From d95cc86d4c1c6cf7d8360304f93088b83f7adc24 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lars Wirzenius Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 23:12:33 +0100 Subject: Add a section on dealing with overly long next actions lists --- projects-next-actions.mdwn | 32 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 32 insertions(+) (limited to 'projects-next-actions.mdwn') diff --git a/projects-next-actions.mdwn b/projects-next-actions.mdwn index 19b5c0d..da9a0d2 100644 --- a/projects-next-actions.mdwn +++ b/projects-next-actions.mdwn @@ -134,3 +134,35 @@ Still, for inspiration, here's the list of contexts I use: * **At laptop, online**: like the previous one, but these require both the laptop and Internet access + +"My lists are too long" +----------------------- + +Inevitably, life dumps more on you than you can handle, at least in +the short term. I feel like that every Monday morning. One sign of +this is that my next actions list keeps growing, and doesn't ever +seem to get shorter. + +Sometimes this becomes so overwhelming I can't stand it, and I need to +do something about it. My main strategy is to drop commitments until +I have the situation under control again. For example, if I've got +five ideas for blog posts to write, I'll delete those, or move them +to someday/maybe. Or I find other things I can wriggle out of doing, +though sometimes that requires careful diplomacy (also known as +throwing a tantrum). + +The feeling of being overwhelmed is an important indicator to me +that my level of stress is rising too high. In principle, it doesn't +matter if your next actions list is very long, as long as you keep +doing each thing before it's too late. However, if I'm under too +much stress, the mere length of the list starts causing stress, and +I start avoiding even looking at it, and then everything starts +falling apart. + +And that's why I try to keep my lists at manageable lengths. + +Before dropping commitments, I try to do things like doing as many +quick tasks as possible, or avoiding new commitments while I deal with +the old ones. Those strategies tend to work only if I'm not already +overstressed. + -- cgit v1.2.1