“Projects” for areas of focus

[kito99]

I’m about to migrate to a new task manager (Nozbe personal -> Nozbe) and I’m considering changing the way I do things.

Nozbe is very GTD-focused, so it has Projects, which have one or more Tasks (and you can mark one or more as the Priority, or Next Action). Anyway, I have also been using Projects for many of my areas of focus; sort of a loose collection of unrelated tasks that are associated with that area of focus but don’t have a specific Project. But I’m wondering if this is overkill. Does anyone else manage tasks for areas of focus like this?

 

[fooddude]

Honestly, I have a list of projects. As outcomes. IE: Replace handles on the buffet. And I put the very next action in my context lists. I don't put projects on a sheet and then list all next actions. Too many variables. Like the very next action here would be in Agendas. "wife name" "What kind of handles do you want?" If i had next actions set out, it would be irrelevant after that agenda conversation. I could then put research pulls on my @computer list. Or I could go to the computer right then. If I stop there and i know what i want, I could go to store. Or put Lowes on my errand list and/or pulls on my @store list. Wherever I stop in next actions is when i put the very next action on my lists. Your project lists are not a bucket for all next actions. I don't know if that makes sense, but I see people on here with such complicated systems it must be hard to GTD for all the planning they do. I will say on the rare occasion, if I think a project has A lot of next actions, and potential "legs" I might do a project support list. That may only result if i have to give a report or do a training but even then it would just go into reference when it was done.

 

[DKPhoto]

No, but I group projects by area of focus so i can see only projects and next actions from that AOF.

I have a list of single actions not associated with any project for each AOF, which would show up in above.

My AOF horizon notes are in a text editor.

 

[cfoley]

I don't do anything like that at the moment, but in the past I have organised parts of my system by area of focus. I did that at the time because I had the intuition that I was neglecting some of my areas of focus, so I wanted to really see whether that intuition was correct. It turned out that maintaining that organisation was too much extra effort so I scrapped it. It also turned out that my intuition was correct. These days, I just trust my intuition.

So, I would ask you what problem you are trying to solve by organising your single actions in this way? It might be useful to you even if only for a while.

I can anticipate some downsides:
- Extra effort when entering an action.
- Extra thinking when the AoF is unclear, or when several may apply.
- Incomplete view of you AoF since actions with a project will not be included.
- Loads of extra effort to make complete views.

 

[TesTeq]

I’m about to migrate to a new task manager (Nozbe personal -> Nozbe)

@kito99 Are you sure you want to migrate? I know many people that prefer the "old" Nozbe look and feel.

 

[gtdstudente]

I don't do anything like that at the moment, but in the past I have organised parts of my system by area of focus. I did that at the time because I had the intuition that I was neglecting some of my areas of focus, so I wanted to really see whether that intuition was correct. It turned out that maintaining that organisation was too much extra effort so I scrapped it. It also turned out that my intuition was correct. These days, I just trust my intuition.

So, I would ask you what problem you are trying to solve by organising your single actions in this way? It might be useful to you even if only for a while.

I can anticipate some downsides:
- Extra effort when entering an action.
- Extra thinking when the AoF is unclear, or when several may apply.
- Incomplete view of you AoF since actions with a project will not be included.
- Loads of extra effort to make complete views.

cfoley,

Agree "Extra thinking when the AoF is unclear. . . ."

Have found an/any AoF to be especially unclear when it/they is/are lacking complete/full meaning that is capable of en-compass-ing all possible Horizons, viz., through Purpose

Thank you very much

As you see GTD fit

 

[cfoley]

I meant when it is unclear which AoF a project belongs to, not when the AoF itself is unclear in some way. For example, when a project straddles two AoFs or when the project doesn't fit into any AoF. Sorry for being unclear.

 

[gtdstudente]

I meant when it is unclear which AoF a project belongs to, not when the AoF itself is unclear in some way. For example, when a project straddles two AoFs or when the project doesn't fit into any AoF. Sorry for being unclear.

cfoley,

All good . . . your GTD feedback is second to none and well beyond reproach

GTD goodies come from whatever you express

Thank you very much!

As a GTD matter, posting five general subjective GTD Areas of Focus with corresponding Purposes as we close out 2023 with what to Decrease (Via Negativa) and what to Increase (Via Positiva) for 2024 and how that encompass all Horizons, Goals, Projects, Check Lists, Next Actions:


Identify Extrinsically to Analyze Intrinsically?


General / Particular

1. Divine / Apprehension =for= Transformative Communion for Eternal Beatific Vision Begun in this Life

2. Persons / Healthy =for= Harmonious Peace-of-Soul (Mind-&-Will) to express Good Vitality

3. Engineering / Overcoming =for= Avoiding Obstacles-&-Toxicity

4. Props / Utilities (Decorations-&-Tools)=for= Extrinsic Frictionless Delight

5. Provisions / Fiscal =for= Intrinsic Autonomy to express Extrinsic/External Generosity


As you see GTD fit

 

[kito99]

@kito99 Are you sure you want to migrate? I know many people that prefer the "old" Nozbe look and feel.

Interesting... I think I do prefer the old look and feel, but the new one has some features I've been missing, like the ability to use multiple categories when filtering. Also, there are a couple of bugs in the old one that will never be fixed. Minor ones, but still it'd be nice to use a version that is being upgraded.

 

[kito99]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone... I do keep a bunch of tasks within each Project, because I generally like to keep track of the next few tasks I know need to be done. I do usually filter out the non-next-action tasks when reviewing, though.

I'm thinking the AoF lists are perhaps not really necessary, since I usually find it overwhelming to review them and, like @cfoley said, it's an incomplete view of your AoF tasks if it doesn't include the projects as well.

Has anyone ever switched systems and just started over? That sounds kind of appealing too, but scary. Right now I'm thinking of selectively migrating projects.