View Single Post
I don't like using start dates on projects or tasks unless it is something I really intend to start on it on a particular date.

For individual tasks, I have two single action lists (SAL): The first is called "Miscellaneous" and the second is called "Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe".

The Miscellaneous-Active SAL contains all the individual actions that don't really belong in a project but it is something I'll be doing this week. The status is set to "Active" which means that I'll be able to see these tasks in a context perspective that shows all available tasks.

The Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe SAL's status is set to "On Hold". Tasks placed in this SAL will not be viewed in a context perspective that shows all available tasks.

I would put all of these individual tasks into the Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe SAL first.

The Miscellaneous-Active holds all the tasks that I want to do in the next 7 days. Nothing else.

Most of my individual tasks will start in Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe. I know I'd like to do them but probably not in the next 7 days.

By default, OmniFocus' default review interval is set to 1 week. I double check the inspector window to make sure that review interval is set to 1 week. When I do my weekly review, I can see these two SALs. I'll look at my Miscellaneous-Active SAL and see if there are any tasks that I can just put back to "On Hold" status. I decided that I'm not going to do it this week. I'll probably postpone it and do it someday/maybe.

Then I look at the Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe SAL and move a task to Miscellaneous-Active.

I try my best to keep the Miscellaneous-Active list to just a small handful - probably anywhere from three to six tasks at any given time. If I complete one task, I'll just keep knocking the rest down. Sometimes I'll just take a peek at Miscellaneous-Someday/Maybe and just move a task over to Miscellaneous-Active.

I also do the same with projects. I set almost every project to "On Hold" status. Then I'll active anywhere from three to five projects to "Active". These are the projects that I am focusing on. I don't want to be distracted by all the other projects.

This has helped me move away from setting start dates. Put everything "On Hold" except for the single actions and projects that I want to do this week.

I realize I'm not Superman. So I don't set an unrealistic number of projects/task to "Active". But I know that I put the parking brake on all the other Someday/Maybe single actions and projects and I can review them during the weekly review.