How to handle future tasks

N

newbie145

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How do I handle tasks that aren't related to a project and don't need to be done until sometime in the future? I want to keep track of them, but don't want them to clog up my actions lists. For example "Call to make dentist appointment" that I don't want to do until 6 months from now when I know my schedule better? Or "Invite Mary to dinner" sometime during the summer?
 
Generally I use the Someday-Maybe list. If I have a rough idea of when I want a project to go live I put a reminder in my calendar to add a new project.
 
newbie145;86433 said:
How do I handle tasks that aren't related to a project and don't need to be done until sometime in the future? I want to keep track of them, but don't want them to clog up my actions lists. For example "Call to make dentist appointment" that I don't want to do until 6 months from now when I know my schedule better? Or "Invite Mary to dinner" sometime during the summer?
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I would call your examples projects. They are never really done but each instance is done and they all take multiple actions to complete.

I use Omnifocus and I put those things in as things with future start dates and repeats.

In my system I have a project that is Personal Health. In that I have several actions,
One is Call Dentist to make apt. for teeth cleaning context Phone Business Hours and it has a repeat of every 6 months. I set it up with a start date of when my first tooth cleaning apt. is so that the repeat works properly. Another is call doctor to make apt for yearly exam context Phone Business Hours and it has a repeat of once a year. I won't see the action to make the call until the date comes up and then it will automatically show up in my action lists.

For the invite Mary to Dinner I have a similar project of Invite X & Y over for a BBQ. I know I need to think about this after lambing and that the July 4th weekend is out so I either put the entire project on hold (someday/maybe) and will make it active when I can do something about it or I could choose to make a start date of when I can think about it. For that sort of project I use on-hold or someday/maybe as nothing bad will happen if I don't get the BBQ done but it's a personal choice. Either technique will work.
 
I use my calendar's features to email me in the future.

This means I can include full instructions, links, attached file etc to any details.

I can also have multiple alarms, say an email a week before and a popup message the day before with a beep.

And if it's something I'm not sure when I want to do, I may make it a regular message.

I can review it anytime on my smart phone.

I put these into a special calendar category, so I can review the items in List view, separately from the rest.
My Inbox Zero step ensures it gets dealt with.

In a way, this has become my Tickler, as my actual Tickler file is still empty.
 
"Call to make dentists appointment" would go to my Tickler File and on a selected date it will appear in my Inbox.
"Invite Mary to dinner" might go to Tickler or to Someday/Maybe.

But definitely none of these would go to my Calendar because these are not things that I absolutely have to get done on a specific day.
 
In the Nirvana web app (www.nirvanahq.com) they implemented a new list called 'Later'. When I was using the app I found myself getting value from this list as I only review my someday/maybes once or twice every 2 months. So I started using "Later" as a recipient to put stuff to the future (1-3 weeks?).
If you are using software to manage your lists, the "start date" is also a good option.

Take care,
Nuno
 
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