David Allen is one of the world’s most influential thinkers on productivity. He’s spent 35 years as a management consultant and executive coach, and his work has earned him titles like “personal productivity guru” and one of “America’s top five executive coaches.” While many people begin to drown with their list of priorities, tasks and ideas, Allen teaches them to thrive. He says that a simple to-do list causes as much stress as it relieves, but identifying ideal outcomes and actions to get there can inherently change the way you approach life.

Here are five ways that Allen lays out to drastically improve your productivity, which aim to help you take action and live a more clear and thought out life.

Understand your brain’s capacity to manage your life

Your brain wasn’t designed to manage your life and priorities—it was designed to keep you from dying on the Savannah, according to Allen. He says your mind if for having ideas, not holding onto them. When most people are inundated with tasks and responsibilities, they respond by under or overreacting. Allen’s solution? Find ways to keep a clear mind. “If four people jump you in a dark alley you do not want to have 2,000 unprocessed email hanging in your psyche,” he says.

Accept that more time will not necessarily make you more productive

Allen lays out that in order to increase your productivity you don’t need time, but you need room. He says that you need to find the space to completely devote yourself to the task or idea at hand. Whether it’s paying attention to your child’s soccer game or participating in a meeting, Allen’s solution here is simple: Be present.

Learn to manage life’s flow of work

Have you ever deliberately left something in front of your door or next to your keys so you wouldn’t forget it the next day? Allen says that these kinds of decisions—the ones we make with a clear head—can drastically help you when our minds are not so clear. But how does one get to the point of making decisions with a clear head? He identifies five steps to get any situation under control and meaningfully focused: Capture what has your attention, clarify what it means, organize the results in appropriate places, stepping back and reflecting frequently to be sure you’re making conscious choices about your actions and then simply engage and make a decision.

Do a “mind sweep”

Allen has sat with some of the brightest minds and most powerful professional in the world, and has asked them all to unload what has their attention—what is on their mind. This process takes on average anywhere from one to six hours. Once you’ve identified everything that is hanging on your psyche, and clarify what it all means, what is worth hanging onto and what you’re going to do with the things that need to be acted on.

Establish a model to manage your life

You’re not born with the ability to prioritize and manage your life and work. But if you can establish a model of best practices—like Allen’s five steps—you can, as he says, “surf on top of” life. You might be knocked off and have your priorities thrown out of whack, but if you have a model and a methodology to deal with it all, getting things back in order becomes much, much easier.