how to manage big float of "current" tasks?
nealchau says:
I wonder if anyone else has this problem. I've got a big bunch of "floating" tasks at the top of my list. They are overdue, and I do need to do them, but they're not pressing. For example, I have to fix a light in my car, get arch supports. These do need to be done, and I've tried postponing them or changing their due date to next week for instance, but next week always comes and then they're back on top of All Tasks again, together with things that actually do need to be done. It's slightly tedious to keep adjusting their duedate or postponing them, and the number of such tasks tends to grow. I use All Tasks almost exclusively because I don't like to miss anything, but I think I have to start doing something more intelligent about this. I'd appreciate any tips or ideas.
Thanks!
-Neal
Thanks!
-Neal
Hi Neal,
One option is to use priorities in addition to due dates. Any list can be sorted by Priority, which will put high-priority items above items with no priority, regardless of the due date.
To assign priority to a task, select the task then use 1, 2, 3, or 4 on your keyboard to set the priority. (You can also select it from the More Actions dropdown box.)
To change the Sort Order for your list, use the "Sort by..." dropdown box at the top of the list.
Also, you may want to browse our Tips & Tricks forum for additional ideas. It's full of clever suggestions from other users on how to handle all kinds of situations.
Hope that helps!
One option is to use priorities in addition to due dates. Any list can be sorted by Priority, which will put high-priority items above items with no priority, regardless of the due date.
To assign priority to a task, select the task then use 1, 2, 3, or 4 on your keyboard to set the priority. (You can also select it from the More Actions dropdown box.)
To change the Sort Order for your list, use the "Sort by..." dropdown box at the top of the list.
Also, you may want to browse our Tips & Tricks forum for additional ideas. It's full of clever suggestions from other users on how to handle all kinds of situations.
Hope that helps!
tim.noyce says:
This is less about software than about "way of working". I myself use the GTD method, which says that you have to be critical about what tasks will and will not fit into your current bandwidth.
If you look at something and do not believe that you will get round to it in a reasonable time (10 days or so) it does not belong on an Action list. That means you need a list of things you are actually going to do in the close future (say 10 days YMMV) and a "Someday/Maybe" list of things that you would like to do, but later/optionally. You do need to scan that list regularly, it is not a junkheap, but you should not look at it every day. The things on your actionable list should be things you could do right now.
If you look at something and do not believe that you will get round to it in a reasonable time (10 days or so) it does not belong on an Action list. That means you need a list of things you are actually going to do in the close future (say 10 days YMMV) and a "Someday/Maybe" list of things that you would like to do, but later/optionally. You do need to scan that list regularly, it is not a junkheap, but you should not look at it every day. The things on your actionable list should be things you could do right now.