Task List Ordering
Posted March 7th, 2008 by vin
Hello,
I created an outline of top level tasks representing major goals and projects and have nested smaller tasks within these goals and projects accordingly. I am noticing that if I have a high importance sub task within a low importance goal/project, it won't make it to the top of the task list even with an immediate due date and large lead time.
What do I have to do to get a high priority task in a low priority project to get to the top of my task list, particularly if it is something that needs to be done by a certain date?
Thanks,
Vin
Comments
Please be specific about your project and task...
What is the low priority project and the urgent task? And what platform(s) are you using?
It really helps if you can be specific about what you are trying to do. We may be able to suggest a structure or a way of thinking about what you are doing that would work better for you.
Best wishes,
--Catherine--*
For example, "Improve
For example, "Improve Health" is a high priority top level task while "Maintain Aquarium" is a low priority top level task. Sometimes, something like "buy fish food" or "get clown fish out of sump" needs to be at the top of my to do list, but because they are sub tasks of the low priority "Maintain Aquarium" task, it seems almost impossible to get them up there. Even if I set "buy fish food" to essential while the subtasks of "Improve Health" are at a much lower importance, "buy fish food" still shows up toward the bottom of the to do list, even if I use the "by date" feature, and even if the sub task is overdue.
Taking care of the Fishies!
Okay. That is very helpful, thanks.
A high priority task that is under a low priority project will likely not appear at the top of your to do list because other tasks are actually more important to you... the things you are doing to "Improve your health," for instance.
However, once you have followed through to do some of those things, and checked them off, the high priority task for getting fish food might very well bounce up to the top of the list. Life Balance is dynamic, not a static order, so the calculated priority will depend on what else you have done recently.
But since maintaining the Aquarium is essential and important to the fishies, and you are responsible for their health and well being, as well as your own, it may be that you need to make some adjustments to get a better outcome for all concerned. (So sorry to hear about the clown fish...)
A couple of things might help you in this situation.
Be sure that you have allocated some time in the "Desired" pie chart for taking care of the Aquarium. Also that you haven't allocated too much of your effort in the pie slice for "Improve Health." Since these seem to be competing for your attention, be sure to divide your effort appropriately there.
Also, you may benefit from using places for "running errands" or "at the pet supply store" so that it is more likely that you will see the task for buying the fish food because you will have filtered out tasks for other places.
I sometimes make a set of routine tasks (assigned to the place "home") that I use for pet care tasks like "walking the dog." Then when I have selected "home" from the popup in the to do list, those tasks are also more visible to me in the to do list view.
If you were on Mac, I would point out that you could use the new Reminders if you really need to schedule, by date, a special trip for "buy fish food."
And finally, since you care about fish tank, even though it probably doesn't take a lot of ongoing effort (in the pie slice) I would consider increasing the importance slider for "Maintain Aquarium."
There are many possibilities, but I think that increasing the importance of the "Maintain Aquarium" project combined with setting the pie chart slices will get you a better ebb and flow between the self care tasks and the fish care tasks.
Give that a try.
Good luck to you and the fishes,
--Catherine--*
www.llamagraphics.com
Another possibility
Another thought to consider is to separate 'buy fish food' from the maintaining the aquarium. If it was me, I'd be creating a new item called 'don't kill the fish' and under that would be feed fish (essential) and buy fish food (rather important). Buy fish food would be at the place Pet Store, which would be included in another place, Out, to capitalize on Catherine's suggestion.
And, when I do go to the pet store, I'd buy a backup container of food that I would replace as soon as I finished one and started in on the other.
For me, what it comes down to is that while cleaning the aquarium is important and will ultimately kill fish if it's not done, there is a bit of leeway there. There's no such leeway on feeding fish, so you simply must have fish food, even if it means postponing a walk or run to improve health. As such, it makes sense to separate that out somehow.
Maybe the new goal would be Don't Kill Fish (Very Important), and under that, the task of Feed Fish (Essential), Buy Fish Food (Very Important or Essential, depending on whether you keep backups), and Clean Aquarium (Rather Important), plus any other duties that are appropriate to keeping the fish alive.
As for balancing your care for the fish with your care of yourself, maybe you could find a pet store close enough to walk, run or bicycle to and take care of two things at once?
Good luck!
Kimm
You are going to have the best fish tank!
I like the idea of keeping some backup fish food handy to build a little bit of buffer into the system.
And combining the trip to the pet store with a little self care seems like a great suggestion too! Even if you just park further away from the store, you'll get a little bit more walking done.
Thanks Kimm!
--Catherine--*