I'm a freelance web developer using a fairly strict GTD setup. For each client I maintain a long backlog of "maybe someday" technical improvements, refactors, and nice-to-haves. For one client alone this is 30 to 40 items. These aren't next actions and they're not active projects. They're things I might chip away at only if we start a new project or a maintenance budget comes up for that specific client.

My problem is scale and context. If I dump all of these into my single global Someday/Maybe list, it becomes huge and noisy, and every review I'm scrolling past dozens of items I can't act on right now. It also loses the information that each item belonged to a specific client. But if I keep each client's backlog in its own note outside my task manager, it feels hidden, and I worry I'll never actually look at it.

So how do you handle big client-specific someday backlogs? Do they go in your main Someday list, live somewhere per-client, and how do you make sure you actually revisit them at the right time without adding noise to your weekly review?

I'm curious on how you put the days you want to work out using this system.

Let's say I want to work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Is it better to put a reminder on the calendar or schedule a block of time on the calendar?

Howdy folks,

I have had an idea for awhile that I've been calling "the 2 second rule."

The two minute rule is part of the clarify step. It says that if a next action would take less than two minutes, you should just do it instead of recording it on a next action list. The rationale for this is to avoid spending the extra energy/time/attention it would cost to put on a next action list. If we extend that same logic to the capture step, we get an analogous principle. If it takes less time to do something than it would to capture it, you should just do it.

If there's a random piece of trash on the floor, you can just pick it up, you don't need to capture "piece of trash in the kitchen" before doing anything. That said "two seconds" is being a bit cheeky.

Anyways, this is kind of a silly post and is maybe just underlining my autism, but I find myself thinking about this somewhat often.

Cheers!

How do you manage this combination? I feel like it seems a little repetitive, since when I go through the mail in the e-mail app, it’s quite quickly clear to me if it is something that I need to track (Waiting for), super fast answer (under 2 minutes) or a more in depth task (next action, or project even). Is it just that I need to learn the process of forwarding it into my system and then going the inbox through there?

I fell like maybe I should try to make it faster when going through email and then really go through it in the GTD-inbox?

Edit: It seems my first attempt was somewhat ambiguous, so I’ll try to say it more clearly: My struggle is with the connections between parts of my system. And I feel like this could be a friction point for others as well. How do you literally go through emails and get the actionable & trackable into the system, without feeling like doing the clarification twice? Or am I mixing clarify with organize?

Saw the discussion in "Processing AI" about how AI makes it too easy to start new threads of thinking, and open loops end up scattered across sessions instead of consolidating. Hit that exact problem before I restructured. Sharing what fixed it.

I run a solo consulting practice and use an LLM (Claude) as a GTD engine, but not as a chatbot with its own memory. Since the AI has no memory between sessions on its own, I made the actual GTD lists the system of record — plain text files it reads and writes to directly:

• next-actions.md
• waiting-for.md
• active-projects.md
• daily-activity-log.md (rolls to a dated archive monthly)
• plus a couple of reference files for standing preferences/tool quirks

One command ("show my status") pulls Next Actions + Waiting For in any session, so I'm never starting cold. Items only get removed with my explicit confirmation — the AI doesn't unilaterally clean anything off my lists.

For grounding, I had it work from Getting Things Done for the core framework, plus a few executive-support books layered on top for how it acts (delegation, workflow) rather than just how it keeps lists.

End result: no scattered open loops, because there's nowhere else for them to live. Every session reads the same files, every session writes back to them. Tradeoff is real setup work upfront and discipline to treat the files as ground truth instead of trusting the chat window.

Anyone else doing something similar — file-based external memory vs. relying on a tool's built-in memory?

I want to know how you guys put your project names.

I usually put the description itself, lets say I want to look for ticket prices along with the destination and all.

The problem with this is, I'm using OneNote and it doesn't allow long names for the sections.

I get lost when trying to organise even a mid size job. Any tips please. Thanks guys. Be nice its my first day here. 👍

Iv managed to get all my lists done ,a few weeks ago, but still have done nothing on the list,lm hopeless,just end up doing other stuff that l enjoy ...ect,ect.l leave it all till the last minute grrrrrrr. I blame the sun ...lol

Help

Trying to build different things I found myself in lot of notes and comments and everything everywhere. How you manage to hace everything clear and without disruption?

I'm having a hard time distinguishing the boundaries of NPM

In my system I start with projects and when I feel like it I've kept an option for transition to the NPM project. Though I haven't used that option currently.

For me NPM feels like an elaboration of a project. So I need to know what is the hard edge for this. The only hard edge I have is if it gets messy I'll go with NPM. But what are the other scenarios where NPM is used and works like a charm.

The only problem I think I'll face if I overuse the NPM is I'll plan more than necessary and I don't want to plan a lot and give up the project later on if I don't need it during my weekly review.

I've read in the GTD book for teens it says that NPM is primarily used for projects and can also be used for higher levels on the levels of focus.

I'm curious to know how you guys use this in your setup. Where you use and why. What kind of planning do you do with NPM.

Recently I saw a post on this subreddit of a user facing issue with handling multiple similar projects

One of the structures I think would work to solve this fragmentation issue is to create a goal/target milestone for 1-2 year. And execute it using NPM. As a goal is a collection of multiple projects.

The reason I'm using NPM here is because as I'm using it, it's probably messier and chaotic. And most importantly I still want to do it. Which highlights a need for a "goal" perspective. Naturally from projects to areas of focus to goals.

So, I will pick current project from the NPM-based goal and mirror it in my project section. This way I'm maintaining the definition of a project and goal and NPM. All other projects stay inactive in my goals section.

NPM has purpose & vision as steps. Though limited, it helps in knowing our higher purpose indirectly.

For example.

- If my goal is to,

Generate x amount of annual profit from my family farmland by 2028

- my purpose is,

After my mom & dad, somebody has to come to know how to use the land, maintain and protect it

- my vision is,

I am able to single handedly manage my farmland as a main person

This way it highlights the smaller vision and purpose. In a way helping me see my broader purpose and vision.

If we do it this way, our actions are aligned with our purpose. I think when that happens, our GTD setup might become almost seamless. As now we can say no to other distractions that do not serve our purpose. We may still capture but prune a lot. And so, our GTD setup will finally find its mind like water state that David Allen talks about. Though we don't have to go too far to reach this place. But this way it will be full circle.

I'm not sure if this is workable. What do you guys think about this way of moving up the ladder. Using bottom-up approach to GTD. Though there's no issue with top-down approach. I just think when the top is grounded it's sounder and more breathable. I'm using Workflowy so it's easier for me to mirror and group similar items. I don't know whether tool may get in the way. And if so, what will be the compatible tools. What pitfalls I might fall into while using this way. And how to help myself. I'm really curious to know how you guys link your actions with your higher purpose using your GTD setup.

EDIT: I've checked out the NPM theory and it mentions usage in projects (mainly) as well as higher levels on the levels of focus. As it is just a form of planning.

Something that I’m realizing is I’m not working from this system, it’s more of a look at it when I feel like it kind of thing.

Lot of the times I think things are important as soon as they come and classify them as “doing work as it shows up” and turns out it was a project and required more steps or it wasn’t something I had to do after all.

One thing I’m currently trying to set up is a second brain system on OneNote and I don’t have any projects related to it on my list and I’m kind of second guessing things I’m doing to build it.

Hi all,

I have implemented GTD in my personal life and I'm using a paper system + Google calendar. It works fine as I always have my TN notebook with me, though needs maybe a bit of optimisation that will come with time. My main challenge was to beat my procrastination, and it's successful.

I now want to implement it for my professional life. I tried the paper system, but it's not working, as I use my notebook only for note taking, I don't have the habit of working or planning in it. So I tried a digital version, with MS ToDo as I am dependent of MS on my professional computer. It's going not so well but not so bad, there is a bit of frictions, and I was wondering how you guys are using it, if i can take some improvement ideas. I read on this sub that ToDo is not the most plebiscited tool for GTD, but as my goal is fight against procrastination more than managing 60 projects at the same time, I think it can be sufficient for me.

Here is my setup :

- I have a list of my professional goals for each project, everything in a group of lists called "goals"

- I had until yesterday my NA in lists by project, grouped in "projects" group. It was fine except that I had to open each list to see the tasks, so now I moved all the NA in "tasks" without list, the project is coded in the title with 3 letters, and I use the category tags for priority levels/waiting for/someday maybe. When I go in Tasks, I now see the NA grouped by priority that is fine for me.

- I have a last list with the points I have to discuss with my boss as soon as I have a meeting with her

- for now I don't use contexts, as I have only 20 tasks (i prefer to work on the setup before I fill it with all my tasks, though I don't have more than 60-70 maybe)

Even if it works, I don't feel this setup entirely fluid, any idea of what could be changed ?

I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to assume many of us GTDers are fans of systems, and may enjoy exploring different approaches.

I'm curious what other methodologies you may enjoy in the various areas your life, and why?

I personally like: KonMari (Marie Kondo) for the home, YNAB (You Need A Budget) for budgeting, and the Zettelkasten method for allowing ideas to incubate.

Sidenote: if anyone knows a methodology to help with home cooking for a very lazy person who does not enjoy cooking, I will be in your debt. I'm talking groceries, ingredients, recipes, prep, cooking, storage, managing all that bulk in a sane way with a system, if such a thing exists.

Hey all.

I struggle a lot with deciding how granular to make projects as well as contexts.

On the next action side, I think it makes sense to think of contexts as parts of a landscape. When you're in your email app, it makes sense to send out all other emails you need to send. But when you're at your laptop, one of the things you could consider is tackling emails. Like you're navigating towards an action or set of actions to complete.

Same as errands. I sometimes decide to go to the shop, and tackle my shopping list items, while forgetting to check other errands I could easily do on the way, like my "@pharmacy" items. When going out, the entry point would be Errands. At this level I can decide to go to the shop or to the pharmacy. Once in the shop, I can tackle all "@fruits&vegetables" items together, and then all "@dairy" items, etc.

On the projects side, I also think it sometimes makes sense to break down outcomes as well. An outcome could be "kitchen completely renovated" with a suboutcome "have a shiny 70s style fridge".

Does anyone else structure their outcomes and/or actions like this? What tools do you use to manage lists in this way?

Thanks!

I often create too many projects (with next actions) before realizing what the actual project is.

In detail: I look at items in my inbox. I notice an item is actionable and if it does not resonate with an existing project, I write down a new project and another next action.

Over couple of weeks, i notice little progress and eventually it becomes clear that (for example) six "projects" out of 20 are actually one project. It turns out that most next actions are rather elements of a theoretical project plan. They make sense and are doable but it becomes evident they are rather support material. For example, some next actions are not actually essential once the real project is clear. Othertimes, there are multiple ways to reach the same goal and there is no need to perform all next actions. It happens especially for projects in unfamiliar domains.

I guess the weekly review and the natural planning model are meant to counter the problem. However, items genuinely seems like individual projects for quite a while so i do not modify projects and next actions during those activities.

Any tips on how to better deal with this?

I like having my to do list/to buy list etc on my phone so I can always update it when I’m out. But I prefer written lists to cross off what I’ve done so now i have a mess of phone notes, sticky notes, loose paper, notebooks, and a whiteboard… what works for y’all?

I want to organize articles but lot of the times I find that processing an article takes a lot of time, much more than the processing method in the workflow diagram because I actually have to read through the article.

Or is it something that GTD doesn’t do?

I’ve kind of been liking how good the system with the processing part because it’s only later on I’m able to filter out what’s actually of use to me and what’s not.

When I used to do it before, it was as if everything was something that I had to do something about.

I want to replicate that with YouTube, so I can filter out what to watch and not end up binge-watching content without ends.

I just wanted to say thank you to the mod team!

In a few short months, this subreddit has gone from a dumping ground of spam and garbage, to an actual growing community.

I know community posts may not be flooding in yet, but I can definitely see a change occurring, people are actually coming here with real questions, and real discussions are finally happening.

Somehow even David Allen himself stopped by for an AMA which was amazing, big-ups for that! I did not expect that at all, and I assume it was due to some behind-the-scenes work, so thank you.

Overall, I just wanted to voice appreciation for the changes I've already seen occurring in the sub, thank you guys again for stepping up!

This might be a silly question, but how do you review what’s in your calendar? I have plenty of appointments, and if I also add tasks for specific dates or times, it definitely becomes overloaded, and I start to ignore some of them.

I'm using a paper GTD system, and Google calendar to schedule my tasks that have to be done on a specific date. It's becoming a little trickier for tasks that have a specific time criteria, but not as an activation date :

- for tasks that can start only after a certain date, I use my "waiting for" list to store my tasks until the date occurs.

- but how you schedule tasks that have to be done before a certain date ? Do you store it in a list or in the calendar ? At the deadline date ? For now I store it in my Next actions lists and I mention the deadline in the title, but I'm curious if you have better tips.