You can’t manage time, you can only manage actions. And you can’t do that until your mind is clear of all the junk that’s keeping you distracted and unfocused.

That’s the premise behind David Allen’s remarkable book, Getting Things Done. The book has spawned a movement, particularly amongst the tech community, because of it’s instantly applicable, immensely practical step-by-step process for achieving a “mind like water.”

Getting Things Done argues that the traditional time management and goal setting methods don’t work, because your mind is too full of junk that it reminds itself of over and over again even though you a) aren’t sure what it is, and b) can’t necessarily do anything about it right now. This low-level, tactical stuff is what prevents you from focusing on the larger picture effectively, and is largely what raises your stress level. The GTD process is designed to combat this.

Allen breaks his process into 5 steps: collecting anything and everything that’s on your mind, processing each “to-do” by identifying the ideal outcome and determining the appropriate next action, organizing it into a system that works for you, reviewing it regularly so your mind learns to rely on it instead of itself (freeing you to do more creative work), and finally doing it with a clearer head and sense of focus.

For some people, implementing the entire process might sound like overkill. But everyone I’ve ever met who has tried to seriously implement even pieces of Allen’s system has reaped tremendous dividends.

The black dress shoe is the staple and workhorse of a man’s business wardrobe. They should be sturdy, fit well, and always shined. Properly maintained and stored, a pair should last 10 years or more, never going out of style.

These Melton leather cap toe oxfords by Johnston & Murphy are affordable and classy. The cap toe reinforces the shoe and provides an additional touch of refinement and polish. Like all well made dress shoes, the sole is leather, which means they can be replaced in the hands of a capable cobbler and can last for years.

When planning a hiking or backcountry camping adventure, conserving space and limiting weight are primary considerations. Everything you decide to bring adds ounces that might seem minimal, but can be burdonsome after a 10 mile trek. And one of the most common culprits in a heavy sack is cooking gear.

The Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System eliminates this problem. This brilliantly designed system includes a 1.0 liter cooking vessel (and serving cup), burner, fuel canister and stand, all of which collapses into 4inches by 7inches of compact goodness.

The burner uses Jetboil’s patented FluxRing technology, which allows it to heat up almost instantly. On our last trip up to Michigan, we were boiling water within 2 minutes of turning the system on. It’s simple to assemble, simple to light, simple to clean up. And the space you’ll save in your pack can be used for more important things, like your travel atlas or a good bottle of Scotch.

Keeping documents up to date between computers has historically been fraught with difficulty. But the folks at Dropbox have made the process drop-dead simple.

Dropbox creates a folder on your hard drive (for as many computers as you wish). Any files that are placed in that folder, on any computer, are uploaded to the server and then synced with every other machine. As long as your computers are connected to the internet, everything is kept up to date automatically. You don’t have to worry about which version is current, as it keeps files updated whenever you save them.

You can also create shareable folders within your Dropbox folder, and give access to anyone you like. This is helpful when needing to send large files, or as a central place for keeping project related materials up to date for all team members.

For advanced users, Dropbox can enable you to do some pretty slick things. You can keep your passwords in sync, print articles and web pages as PDF files to read later, sync your iTunes library across multiple computers, or keep your Things installs synced on multiple machines (which has increased my use of Things considerably).

Dropbox is available to Mac, PC and the iPhone.

Thomas Keller is the owner of the famous French Laundry in California (routinely named one of the top 50 restaurants in the world), Per Se in New York, and a winner of “Best Chef in America”. His tendency is toward the elaborate, and his previous cookbooks have earned a reputation for being over the top in complexity.

But with his most recent offering, Keller has made a collection of beautiful, delicious and affordable rustic recipes that the most novice cook can master. Based on his California restaurant of the same name, Ad Hoc at Home provides the reader with 200+ spectcacular options that will impress friends and woo lovers.

Some recipes do call for a little extra love, but thankfully Ad Hoc at Home provides an extensive introduction on how to become a better cook, and tips along the way to master the recipes. And through the process of making his creations, the reader gains a little bit of Keller’s love of process and attention to detail. Cooking becomes less of a chore and more of an exercise in discipline and a refinement of one’s taste. And you’ll gain the satisfaction of making your friend’s the best fried chicken and chocolate cookies they’ve ever had in their lives.

A common interior design suggestion is to build a room around a large piece that makes a statement, and build the rest of the room around that piece. The Rojo Cabinet by Crate and Barrel serves this purpose well.

The cabinet’s substantial size draws your eye, and its versatile red finish instantly adds warmth to a room and looks great in a dining or living area. With ample storage and solid construction, it provides a safe place for nice dinnerware, your favorite books, photos or anything else you want people to look at.

The finish makes it look like an antique that is worth far more than the sticker price and will fool many a guest. And its versatility means that it will fit into your lifestyle and survive many moves.

Build your dining room or library around this piece and don’t be surprised at the consistent compliments you’ll receive.

Growing up in Colorado, the call of nature was never hard to hear. Weekends were regularly spent in the mountains, hiking along rivers, attempting to scale 14,000 foot peaks, and marveling at the colors in the fall. The only thing that’s more enjoyable than the terrain itself is the gear you bring with you.

Take, for example, these beautiful leather-bound personalized atlases from Orvis. These guides feature extremely detailed maps and travel information, along with 100 blank pages for chronicling your adventures in the wild. The durable paper and binding can handle the journey much more effectively than a standard journal. Extremely useful for trips with your mates, and a fantastic gift for the young son seeking his own adventures.