public Health Summer School

Date: June 23-26, 2014
Time: 9:00am – 4:30pm PDT

Main locations: UBC, UVic, UNBC, UBC-Oka

Subsites: Kamloops, Smithers, Fort St. John, Castlegar

The Public Health Summer School welcomes participants from a variety of fields and backgrounds who are working directly or indirectly with with public health across the province. The four-day summer school event is divided into two sessions, each over two-days. You can register for one session, but will have the most rewarding experience by attending the full four days.

June 23 and 24 – Supporting and Protecting Health: Promoting Mental Wellness and Addressing Psychoactive Substances

Goal: To build awareness, understanding and skills for promoting and protecting positive well-being by addressing health challenges and using evidence-informed health promoting mechanisms and implementation strategies related to mental health and substance use.

June 25 and 26 – Strengthening Healthy and Sustainable Communities through Local Government Planning and Public Health Collaboration 

Goal: To increase understanding of the key features of healthy and sustainable communities; to increase understanding of the mutually supportive and collaborative roles and activities of local government (municipalities and regional districts) and public health professionals in supporting them and to provide inspiration and ideas for further collaborative action in BC. 

Register now, as space is limited!

THE READ 
Recommended by Penny Dunlop

Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design 

By Charles Montgomery

When we talk about healthy communities, we often think about the physical places in which we live, work and play. This book offers a light hearted and intelligent perspective on what a Happy City might look like based on emerging research into happiness and provides incredible examples of happiness-promoting urban design from around the world. 

“A brilliant, entertaining and vital book. Montgomery deftly leads us from our misplaced focus on money, cars and stuff to consider what makes us truly happy. Then everything changes – the way we live, work and play in humanity’s major habitat, the city.” 

- David Suzuki (quote from http://thehappycity.com/the-happy-city/)

Read more here.

BCHC Newsletter | May 2014

THE NEWS 

BCHC is thrilled to announce

Forty-nine Communities in BC Will Receive Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grants!

We would like to thank all the communities that submitted an application to the Healthy Communities Capacity Building Fund. We received over 150 applications from communities throughout the province for projects as diverse as active transportation planning and urban agriculture visioning.

Thirty-eight communities will receive Stream 1: Learn and Connect grants. These grants support communities to develop partnerships across sectors, to learn about conditions that support health and well-being, to identify and plan for local health and well-being priorities, and to develop opportunities and leadership for action. Eleven communities will receive Stream 2: Innovate grants to undertake leading-edge, action to address local conditions that influence health and well-being. We are very excited to be supporting such a great range of projects.

Click here to view a list of upcoming projects

Introducing Penny Dunlop

New Communications Coordinator

Penny believes that effective communications play a critical role in social mobilization, advocacy and community development. Penny’s work is rooted in curiosity and playfulness, making space for ‘aha moments’ and breakthroughs. She looks forward to working with the BCHC team to develop effective communication and outreach materials to enhance BCHC’s capacity building efforts across the province.

Most recently, Penny has been working in development and communications for the Victoria Women's Transition House where she witnessed the impact community can have on the most vulnerable and isolated in our neighbourhoods. The experience of building community support and raising awareness around an issue close to her heart was what inspired her to pour her efforts into Community Development - a deep seeded passion of hers.

In her spare time, Penny enjoys mountain biking with her puppy Piper, treasure hunting (thrift shopping) and practicing yoga. 

You can reach Penny at penny@bchealthycommunities.ca.

THE COMMUNITY  

BCHC Participates as a Guest Panelist

Mental Health E-Dialogue
By Jodi Mucha

Feelings of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, fear and emotional distress are part of the human condition, and many people develop coping mechanisms to maintain their everyday life. Mental illness occurs when those feelings become overwhelming, compromising one’s ability to cope.1Mental illness is pervasive in Canada and affects everyone, either personally or through family, friends and colleagues. Statistics Canada reports that 2.8 million people or 10.1% of Canadians aged 15 and older reported symptoms consistent with at least one of six mental and/or substance use disorders in the past 12 months including major depressive episodes, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and abuse of or dependence on alcohol, cannabis or drugs.2

On April 23, 2014, Jodi Mucha, BCHC Executive Director participated as a guest panelist with a diverse group of practioners and researchers in an e-Dialogue on mental health and its implications for sustainable development.  Hosted by the Community Research Connections (CRC) on Sustainable Community Development, this e-Dialogue was just one aspect of a wider ranging community research agenda.  A summary of the e-Dialogue will be posted here soon.

References
1. Public Health Agency of Canada (2002). A report on mental illnesses in Canada. Health Canada
2.  Statistics Canada (2013). Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health, 2012.

THE CHAMPION  

Community Developer Extraordinaire 

Tanis Dagert, MEd

Community Developer Tanis Dagert, MEd, loves living on Vancouver Island and has been helping to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities since she moved there in1998 after a two year Volunteer stint with CUSO in Indonesia. With strong roots in popular education, food security, sustainable living and health promotion, Tanis has worked with communities across the island on initiatives related to skills training, community food projects, network building, research, digital story telling, social media, and engaging policy makers in planning and action. Past roles include leading a Health Canada health promotion project called 'Living Well' in Nanaimo (2001-2005), development of skill building programs and organizational sustainability as Executive Director of Nanaimo Foodshare Society (2001 - 2006) and leading a team of community developers to help kickstart over 20 grassroots healthy community initiatives all over the island as a Community Capacity Facilitator with the BC Healthy Living Alliance (2008-2010).

Currently Tanis is coordinating the Alberni Clayoquot Health Network that brings stakeholders together in the region to discuss and collaborate on public health issues. Using a social determinants of health approach, the Health Network is aiming to address the lack of affordable and accessible transportation, affordable housing and health literacy in the region while at the same time trying to work 'upstream' and ensure that children have the healthiest futures possible. Tanis also facilitates a very successful Facebook group called 'Sustainable Food Vancouver Island' with news and events aimed at supporting and building a sustainable food system on the island.

Tanis believes that we need to impact health earlier, create healthy supportive environments for people to live, work and play in and that we all need to work together. "There are global forces at play and it's important to focus on the big picture while at the same time trying to facilitate changes at the local level," she said. "It's important to serve our communities in whatever way we can, whether it's on the ground or in cyberspace." 

THE ARTICLE 

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED): A Cost Effective Community Design Strategy

By Michelle Sandsmark

Built environments can be altered and transformed to encourage positive behaviours, including reductions in criminal activity. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is an increasingly popular method used to deter criminal activity in communities across the globe.  Rather than focusing on crime control through policing communities and physical security, careful neighbourhood planning, development, and maintenance can result in a reduction of crime. Ultimately, a reduction in crime can lead to positive outcomes such as improved perceptions of neighbourhood safety, social connectedness, and psychological well-being.

Background

Criminologist Dr. C. Ray Jeffery coined the CPTED phrase in 1971. He argued that too much emphasis had been placed on the social causes of crime, while the environmental determinants may be just as important. Architect and city planner Oscar Newman built on the CPTED concept and created the theory “defensible space”, while criminologist Tim Crowe has taken this idea and developed a series of CPTED training programs. CPTED has now become a key strategy for crime prevention for anyone in architectural design, space management, and urban planning. The Three-D approach provides simple guidance to determine whether or not a space will prevent or stimulate crime:
1) Designation - What was the original purpose of the space? Is it fulfilling this purpose?
2) Definition - Are the borders, ownership, and legal signage clearly displayed and understood by the community?
3) Design - How well does the design support the intended function, and desired behaviours?

Keeping the Three-D’s in mind, CPTED strategies stem from four major principles:
1) Natural access control - a facility or space should give a natural indication of where people are permitted access, or where they should keep out. Guards and locks can only go so far, so setting obvious boundaries is important.
2) Natural surveillance - simple placement of windows or maintaining an area so it feels like there is always someone watching the street can deter criminal activity.
3) Territorial reinforcement - while this encompasses the first two concepts, there is stronger emphasis on ownership of property.
4) Maintenance - managing and maintaining the physical appearance of the built environment (i.e. repair signs of vandalism, create aesthetically pleasing spaces) can foster respect for the space.

Human resources and hardware, such as alarm systems, can be extremely costly to regulate crime in the neighbourhood. CPTED concepts can be used in any type of community or facility, indoors or outdoors, without having to sacrifice an abundance of time and resources. In fact, this has been shown to be a cost effective strategy that local governments can adopt. 

Click here to watch a comprehensive overview of CPTED theory

Practical Implementation 
The following are some key examples of CPTED actions:

Indoors
• Businesses often strategically position workstations to increase the perception of surveillance;
• Shelves, displays, and racks can be lowered to enhance visibility, improve surveillance of customer activities, and improve attractiveness;
• Installing large windows that face the street can increase perception of surveillance;
• Bright lights that can be left on over night can reduce the likelihood of a break-in.

Outdoors
• Locating parking stalls so large windows and entrances look onto vehicles can deter vehicle theft;
• Improving sightlines by cutting back shrubs and trees can enhance visibility and reduce space for concealment of criminal activity;
• Installing bright street lighting in high crime areas;
• Immediately repairing signs of vandalism such as broken glass, graffiti, or other damaged property, to reduce the likelihood of criminal activity proliferating in the area .

CPTED Examples in British Columbia

North Vancouver: RCMP officers who have received CPTED training are available to conduct a free evaluation of locations in North Vancouver. A formal report will be provided listing recommendations for CPTED actions.

Tumbler Ridge Urban Design Guidelines: Tumbler Ridge developed as a new community in the 1980’s, and incorporated all the CPTED principles from the beginning to become “The World’s First CPTED Town”. 

Expo Line Needs and Priority Assessment: This study helped to assess whether the design of the rapid transit stations would enhance or detract from personal security. The assessment includes issues, constraints, and potential improvements. 

Additional Resources

These links provide information about CPTED training, toolkits, and planning:
• CPTED Training Opportunities In BC
• CPTED Guidebook
• Kelowna CPTED Guidelines
• Saskatoon CPTED Safety Audit Checklist

THE EVENTS 

Webinar

Northern BC Citizen Series "Social Retrofit: Equipping Our Communities to Support Aging in Place"

June 17th from 1:30-3:30pm PDT

Join us for an exploration of opportunities to better equip our communities to support aging in the places we live.

The statistics are pretty clear: the baby boomers are moving into their senior years and are expected to be the biggest age group in the Canadian demographic - over 25% of Canadians by 2050 will be over 65. In northern BC, the seniors portion of the population will be larger than in any other part of the province. Such dramatic demographic shifts have implications for services, for community development and for sustaining healthy communities. 

Join us online at no cost for our series of interactive webinars focused on the role citizens and northern BC communities can play in influencing health outcomes.To learn more and register, click here.

Webinar

Responding to Climate Change: Actions and Practices that Link Health, Ecosystems and Society

May 28th from 1:00-2:30pm PDT

This Ecohealth Webinar, hosted by the Western Node of the CoPEH-Canada, aims to highlight the diverse ways in which practitioners, professionals, policy-makers, community members and researchers are responding to topical issues at the nexus of health, ecosystems and society. The interactive 90-minute sessions will focus especially on action and practice, and will purposefully profile issues that cut across disciplines, sectors, jurisdictions, species and geographical boundaries.

Speakers include:

• Stacy Barter, BC Healthy Communities. "Health Impacts of Climate Change in BC: Health Authority Perceptions and Capacity for Action."
• Noba Anderson: Regional district director, (Electoral Area 'B'), Cortes Island: "Building local resilience: Climate Change and community resource governance"
• Lindsay Galway, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University: "Learning about how climate change is framed: insights from public health and water management"
• Tim Takaro, Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University: "Climate Change and Health Policy Group"

To learn more and register, email Stephan Iwasawa at stefan.iwasawa@viu.ca.

Upcoming

City of Victoria Youth Council Events

Join us at Esquimalt's first Bike Fest! Meet Youth Council members, check out our PedalBox Bike Art Gallery, enjoy an interactive activity and give your feedback on Victoria's Cycling Master Plan!

May 25th 11am-1:30pm at the Archie Browning Centre

Everything you(th) need to find a job, all in one room! One-on-one resume and cover letter help, employers and youth employees from all major sectors, "What Not to Wear to a Job Interview" and more, all in a casual fair style!

June 4th 4-7pm at the Victoria Event Centre

To find out more, email us at info@cvyc.net.

PHABC's 5th Annual

Public Health Summer School

Date: June 23 – 26
Time: 9:00am – 4:30pm PDT

Main locations: UBC, UVic, UNBC, UBC-Oka

Subsites: Kamloops, Smithers, Fort St. John, Castlegar

The Public Health Summer School welcomes participants from a variety of fields and backgrounds who are working directly or indirectly with with public health across the province. The four-day summer school event is divided into two sessions, each over two-days. You can register for one session, but will have the most rewarding experience by attending the full four days.

June 23 and 24 – Supporting and Protecting Health: Promoting Mental Wellness and Addressing Psychoactive Substances

Goal: To build awareness, understanding and skills for promoting and protecting positive well-being by addressing health challenges and using evidence-informed health promoting mechanisms and implementation strategies related to mental health and substance use.

June 25 and 26 – Strengthening Healthy and Sustainable Communities through Local Government Planning and Public Health Collaboration 

Goal: To increase understanding of the key features of healthy and sustainable communities; to increase understanding of the mutually supportive and collaborative roles and activities of local government (municipalities and regional districts) and public health professionals in supporting them and to provide inspiration and ideas for further collaborative action in BC. 

Register now, as space is limited!

THE READ 

Recommended by Jodi Mucha

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

By David Allen

In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to:

Apply the "do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it" rule to get your in-box to empty. Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations. Plan projects as well as get them unstuck. Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed Feel fine about what you're not doing From core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down.