The Vet Vault: Fall In Love With Veterinary Science podcast

#139: Stop The Overwhelm: Veterinary Productivity Secrets from the Getting Things Done Master. With David Allen

0:00
54:37
Rewind 15 seconds
Fast Forward 15 seconds

Veterinary practice can be unpredictable, exhausting, and full of interruptions - not that conducive to getting things done, right? But what if you could handle it all with mind-like-water calm?

In this episode I pick the brain of productivity legend David Allen, creator of Getting Things Done (GTD), to show you exactly how. This isn’t about squeezing more into your day — it’s about cutting mental clutter, regaining focus, and feeling in control, even when it all hits the fan.You'll learn simple, actionable GTD strategies that busy vets can use today:

Master the 5 GTD steps for veterinary practice:

  • Capture: Never lose track of to-dos in a busy clinic again
  • Clarify: Break down complex patient tasks into clear next steps
  • Organise: Build bulletproof systems your whole team can trust
  • Reflect: Create powerful review routines for team rounds and personal clarity
  • Engage: Focus on what matters, when it matters

Beat interruptions without losing your mind

  • Why task-switching drains your brain — and what to do instead.
  • The simple tools that keep you sane and focused.
  • How to ‘park’ distractions and re-engage fast.

Transform team rounds and communication

  • The secret to closing open loops (and reducing anxiety for everyone)
  • How structured reflection makes complex caseloads manageable
  • Balancing roles and flexibility for smooth team dynamics


Join us for Vets On Tour Wānaka, New Zealand, 10-15 August 2025. Limited Early Bird Tickets on sale now. 

Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.⁠

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

Topics and Timestamps

03:09 Mind Like Water: The Key to Clarity

05:15 Challenges in Veterinary Productivity

20:33 Practical Tips for Capturing Tasks

28:58 Managing Multiple Projects and Tasks

29:26 The Importance of Knowing the Next Step

30:14 Dealing with Task Shifting and Interruptions

32:25 Organizing Physical and Mental Spaces

35:43 Team Dynamics and Productivity

38:02 Effective Rounds42:20 Balancing Defined Roles and Flexibility

47:35 Book recommendations 

48:49 Pass along question

More episodes from "The Vet Vault: Fall In Love With Veterinary Science"