How do you (if at all) limit your active projects and actions

[Oogiem]

I think many @Oogiem Active Projects would be my SomedayMaybe or Tickler Projects. I know nothing about sheep but for example changing tyres in my car (summer->winter, winter->summer, summer->winter, winter->summer) is not one multiyear Project in my system. These are separate Tickler Projects not active during summer and during winter.

If I had that as a project, changing tires, it would be 2 separate projects, one that is set to start say October and one set to start in April each with a yearly repeat. One would be remove snow tires and one would be put them on. Practically I split up a lot of tasks like that. I have one get sheep out onto pasture, that includes things like testing the electric nets, getting the solar chargers going, testing and replacing batteries as needed and making my grazing plan documents for the season from my templates. I have a similar one for get sheep off pasture that includes things like deciding on winter corral locations by class of sheep, repairing any broken fences, deciding if we need to order any more fences before next season (the fence supplier usually does a winter sale that I like to take advantage of) and doing battery maintenance etc.

 

[Cpu_Modern]

I keep my projects "in order" by going trough he list and marking them as "on top of it" or "behind" during the REVIEW.

If I fell behind on more than zero projects, I then re-negotiate, not only those projects marked as "behind", but all of them. Until I get a set where I can reasonably say that I will stay on top of them.

I try to have all projects I need to be active, but if I fall behind I have to face reality and put something on Someday / Maybe or even re-negotiate whole sets of 20k - 30k level items.

 

[TesTeq]

If I had that as a project, changing tires, it would be 2 separate projects, one that is set to start say October and one set to start in April each with a yearly repeat. One would be remove snow tires and one would be put them on.

In my case:
Today:
"Tires changed" Project in the April tickler file.
April 2017:
Execute "Tires changed" Project with wild success ;-)
and put NEW "Tires changed" Project in the November tickler file.
November 2017:
Execute "Tires changed" Project with wild success ;-)
and put NEW "Tires changed" Project in the April tickler file.

In this way I have a succesful outcome twice a year and no Project takes more than 12 months.

 

[Oogiem]

In my case:
Today:
"Tires changed" Project in the April tickler file.
April 2017:
Execute "Tires changed" Project with wild success ;-)
and put NEW "Tires changed" Project in the November tickler file.
November 2017:
Execute "Tires changed" Project with wild success ;-)
and put NEW "Tires changed" Project in the April tickler file.

In this way I have a succesful outcome twice a year and no Project takes more than 12 months.

Basically we are saying the same thing. I prefer to have things that start in a season be separated you've got them as one project with 2 instances. End result the same, 2 separate projects you get to complete twice a year with a successful outcome.

 

[CamJPete]

Right now I have 421 projects

I'm amazed that you have that many projects and still find the time (or should I say, prioritize your actions?) to post on this forum so often. Impressive.

Therefore I suggest that some kind of 20k or higher review might help.

This is really a question about priorities, so I would climb up the Horizons of Focus to at least Areas of Focus to make this decision--not try to make it at the Ground or Projects level.

I'm sure Kelly that you have coached many people who have run into this before. I know the struggles I have in the learning process are not unique to me. So, how does one use the upper levels to prioritize? I use my areas of focus as a checklist, from which I'll add a project or action here or there relative to an area. They provide a comprehensive overview of the many hats I wear, but by no means does it help me to prioritize. I have listened to David's audiobook "Making it All Work" many times, including the sections on upper levels. I guess I haven't yet understood in detail how the upper levels can help focus on the lower levels. I intuitively know that my "Purpose" level is supposed to drive all of my prioritizing. I have a very short, simple life purpose that I feel very comfortable with right now. And it is the reason I undertake anything to being with. But, to successfully use this in my prioritizing, do I simply ask "Which of the 100+ actions on my comprehensive actions list will help me achieve my life purpose most effectively/efficiently?" I do not have goals or a vision fleshed out yet at those levels. I've been trying to master the lower levels first.

It's good to hear that there is such a variety in what works for people. Some have 8 projects. Others 421. Knowing that both can make their lists work for them is encouraging. I think a combination of trial and error, experience, and observation will reveal how many projects I can tolerate. By the way, Longstreet, I too have found the value of someday/maybe in offloading all of my "not now" projects. It has been quite helpful.

I spent some of the weekend getting down to the work of defining some governing principles that I can follow while "getting things done". Sometimes I feel like I get too wrapped up in rigid practices, that I need to remind myself that practices can change, but principles are timeless. Some of the principles include: A) Be diligent unto the end B) Don't work more than my strength or resources will allow C) Do all things in order. They may sound quite ordinary to many, but they represent a lot of thought, and will allow a good amount of flexibility in whatever specific practices I choose to implement.

 

[treelike]

I guess I haven't yet understood in detail how the upper levels can help focus on the lower levels.

I've given up trying to understand how it works other than reviewing each upper level at appropriate frequencies, presumably building an intuitive awareness/ connection between levels in my mind. Maybe the more one tries to understand why it works, the less it works!

 

[Oogiem]

I'm amazed that you have that many projects and still find the time (or should I say, prioritize your actions?) to post on this forum so often. Impressive.

Coming here serves several functions for me.

1. It's a social time with friends who understand GTD. Farmers are isolated, computer friendships are important to me.
2. Discussing and explaining what i do to practice GTD improves my own implementation. Often people bring up things that I didn't think of or situations that I don't encounter. Sometimes this dialog results in major changes to my system, sometimes I just delete as it's irrelevant and sometimes it just is interesting information but it's always good to explore options.
3. It keeps me learning, testing and evaluating my life.

That is always a good thing.

 

[kelstarrising]

I'm sure Kelly that you have coached many people who have run into this before. I know the struggles I have in the learning process are not unique to me. So, how does one use the upper levels to prioritize?

Hi there @CamJPete. I know it's short notice, but I just registered you as my guest on today's GTD Connect member webinar on "Playing in the Higher Horizons". Meg /Edwards and I will be talking about exactly what you are asking about and I think it would help you a lot.

 

[CamJPete]

I already thanked Kelly for inviting me to this, but thought I would follow up for others who are interested. Kelly's and Meg's training "Playing in the Higher Horizons" was a GREAT help for me to understand how to use them to prioritize. I now think my areas of focus list will be almost as important to me as my actions list. Sometimes I felt a little too "in the trenches" while working from my actions list--but now I have a tool that allows me to rise above it all when I need to breathe. Now, I can just work directly off my areas of focus list if I feel out of balance. Just pulling out my areas of focus list, and asking myself "which area is weighing on me right now", and then spending a couple of hours taking action--whether the related actions are from my actions list or not--can greatly relieve pressure in that particular area. It has yielded good things the past few days already. Treelike, if you've given up but would like to understand these levels too like I did, I would look into the webinar.

 

[kelstarrising]

So glad it worked out for you to attend @CamJPete! And even happier that it clarified things for you.