Getting Things Done

CHAPTER 7 | ORGANIZING: SETTING UP THE RIGHT BUCKETS

them: your task will be simply to review the list regularly enough

to ensure that everything on it is moving along appropriately.

Specific Types of Projects Some professionals have as part of their
work several different projects of the same type, which in some
instances it maybe valuable to group together as a sublist of "Proj-
ects." For example, I maintain a separate category called "Projects
to Deliver," a chronological listing of all the upcoming seminars,
coaching, and consulting assignments I've committed to. These
events are "projects" like the rest, in that I need to keep noting
whether things are moving along on and in place for them until
they're completed. But I find it helpful to see them all organized
on one list, in the order in which they are coming up on my calen-
dar, apart from my other projects.
If you are a real estate agent, sell consulting services, or
develop proposals for a relatively small number of prospective
clients in any profession, you will likely find it useful to see all of
your outstanding "sales relationships in progress" in one view.
This could be a separate list in your planner called "Client
Projects in Development," or if you already have file folders for
each in-progress project, it may suffice to group them all in one
file stand on your credenza. Just realize that this approach will
work only if it represents a complete set of all of those situa-
tions that require action, and only if you review them regularly
along with the rest of your projects, keeping them current and
conscious.

What About Subprojects?
Some of your projects will likely have major subprojects, each of
which could in theory be seen as a whole project. If you're moving
into a new house, for instance, and are upgrading and changing
much of the property, you may have a list of actionable items like
"Finalize landscaping," "Renovate kitchen," "Rewire basement,"
and so on, all of which could in themselves be considered separate
projects. Do you make all of this one entry on your "Projects"