Some great questions came in regarding the Current Projects List, so I thought it would be fun to do a follow-up!We want a simple, focused list of projects for the month, but what happens when we have lots of little small projects? And how can we accurately see what we have done this month—especially if we find we’re working on lots of “hidden” projects? There are a lot of subtleties in this, and while there isn’t “one right way,” I’m sharing how I personally look at project selection and the management of smaller projects, and I hope this is helpful to you!Principle #1: If your life typically includes several smaller multi-step tasks, it’s helpful to reduce the number of bigger “projects” that you place on your Current Projects List.I don’t want to spend a lot of time editing my Current Projects list. I do it once or maybe twice throughout the month, but I think of this list as the “big rocks” I’m working on.

Even 1-3 Current Projects can be sufficient. Mine usually span the whole month, and they can each take between 3 and 20+ hours to complete.

Here’s what Shayla shared as an example:

• A cozy gift exchange in an online community I’m in. It wasn’t planned at the beginning of the month but I am not sure its “big enough” to actually be a project. It did take a chunk of my Saturday that would have been designated otherwise. It involved the ordering of an item, going to the store to pick up another, packaging and writing a note, and going to the post office to mail. Something that could all be listed under individual “errands” and checked off. Or should this be thought of as a project? Then I debate do I really want this to count as one of my eight? lol In that case, I would recognize in my mind that I am choosing to put my energy into this multi-step task, and I would reduce my expectations around other projects or routines, but I would just use my calendar and Next Actions List to manage these things. If the main issue is the need to validate the way you are spending your time—or see a visual representation of what you have accomplished—you could definitely write this on a “Happy Success” list. (Link to Danielle’s post)

Principle #2: Utilize the Routines List for anything that is done over and over.

Here’s the example:* My son’s cub scouts needs to use our neighborhood clubhouse as a meeting spot each week. So I am the one responsible for booking each of these which I have to complete an online form for each date which is about 15 different ones. Is this a “project” or just a “task”? I have already completed the portion of paying for and dropping off the check etc, those were errands a previous week. I would simply create a recurring task in Asana (or a Google Calendar reminder, if you use paper planning resources), reminding me to fill out the form—and I would put the form link right there in the task or calendar event, so I wouldn’t have to go looking for it.

If a routine isn’t absolutely done every single week, you could create a routine to CHECK on it. For example, in our church, the families take turns bringing the bread for the sacrament. The leaders created a Google sheet that was often updated, but I was worried that our family would be responsible, but I wouldn’t be notified.Related Links* Happy Success List * Create Your Year * STEP Mastery – Join or upgrade by the end of March, and you’ll receive lifetime access to our special class about using Digital Project Managers to organize your personal and professional tasks! * ARISE Membership – Our March class features a training by my personal coach/therapist, and you’ll learn how to go through a mood log and identify your Self-Defeating Beliefs. (SO helpful!) Hope to see you inside!