Should I cross these off?

C

cfoley

0
I am doing my weekly review this morning, and I have a number of projects that are very close to being finished. One more action and they will be done! It is very tempting to cross them off my project list. Each project's last action reminder is already on my action list. I won't forget. The change I want to see in the world will happen. Those projects' entries are now irrelevant.

But as tempting as it is, I haven't crossed them off. Something seems wrong about it.

One practicality is that I have a paper-based system, and have chosen today as the day to copy my projects list onto a clean sheet of paper.

What would you advise?
 
Depends on what it is, but it never fails to surprise me how often Projects take an unexpected direction. You send over that report that someone has requested and get an automated reply "This person is no longer working at the organisation", now there's something else to do. Most of the time you're fine, but once in a while it goes weird and unexpected next steps crop up. Its the same reason I don't bother writing out future Next Actions.
 
Every so often, I have a lingering next action which is related to a project, perhaps a desired clean-up or follow-up that is outside the desired outcome of the project, which has been achieved. Then I do sometimes check off the project. One reason for doing so is that sometimes I decide the follow-up is unnecessary or irrelevant, and to delete a next action and then check off the project diminishes the perceived value of achieving the desired outcome. Not too common, but it happens.
 
I empathize with your desire to have a clean sheet of paper for the projects list. For many years that sort of thing bothered me about my paper system. It was a internal struggle between my neat freak and my get-stuff-off-my-mind freak.

I have quite a spotty record of guessing how many actions remain on a project, or will be needed from the start of a project. I advise not crossing the project off until it is really and truly complete. For me, calling the project complete while there is even one next action remaining is a false win. Some part of me knows it's not complete as originally defined. But maybe you can change the wording of the remaining next action so it says what's "done" for the project.
 
additionally to all the fine advice above:
1. often projects when finished result in new projects (e.g. built something transforms into maintain/improve) that something. Change the name.
2. in some cases "polishing the mirror" type perfectionism can get to an overreaction :cool:
= define what is DONE
 
cfoley said:
Hmm... I can see a common theme emerging in the answers! Thanks for your thoughts.
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@cfoley

Thank you very much for your initial and the LOL follow-up post . . . LOL

When it comes to 'GTDing' something is either complete or it ain't . . . whether it be a proximate end Project or an immediate means Next Action ?
 
cfoley said:
I am doing my weekly review this morning, and I have a number of projects that are very close to being finished. One more action and they will be done! It is very tempting to cross them off my project list. Each project's last action reminder is already on my action list. I won't forget. The change I want to see in the world will happen. Those projects' entries are now irrelevant.

But as tempting as it is, I haven't crossed them off. Something seems wrong about it.

One practicality is that I have a paper-based system, and have chosen today as the day to copy my projects list onto a clean sheet of paper.

What would you advise?
Click to expand...
That’s a great reflection—and I totally get the temptation to cross those projects off once the last action is accounted for. But you’re also right to pause.

In Lean and Six Sigma practices, we consider project closure a critical step—not just administratively, but strategically. It’s more than just crossing something off; it’s a ritual that allows us to learn, capture insights, and close the loop.

We often refer to this as a “post-mortem” or “lessons learned” review. This step ensures we don’t just move on but extract the value from what was done—what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved for next time. It’s a habit that builds organizational and personal resilience over time. Without it, we risk repeating mistakes or missing out on patterns of success that are worth replicating.

From a GTD standpoint, it’s also about psychological closure. Even if the final action is in your system, the project remains mentally open until it’s declared complete. Writing it down as “done,” reflecting on the outcome, and perhaps even archiving key notes or takeaways—those are part of the closure ritual that reinforces clarity and confidence.

And in my case, there’s always a couple of housekeeping steps before a project is officially done—like making sure the project reference material is tidy, sending one last communication to stakeholders to signal it’s going to closure, and archiving the project in Todoist or wherever it was being managed. That way, the mental and digital space is fully cleared, and I can move forward with a clean slate.
 
Y_Lherieau said:
That’s a great reflection—and I totally get the temptation to cross those projects off once the last action is accounted for. But you’re also right to pause.

In Lean and Six Sigma practices, we consider project closure a critical step—not just administratively, but strategically. It’s more than just crossing something off; it’s a ritual that allows us to learn, capture insights, and close the loop.

We often refer to this as a “post-mortem” or “lessons learned” review. This step ensures we don’t just move on but extract the value from what was done—what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved for next time. It’s a habit that builds organizational and personal resilience over time. Without it, we risk repeating mistakes or missing out on patterns of success that are worth replicating.

From a GTD standpoint, it’s also about psychological closure. Even if the final action is in your system, the project remains mentally open until it’s declared complete. Writing it down as “done,” reflecting on the outcome, and perhaps even archiving key notes or takeaways—those are part of the closure ritual that reinforces clarity and confidence.

And in my case, there’s always a couple of housekeeping steps before a project is officially done—like making sure the project reference material is tidy, sending one last communication to stakeholders to signal it’s going to closure, and archiving the project in Todoist or wherever it was being managed. That way, the mental and digital space is fully cleared, and I can move forward with a clean slate.
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H U G E

"From a GTD standpoint, it’s also about psychological closure"
 
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