Actions that fall between Now and Someday/Maybe

[irenesanzv]

I do separate Someday (actions that I have decided I will do, but I don't know yet when, higher level of compromise) from Maybe (actions I want to re-evaluate, lower level of compromise).

I've seen people separaing their S/M lists depending on the frequency of review, but this way suits me better.

Hope that helps!

 

[Visual Learner]

Agreed. I actually prefer to separate them out into separate lists, rather than try to affix a priority to them. Even though they aren't explicitly labeled as Someday/Maybe, all of these lists are subcategories of it:
Maybe Buy
Books to read/buy (and possibly sub-lists like fiction, work-related, history, etc.)
Gifts for ____ (sig other, kids, etc.)
Vacation possibilities
Future House Projects
Key People
Charities (new ones to contribute to)
Movies to see/rent
Next time in _____ (cities, countries to visit)

These I don't need to review every week. Maybe once a month, or every couple of months. Sort of the same concept as prioritizing them, but (I think) more effective because it groups them by context rather than priority. I'd have a hard time comparing priorities between a book I want to read and a place I want to visit. When I'm getting low on books, or want to be inspired by it, they're all in one place. When it's time for a vacation, those thoughts are all in one place. When it's time to start another significant home-improvement project, they're all in one place. Plus I've always found that priorities are so fluid that trying to keep them straight is more trouble than it's worth.

One other thing: Some SD/M projects are pretty unique, so they don't fit neatly onto a list with anything else. Example: I've had something on my SD/M list (the one I review every week) for over a year. I finally got sick of seeing it during every review, so I asked myself when it was realistic to try to decide to take it on. I wrote a note, dropped it in my tickler for 4 months from now, and took it off my list. I'll get to it again, and when I do, I'll either tickle it again, put it on my SD/M list, or decide to take it on as a project.

I do the sorting using my Things app. Presents. Books. Ideas to crockpot for work or home. Activities I might want to try on winter evenings. I have 9 categories. I add to or mark off things I have attempted as I go along

 

[TimB]

I would like give my 2 points:

• I have a "Someday/Maybe" and a "Later" list. "Someday/Maybe" is for things I could possibly do some day (and this a mix of projects and higher level stuff, rarely actions); this could be things like "Take a holiday at the other end of the world", "Set up an exhibition for my photographs", ... You could say that these are more aspirations than projects. And if they don't get done, no harm is done. The "Later" list is for things I have to do or really want to do, but I just do not see myself moving this forward in the next week(s) or months. If I realise at end of October that I need a new lawnmower, there is no rush, as I will probably not mow my lawn till March.So i will put "New lawn mower bought" on my "Later"-list. I may act on it around year end, to see if there are any promotions, but I am quite happy to leave the project 'dormant' for the rest of the time. I will probably 'activate' the item and create a project in February, to do some research and actually buy one. For this kind of thing, I could put a time indication in the description, like "February-New lawn mower", so I know when I really need to look at it.
• Delete items from lists. Another reveleation I had recently, was that you do not have to do everything that is on your lists. You can put something on your lists and decide later on not do it and just take the thing off. You may think shiny gadget ABC is absolutely necessary to have a complete life, but I have found that letting these items simmer for a couple of weeks seriouly reduced the money spent on these things.