What's the next action?

Next action thinking produces clarity, accountability, productivity, and empowerment.

Clarity-what exactly needs to be DONE
Accountability-who is going to do it?
Productivity-results from being more task oriented
Empowerment-increase in ability to make things happen results in improved self-esteem and outlook

Next action thinking undermines the victim mentality. It presupposes the possibility of change and the ability to make it happen. This reminds me of the serenity prayer:
Lord give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Focus on what can be done and decide what doesn't need to be done, then let it go. The reason Allen advocates collecting everything is because not everything is equally important. No matter how big or small your "to-dos" are, if they are not collected they exert the same kind of pressure and occupy the same attention. This is exhausting! What if there was an audible: pick up the dry cleaning, get the oil changed, pick up the dry cleaning, get the oil changed........This is exactly what Allen calls the open loop. It is in the brain, even if only subconsciously, unless it is in a trusted system. I resisted lists for a long time before coming to the realization that they can reduce my stress. I still have a long way to go before completing the "system" but have hope for a more organized future!