[zoltok]

Apologies if this has already been asked, I searched "maybe" and nothing seemed to come up, so...

Just wondering how OmniFocus supports "Someday-Maybe" projects. I have tons of these floating around in my head and love to have a capture tool for them. I have only been able to figure out how to mark a project as "On Hold", but not actually as something I'm considering but haven't begun yet.

TIA!

[pjb]

I think what people have talked about here, if I recall correctly, is that they make a Folder or a Project called Someday/Maybe and put on-hold Projects there. Works for me.

[jtauber]

Any reason why you can't just use On Hold to include projects you are considering but haven't started? That's what I do.

[zoltok]

Interesting. I'm really surprised that the application doesn't have built in support for these types of projects. I think for me the Folder of Someday-Maybe projects is a better solution that putting them on hold - I would prefer to reserve "on hold" for projects where I'm waiting on other people or outside circumstances.

If there were native support for Someday-Maybe projects, I might just create a special folder that aligns with the bottom of the project column, so that it's present, but somewhat separated from my Active projects. In the same way that it's easy to "promote" a task into a project, you could promote tasks into the Active column.

Anyone have other thoughts on how Maybe could work, or how they'd like to use it in an ideal situation? Just curious!

[dydimustk]

may not be what you're looking for, but I just use someday and maybe contexts

[curt.clifton]

Originally Posted by zoltok

Interesting. I'm really surprised that the application doesn't have built in support for these types of projects. I think for me the Folder of Someday-Maybe projects is a better solution that putting them on hold - I would prefer to reserve "on hold" for projects where I'm waiting on other people or outside circumstances.

I find it easier to use actions in an "Awaiting" context for these cases. The action items are like "From Bob, funding decision on new system" or "In time, price drop on iPhone". Then when the other person comes through, or circumstances change, I just check off the action and the project moves ahead.

I think "On Hold" is just a more concise way of saying "Someday or Maybe". As such, I'd argue that OF already has built-in support for Someday/Maybe lists.

[LizPf]

Originally Posted by curt.clifton

I find it easier to use actions in an "Awaiting" context for these cases. The action items are like "From Bob, funding decision on new system" or "In time, price drop on iPhone". Then when the other person comes through, or circumstances change, I just check off the action and the project moves ahead.

I think "On Hold" is just a more concise way of saying "Someday or Maybe". As such, I'd argue that OF already has built-in support for Someday/Maybe lists.

Curt, there's a subtle difference here.

I see several distinctions between future projects:

1. things you know will be happening in the future. For me, the next SF con (where I will be working) is like this ... it's over 6 months away, and I don't need it on my list yet, but I know it will be.

B. things I might need to put on my active list but might not, depending on outside factors. So, "talk to school about my son's need for math enrichment" is dependent on how his teacher handles things at the start of the school year. If she provides enrichment on her own I won't need to prepare my presentation to convince her to do it.

III. things I may want to do in the future, but haven't decided yet. "Take a furniture-building class" ... I could do this this fall, or 5 years from now, or not at all.


These all need different handling:

1. All I need to do is set a start date on the project for when I need to begin work.

B. This can be put On Hold, as long as I remember to do my weekly review, which includes looking at my On Hold Projects.

III. I could put this On Hold, but I really don't need to see it every week. It would be nice if OF had buckets for what David Allen calls 30,000 feet (review every year) and 50,000 feet (review every 5 years). In Kinkless, I set up separate sections for these items, where they were out of my brain and out of the way.

--Liz

[Craig]

Originally Posted by LizPf

III. I could put this On Hold, but I really don't need to see it every week. It would be nice if OF had buckets for what David Allen calls 30,000 feet (review every year) and 50,000 feet (review every 5 years). In Kinkless, I set up separate sections for these items, where they were out of my brain and out of the way.

Couldn't folders easily be these "buckets"? Set them as on hold, put them at the bottom of the list and collapse them, and you needn't go over them until the appropriate review.

[al_f]

Originally Posted by LizPf

1. All I need to do is set a start date on the project for when I need to begin work.

I'd probably put this in iCal as a tickler item at whatever date I need to start working on it, but doing it in OF might be better.

B. This can be put On Hold, as long as I remember to do my weekly review, which includes looking at my On Hold Projects.

Again, I'd probably put a reminder for that in iCal 2-3 weeks into the school year to remind me to review it and action if necessary.

III. I could put this On Hold, but I really don't need to see it every week. It would be nice if OF had buckets for what David Allen calls 30,000 feet (review every year) and 50,000 feet (review every 5 years). In Kinkless, I set up separate sections for these items, where they were out of my brain and out of the way.

I'd probably still put that in "someday/maybe", i.e. on hold in OF in my current implementation. that way I'm sure to see it every week and be reminded of it when I do have time.

Not saying the way you handle these is wrong, just wanted to give you a different take on it. :)

As far as the 30k and 50k lists go, these are kind of a different issue: to me they aren't for holding possible future projects, they're for broader goals that you then make projects to work towards. I manage lists for these in Yojimbo at the moment.

[Lizard]

Originally Posted by LizPf

III. I could put this On Hold, but I really don't need to see it every week. It would be nice if OF had buckets for what David Allen calls 30,000 feet (review every year) and 50,000 feet (review every 5 years). In Kinkless, I set up separate sections for these items, where they were out of my brain and out of the way.

--Liz

In the project inspector, you can specify that the project should only be reviewed every 5 years (or 2 minutes if you prefer!!). Then when you're ready to do a review, you can group your project view by "Next Review" and only look at sections like "Today", "Tomorrow", and "Within the Next Week" and completely ignore "Within the Next Month" and "More than a year from now"