Today's actions list?

[Loukas]

Hi everyone,

Something related to the above that I have read recently and have implemented, is the following: Separate the S/M list to a "Future" and "Maybe" lists!

Anything that needs to be done within the next week (max two) remains on the relevant category: @call, @c, @out, @h etc. These are the things I can realistically tackle any time during the next week or two.

Anything that would have a definite future date in the next few months that I *definately* want to do, I assign to category "F". For example, my "Write Xmas cards" NA is under "F" and dated 1/12/2006 ... It's something I *definately* want to do, just not in the next couple of weeks. No use of being in my immediate view. I will re-assign it to my @h category during the Weekly Review on 26/11, for example (and remove the date aspect).

Anything that is a Maybe, such as for example "Pick up brochures for summer trip to Maldives" (summer is too far, not even sure if I want to go to Maldives) is put under my "M" category.

Now, the reason I trust to put some of my non-immediate NA in the "F" category is that I know I'll re-visit them and possibly re-assign them during the Weekly Review. Thus, nothing is lost, but I can instead focus on the more immediate tasks at hand in each of my categories.

This has un-clogged my NA lists and has enabled me to attend to my immediate NA's, freeing my mind of the worry of endless lists that are not getting anywhere...

Comments welcome....

L

 

[Borisoff]

Anything that would have a definite future date in the next few months that I *definately* want to do, I assign to category "F". For example, my "Write Xmas cards" NA is under "F" and dated 1/12/2006 ... It's something I *definately* want to do, just not in the next couple of weeks. No use of being in my immediate view. I will re-assign it to my @h category during the Weekly Review on 26/11, for example (and remove the date aspect).

Loukas, why not to use a tickler for that?

 

[Loukas]

Loukas, why not to use a tickler for that?

Well, I guess it's a sort of an electronic tickler file, you are correct. In this way I can have everything accessible through Outlook and synchronized with my Smartphone, I guess. But you are right!

 

[Borisoff]

Well, I guess it's a sort of an electronic tickler file, you are correct. In this way I can have everything accessible through Outlook and synchronized with my Smartphone, I guess. But you are right!

Then I think it's better to use Outlook calendar for that and not the Future category. If I want to be reminded of some action to start in the future (to be put into the system) I add ! sign in the begining and put it as the whole day event. For example, if you want to start preparation for the New Year then put !Start New Year Preparations Project for the desired date. In this case you won't miss it and that's more convinient then to use Future category.

Eugene.

 

[Loukas]

Hi Eugene,

I see what you are saying and will look into it. Nonetheless, the benefit of leaving these futue NA's in Tasks is that you just change their category when they become relevant, and they are there! So, you go from "F" to "@H" and that's it... very simple.

But, as they say, "it's horses for courses...", whatever works best!

Thank you for your suggestion,

Loukas