Deciding what goes in Projects vs. Someday/Maybe

Lamb918

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I understand the concept that Someday/Maybe is for things you're not ready to move on just yet, either because you don't have the time/capacity/resources/whatever or it's just not a priority. And everything on your Project list should be things you're committed to moving on right now.

Where I get stuck sometimes is having projects that I'm not necessarily committed to moving on immediately, but that I have the potential to move on at any given moment.

As an example, I want to buy a new bookshelf for my office. My next action would be to research bookshelves online. This is something that's not super important, and I honestly don't know if I'm super committed to doing anything about it this week, so it seems like it would go on Someday/Maybe until I'm like "yes I definitely want to buy this thing in the next week or so, let me put it on my projects list and focus on it asap". But on the other hand, if I put it on my Projects list and have a next action, I might see it when I'm scrolling through my NA list and think "oh that's something kind of brainless activity let me just do a search and see where we end up." And then the project gets pushed forward a bit.

The problem is that I seem to have a lot of things like that where it would be nice to move the project forward but I wouldn't say it's pressing or that I'm really planning on committing to doing something about it in the next week or even the next month, so then I have a ton of stuff in my Next Actions list that are kind of clogging it up. But I feel like if I take all those out until I'm "committed" to it I might be missing an opportunity to move something forward when the mood strikes and when I see it on my list.

Not sure if that makes sense, or if I'm missing a way to handle this. Maybe I have a separate context for Next Actions related to those types of projects? Although then when do I look at that list. Or do I limit the number of those "If I get to it great but I'm not fully committed" projects on my list? I don't know if I have the discipline to move all those to Someday/Maybe, but maybe that's the best thing to do and I just deal with the opportunity cost.

Is everything on your Project list something you're 100% committed to moving forward on right now, or do you make room for things that would be nice to do but will honestly probably sit on your NA list for months?
 

TesTeq

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As an example, I want to buy a new bookshelf for my office. My next action would be to research bookshelves online. This is something that's not super important, and I honestly don't know if I'm super committed to doing anything about it this week, so it seems like it would go on Someday/Maybe until I'm like "yes I definitely want to buy this thing in the next week or so, let me put it on my projects list and focus on it asap". But on the other hand, if I put it on my Projects list and have a next action, I might see it when I'm scrolling through my NA list and think "oh that's something kind of brainless activity let me just do a search and see where we end up." And then the project gets pushed forward a bit.
I either [need a bookshelf and want to buy it] or [don't need a bookshelf and don't want to buy it]. I'm a binary guy so I don't understand why I should waste my time on pushing forward Projects that I'm not sure I want to push forward.
 

mcogilvie

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I understand the concept that Someday/Maybe is for things you're not ready to move on just yet, either because you don't have the time/capacity/resources/whatever or it's just not a priority. And everything on your Project list should be things you're committed to moving on right now.

Where I get stuck sometimes is having projects that I'm not necessarily committed to moving on immediately, but that I have the potential to move on at any given moment.

As an example, I want to buy a new bookshelf for my office. My next action would be to research bookshelves online. This is something that's not super important, and I honestly don't know if I'm super committed to doing anything about it this week, so it seems like it would go on Someday/Maybe until I'm like "yes I definitely want to buy this thing in the next week or so, let me put it on my projects list and focus on it asap". But on the other hand, if I put it on my Projects list and have a next action, I might see it when I'm scrolling through my NA list and think "oh that's something kind of brainless activity let me just do a search and see where we end up." And then the project gets pushed forward a bit.

The problem is that I seem to have a lot of things like that where it would be nice to move the project forward but I wouldn't say it's pressing or that I'm really planning on committing to doing something about it in the next week or even the next month, so then I have a ton of stuff in my Next Actions list that are kind of clogging it up. But I feel like if I take all those out until I'm "committed" to it I might be missing an opportunity to move something forward when the mood strikes and when I see it on my list.

Not sure if that makes sense, or if I'm missing a way to handle this. Maybe I have a separate context for Next Actions related to those types of projects? Although then when do I look at that list. Or do I limit the number of those "If I get to it great but I'm not fully committed" projects on my list? I don't know if I have the discipline to move all those to Someday/Maybe, but maybe that's the best thing to do and I just deal with the opportunity cost.

Is everything on your Project list something you're 100% committed to moving forward on right now, or do you make room for things that would be nice to do but will honestly probably sit on your NA list for months?
While I agree with TesTeq, sometimes the project is “R&D office bookshelf.’’ You look online, and you are just not sure you are ready to keep going. Some combination of style, price, and availability coupled with time available and perceived need says “not now.” Maybe it goes on saomeday/maybe, maybe you want to tickle yourself in 2 months, maybe you decide to drop it completely. The point is to drive the project to a state you are comfortable with. This can be subtle. If you think of your someday/maybe lists as consisting of things like “Cruise to Galapagos” then perhaps you are less inclined to put “R&D office bookshelf” on there, and vice versa. And of course your choice of list tool may make a difference to you as well.
 

Tom_Hagen

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Horizon of project is one year. I would put the project on active projects list to have an opportunity to "tickle" it in case I want to.
If, after one year (or maybe sooner) you'll find that your project is untouched just throw it away.
 

ivanjay205

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For me it is not a matter of when I am committing to something but if I am committing to something. For example, lets say you know you want that bookshelf but it doesnt matter if it is this week, next week, or a month from now. I would keep that as an active project. You can always elect not to perform that next action but the idea is that if the time allows and there is nothing else more pressing to do you can move that project forward.

Lets say you allot 30 minutes to research bookshelves.... When you "filter" or narrow down on your next actions you can complete within 30 minutes you still have a choice and can work on other things. However, if that is the only activity that fits within that timeline you can move it forward.

To me someday list is really for ideas that are out there. For example, I want to redo my office at work. Paint, new pictures, etc. It is on my someday list as I dont want to commit to it now, just too much going on. But it is there and when I am ready to commit I will move it to active and first step will be to pick paint colors, etc. second step to buy everything, etc.
 

Cpu_Modern

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But I feel like if I take all those out until I'm "committed" to it I might be missing an opportunity to move something forward when the mood strikes and when I see it on my list.

Not sure if that makes sense, or if I'm missing a way to handle this. Maybe I have a separate context for Next Actions related to those types of projects? Although then when do I look at that list.

You can put those types of projects on a Someday/Maybe list (You are allowed to have more than one Someday/Maybe list, but don't tell anybody I told you that.) and the check this list "when the mood strikes."
 

Gardener

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My first thought is that the risk of failing to do something that might have fit neatly into an opportunity is, IMO, of lower concern than clogging up your system so that it's harder to use day after day. For me, keeping my lists lean is essential; if they're too full I don't check them at all. So I would say accept/embrace the fact that there will be times when the ideal task is in your system but not in front of your eyes because it's in Somday/Maybe.

However, some strategies to potentially get SOME of those tasks in front of your eyes without clogging up the system could be, depending on the nature of the tasks:

- Lists. I have list for books to read, movies I might want to watch, seeds to consider, etc., etc.

You could have a "purchase research" list that you can bring up during those brainless times. A "books" list to bring up when you've ordered forty-six dollars' worth of books and the free shipping boundary is fifty dollars. An "idle time books" list of books you already own, so that you could pack one for no-laptops-allowed time in the plane. And so on.

In the bookshelf-buying example, your NA list could have, "Check purchase research list", and that could represent a few dozen NAs that would otherwise be clogging up your lists, but when you're scrolling in a brainless mood you'll still see the "Check..." NA.

- Arbitrary limits. If you have sixty "I suppose I could make progress on these" projects, you could allow five of them in your active lists. Or three. As part of your weekly review, you could adjust which ones, if it seems appropriate.

- Time-dependent subsets/subtasks of projects. I plant garlic in November, but I order the garlic months before that, so for me it's logical for the "order garlic" task to be totally separate from the "grow garlic" project. Similar for requesting funding to attend a conference, buying tickets, other things. Grouping a bunch of these together as a single "misc"-type project could keep all of the rest of their associated project clutter out of your active projects.
 

GTDengineer

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This scenario fits exactly the “someday/maybe” criteria. I’m not sure why it’s even debatable. You should review this list weekly.
 

TesTeq

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This scenario fits exactly the “someday/maybe” criteria. I’m not sure why it’s even debatable. You should review this list weekly.
I've got an insight borrowed from Mark Forster - creator of multiple paper-based task list systems (Autofocus, Superfocus, Final Version etc.): STAND OUT. In many of his systems he advices to browse the list to find item(s) that STAND OUT. And focus on them. We, GTDers, can use this procedure to review our Someday/Maybe list during the Weekly Review. If something STANDS OUT move it to your Projects list, create at least one Next Action and engage!
 

Oogiem

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The problem is that I seem to have a lot of things like that where it would be nice to move the project forward but I wouldn't say it's pressing or that I'm really planning on committing to doing something about it in the next week or even the next month, so then I have a ton of stuff in my Next Actions list that are kind of clogging it up. But I feel like if I take all those out until I'm "committed" to it I might be missing an opportunity to move something forward when the mood strikes and when I see it on my list.
I like long lists, plenty of choice and my projects can span years or even decades which is totally abnormal in the GTD world.

However,

I tend to keep everything that can be easily worked on in a particular 3 month season active in my system. When I do my weekly review if I find a particular project that fits that criteria is no longr important to me to do THIS season vs some other or next year I'll just dump it in its current state into my Someday/Maybe system. No big deal. If next weekly review I see that Ive finished a bunch of the sort of optonal projects I may choose to review S/M and add some back in.

The key is figuring out whether you prefer long lsits and everthing available or want to run extremely lean with only the bare minimum of projects in your task manager. Either is ok and either is "doing GTD" but using the one that fits with your personality will make the process much easier.
 

Lamb918

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You could have a "purchase research" list that you can bring up during those brainless times.

I love this idea! I feel like this is a category of stuff that messes up my system, sort of "look into" things that aren't super pressing and clutter up my lists but are nice to have when I'm in front of the tv and have my laptop open and don't really have to use a lot of brainpower. A separate context list would be useful for that purpose. Thanks!!
 

Lamb918

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I either [need a bookshelf and want to buy it] or [don't need a bookshelf and don't want to buy it]. I'm a binary guy so I don't understand why I should waste my time on pushing forward Projects that I'm not sure I want to push forward.

What about the "I need a bookshelf and want to buy it but depending on how much it costs and other things I want to buy this might happen in the next week or it might happen three months from now and it really doesn't matter either way"?
 

TesTeq

Registered
What about the "I need a bookshelf and want to buy it but depending on how much it costs and other things I want to buy this might happen in the next week or it might happen three months from now and it really doesn't matter either way"?
I've tried to read it but I've experienced an input buffer overflow. ;) That's why I follow Yoda's teaching: "Do or do not, there is no try."
 
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