[sgiovannini]

This isn't really an OF question but more about GTD. I'm still getting started with GTD. After an initial collection push, I've stalled. I have no projects, no next actions, just a giant pile of collected stuff. I've been digging through the paper and digital "piles" over the last week trying to keep up with items that have due dates. I know, not the best way to implement GTD.

Well, each time I sit down to process the mess I get stuck. It seems like everything ends up in single-action lists instead of projects. I have a ton of items that start with the word "Decide." I know that those aren't actually actions, but trying to decided everything I've been putting off for years is giving me a headache.

How do you decide what is a project? How do you organize projects?

For example, I have a task that says "Clean out Downloads folder." That's just a task, right? It isn't part of a larger project. Another task is "Order prescription refill." That would seem to be a project since I then have to go get the prescription. It just doesn't seem like a "project" while "Clean out Downloads" is likely to take much more time but can't be broken down.

Other tasks that seem to belong nowhere: "Mow the lawn", "Make plane reservations", "Get rid of old clothes", "Wash car".... and it goes on.

I'm doing my personal life first because my work involves fewer projects, has more dedicated time (sitting at my desk in my office, I may as well do the work), and is not in a state of total chaos like my personal life. I'm the mom whose kid is always late, never prepared, forgets the special "wear red/bring a flower/donate to charity" days, stays up late doing homework at the last minute, has her lunch bought at a gas station on the way to school, etc. The kid is only in kindergarten, so I think this is my issue, not hers.

Is there a standard set of projects for this sort of thing? I need to do the things most people do: clean the house, do some home decorating, keep the yard up, provision the house, keep up with my kid's activities, provide meals, etc.

I know this is a long post with very vague questions, but I'm just despondent. I figure if I can't get it together in a few weeks, I'll just give up and go back to the two-pile system: important and everything else.