43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Anyone else suffer from list-bloat?

Does anyone else suffer from lists that are just too large and fuzzy to be of any use? I use Outlook for my lists, but I'm sure this could apply regardless of system.

I put too much down on my list, without properly framing it, without giving it the right verb, without checking I've not already got it there in the first place, with the result that every now and then I need to scrap the entire list and start again.

Is it just me? Are everyone else's lists right first time? Does anyone else struggle specifically with list of projects? Does anyone really bother with the 'anything two action steps or over' idea? Or is it just me that thinks this demands too much maintenance?

I ramble on at greater length here, and don't get me started about e-mail!

edosan's picture

I spent part of Friday...

I spent part of Friday afternoon making a monster list of everything I wanted to do at home -- from the trivial ("fill out rebate for paint") to the huge ("finish painting bookshelves") and the been-percolating-in-my-mind-forever ("put my grandfather's medals in a shadow box for display").

At first it was overwhelming to see all the things I had written down (over 100, I'd guess) but later on I felt really good that I didn't have to devote that mental energy to remembering stuff like "replace dryer duct" even if I didn't get it done this weekend. (I was a little saddened when I thought of more things to do or when I finished a project to realize I had forgotten to put it on the list...)

Anyway, it went pretty well: I put a sizable dent in the list, and both our cars are in the garage for the first time since we moved into the house, about a year ago.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »