It sounds like you're using hierarchical, nested lists for your projects and actions, which would make next actions without an associated project look like they're orphaned. The simple answer is: use separate, flat lists, and avoid linking actions and projects. If you're looking a flat list of next actions, there's no difference between the ones that belong to a project and the ones that don't.
We're suggesting the opposite of your last post. Instead of having one next actions list, have one project list and several next actions lists organized by context. Context lists are optional, but most people find that they simplify list management rather than complicate it.
Try searching the form with keywords like "link," "projects" and "actions" to bring up a torrent of past discussion about the issues associated with linking, or see my post,
Linking Actions to Project: The Big GTD Controversy.
When using the Two Minute Rule, sometimes you'll make a bad call and misgauge how long an action actually takes. There's an art and a learning curve to using it effectively. But my rule is that if the word "might" pops into my head when answering the question, "Will this take less than two minutes?", I interpret that as "no" and write it down as a next action.
Well, I used to. I work from home now, so my Two Minute Rule is pretty elastic, since I don't have to contend with the multiple inputs and interruptions of office work. In general, the busier you are, the better it is to use to Two Minute Rule literally (or an even briefer version, like the 30 Second Rule, you're really under the gun). In my context, I usually just ask, "Will this only take a few minutes?"
According to Dean Acheson, the originator of the Two Minute Rule, the original consulting question was, "Is this a short action?" As he noticed that his clients found this question equivocally subjective (what is "short"?), he reified to two minutes.
