Overwhelmed by long lists?

Geeko

GTD since 2017
I rather prefer short lists. If a list gets too long, it might be a good idea to split it up. Maybe there are some further contexts that fit your actions better.

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Cheers,
Tristan
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
One more comment. If your lists are ridiculously long, then you have too many commitments. Now you need to create a backlog and renogiate your commitments to a manegeable level.
 

Geeko

GTD since 2017
One more comment. If your lists are ridiculously long, then you have too many commitments. Now you need to create a backlog and renogiate your commitments to a manegeable level.

I would not generalize this. It highly depends on the number of lists you use. Imagine someone using just one master list with let’s say 140 items (slightly above average). I wouldn’t per se consider this person overcommited.
But what we can agree on is that if your lists get too long you should have a close look at your system and renegotiate the way you are looking at your lists. Maybe this will lead to defining some items as backlog or it will lead to a different implementation of your lists.

Cheers,
Tristan
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
I would not generalize this. It highly depends on the number of lists you use. Imagine someone using just one master list with let’s say 140 items (slightly above average). I wouldn’t per se consider this person overcommited.
But what we can agree on is that if your lists get too long you should have a close look at your system and renegotiate the way you are looking at your lists. Maybe this will lead to defining some items as backlog or it will lead to a different implementation of your lists.

Cheers,
Tristan
Agreed! I just looked at my context and projects lists and they're plenty long! :D
 

Geeko

GTD since 2017
Agreed! I just looked at my context and projects lists and they're plenty long! :D

Same here. Especially @Computer is much too long. For me it will be reasonable to split it into @Windows and @Linux since on my dual boot system both contexts are quite distinguished :)
Maybe that’s a task for a sunday evening – like now …

Cheers,
Tristan
 

Ger80C

Registered
Same here. Especially @Computer is much too long. For me it will be reasonable to split it into @Windows and @Linux since on my dual boot system both contexts are quite distinguished :)
Maybe that’s a task for a sunday evening – like now …

Cheers,
Tristan

The best next action in the Windows sublist would be to fully convert to Linux ;-)
But I know (writing this from a Win machine) that's not possible... :)
 

Ger80C

Registered
David's input in this is really helpful. What I struggle with again and again is deciding between next actions that relate to projects that more or less have the same priority, age and urgency. But this is something I have to resolve myself, no DA to come to the rescure here...

I must say I could not survive without my weekly or even daily "snack list" compiling just a few next actions for the day/week. The total amount of next actions is simply overwhelming for me at the moment. :-/ The best way for me is to do more weekly (-> bi-weekly) reviews to stay on top of things... Am I alone in this struggle?
 

Geeko

GTD since 2017
The best next action in the Windows sublist would be to fully convert to Linux ;-)
But I know (writing this from a Win machine) that's not possible... :)

That’s actually on my project list with a due date of 2020-01 when Windows 7 support will be discontinued. At the moment I use Windows mainly for my YouTube stuff but I’m already looking for alternatives. And I believe it is possible to make this transition without too many cutbacks ;) Let’s see how it ends up.
 

Rostane

Registered
Could happen, yes. So I try to stick to 3 important tasks a day, I use filters (contexts) to shorten long list and get rid of the stress !
 
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