Quote Originally Posted by SolveigSingleton View Post
I've used GTD with success when I was working as a lawyer. Now that I'm "not working" and I stay home to take care of house, pets, and child, with the occasional art project, I am finding that it does not go quite so well. My lists are just... way too long. I have gone from having between a hundred to two hundred projects, to having so many that I never feel I've successfully listed them all. My review takes hours. Not two hours, ten hours. I am experimenting with modifications to GTD to see if I can get this to work, like leaving routine "always need doing" tasks like laundry out of the review. Any ideas for using GTD successfully in a home setting? For modifications in such a setting?
I had a similar situation, and it felt like nothing was familiar and everything was overwhelming at times. I also have a home-based business to add to the mix. Here are my top few tips... let me know if you want me to elaborate.

1) Take a fresh look at your Areas of Focus (areas of responsibility). I categorize all of my project lists by area of focus. ("Household" is always twice as long as every other list) Are all of them appropriate for you in your new role? Add/delete as necessary.

2) Make sure all of your next actions really are next actions and not projects (need more than one action to complete). If not, off to the project list they go!

3) Embrace "Someday/Maybe"! You do not have to do everything on your list now, or even soon. Having a robust Someday/Maybe list is a good thing!

4) Keep your eyes on the prize. (i.e. what are you here for? If it's to pick up every single dirty gym sock, or nurture your relationships, be clear about it) Don't let what you think you should be doing take away from whatever you ultimately want to accomplish at this time of your life.

5) It's OK to delegate. Do the things only you can do (play with your kids, walk the dog - it's good exercise, so don't delegate the healthy things!). See if you can delegate everything else (or a good chunk of it at least).

That's it. Hope it helps! (by the way, Solveig is one of my favorite names... just lovely.)

Dena