Recording completed tasks

G

greenmug

0
I'm stuck on what to do with my "completed tasks." This seems like it shouldn't be this tricky, but I don't like deleting forever the items I've checked off. I have this nagging sensation that I should be closing the loop somehow during a weekly review where I relate them back to their respective project outlines. Problem is that the items and the project lists are too long, and I can't seem to find the time to get that loop closed.

How do you handle your completed tasks? Do you just delete them or do you file them? If so, what mechanisms do you use? I use Evernote for my project outlines and all reference materials but Toodledo for the Next Actions lists where folders in Toodledo match my tags in Evernote.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
Archive

I archive them in Omnifocus.

So I can get back to the completed ones if I need to but they are out of my day to day lists.

Once a month I update my running diary of completed major projects.
 
Automatically delete after X days

I just let the app handle that. I think they stay around as "completed" for a month. More than enough if I check one off my mistake.

I do not really need to keep my tasks. But I do keep the reference material and any new output produced, and all correspondence. And I do maintain a separate log of billable hours.
 
All of my projects and next actions live in Evernote and I move most completed items to a notebook of stuff done in each calendar year. The more mundane stuff is deleted as it's done but this is a good reference for annual performance reviews and keeps me from reinventing the wheel on recurring projects.

I used Bonsai outliner before Evernote and did the same thing there.

Mike
 
Thanks.

I agree that keeping completed items is a good way to track performance for the year. It also helps me with the brainstorming on a new project as I try to anticipate what tasks need to be accomplished.

Maybe I should just archive and forget it until the need arises.

Thanks.
 
I also use Evernote for my projects and next actions, and I keep completed actions.

I tag them as 'completed' and then move them to an archive folder for the year. But just before I do that I copy the link and past it in a "History" section of the related project 'information sheet'. So for every project I have one PIS, or project information sheet, that includes a link to all the contents of that project including completed action links in the 'History' section.
 
Completed tasks

I used to be in a department where we created timelines a lot and was used to using a notebook then a database where it was easy to look at a list of the completed items by project. When I moved to a paper GTD system recently I stopped tracking completed items except for when I have a specific need - in those cases I put the date that something happened in my project support material rather than using the completed task as a record. At the same time I added a note to my intention journal stating that items in my list are ducks to shoot, not ducks to raise - I heard that in a webinar I think and it resonated with me.

I have just gone back to electronic in Omnifocus but I am keeping project support in other apps so that I do have a place to record dates and notes when needed for project documentation. Also I have two lists I keep of work and personal completed projects with the month completed - it really helps me to remember what I have accomplished.
 
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