Renegotiating Commitments to Myself

[ArcCaster]

My next action lists have a tendency to grow and, worse, accumulate actions that I no longer want to act on.

But I hesitate to prune the list because, if an action was important enough to go on the list once, why is it ok to get rid of it now?

I think I need to be a more ruthless pruner -- but I don't want to just chop and cut stuff that may actually be important.

So, my question -- are there good questions to ask about an action that might make me feel better about, and act more quickly to cut and chop?

Thanks,
Rob

[malisa]

I would think that would really depend on the nature of the action/project.

But what about 'demoting' actions to a S/M of sorts? I've used a context of 'not now' for things that I'm not ready to dump, but I don't want to keep seeing.

[TesTeq]

So, my question -- are there good questions to ask about an action that might make me feel better about, and act more quickly to cut and chop?

Questions:

1) Will anybody be hurt if I don't do it?

2) Will anybody notice?

[Oogiem]

are there good questions to ask about an action that might make me feel better about, and act more quickly to cut and chop?

Is this the proper season to do this task?
Will this task make my job simpler or less stressful?
Does this action prevent a bigger problem in a few months or years?
Can anyone else do this task or can I hire someone to do it?
Do I have *all* the tools and knowledge to really do this action? (Often tasks that stay on my lists not getting done are because I am missing either the proper tool or the knowledge.)
Can I put the entire project into Someday/Maybe and plan on doing it later?

[Gardener]

But I hesitate to prune the list because, if an action was important enough to go on the list once, why is it ok to get rid of it now?

I see it the other way - sort of. My system is supposed to keep me from having to worry about or remember things, so I should allow myself to enter every little thing that comes to mind, without worrying about whether it's important or not. Then when I see that thing in the context of all bazillion other things in the system, I can judge whether to Someday/Maybe it or not.

Gardener

[Cpu_Modern]

Originally Posted by ArcCaster
But I hesitate to prune the list because, if an action was important enough to go on the list once, why is it ok to get rid of it now?

It is OK to get rid of it now, because you got that thing to DONE. It was not necessary to do anything more to it, than registering, capturing, consciously thinking about it (aka processing), subconsciously thinking about it and finally moving it to DONE. You are ready. No further action required. I would say there is a difference between this and simply not doing anything about it, not even writing it down.

[artsinaction]

...and, worse, accumulate actions that I no longer want to act on.

Rob, you answered your own question...

"I don't want to act on this" - whatever your reasoning - is a clear statement. Trust that if it's no longer relevant, well, it can go away. Far, far away. And if it pops back into your consciousness down the road, reevaluate.

-Dena