Yes, I’m having that problem currently. I’m working on a “literature review” and aside from “read 100 articles and summarize them” I’m not sure how to break that up into steps. I mean the review of the articles is one step. Writing up the literature review is a second step. But all in all, I don’t have to do a lot of thinking, planning, etc., I just need to do it.

I think, though, there are two possibilities. One is we’re thinking too narrowly. In addition to all of that we all still have to go by the grocery store, e-mail so-and-so, pay such and such bill, etc. I think that’s where GTD helps — “horizontally” I believe is the word. Vertically it probably depends on the project.

What augmentedfourth is implying is important too. If you set a specific goal of reading “at least chapter 3” or “review/summarize at least 10 articles tonight” then I think that’s how those kinds of things can be managed. I think it’s a matter of holding yourself accountable for making progress on your “project” whatever that project might be. But I don’t think anywhere anyone says if you find you can finish your project in one sitting that you’re not allowed to.

In sum, I think it’s a matter of finding what works for you! Does any of this help?