Get Everything Done

I've tried a few methods.

The first method is write it on the next line in the main FV list, but write the "next due" date next to it. Since most of my repeats are fuzzy, I also like to write the date last done. That way, even if I change the target frequency I know how long it's been since I last did it. I found that didn't work -- it was to hard to skip a line for a week, and then remember to include it.

The next method is to use a calendar or datebook. As you finish each task, write it on the next day you want to do it. The FV list is everything on today and older days. Or, you can start each day by copying tasks from the calendar to the FV list. I found the second worked a bit better. When I just used the datebook, the days I added several tasks (importing old lists or after a busy meeting) didn't have enough room, but most days had way too much. A datebook that lets you add pages between the dates if needed might work. Again, I found knowing when I last did the task helped.

If you use EverNote on Windows, you can change the "date created" to the tickler date, or you can use tags. Farther dates need less detail. All 2014 is one tag. 2013 is by season. 2012 is by month, and the next two months are by week. A recurring task would be to look at the next big tag and expand it as needed.

Another method is to use checklists, perhaps one per frequency. The FV task is then "work on checklist". You'll need to keep remember how well you're doing on those checklists so you know how much you want to "work on checklist".

My current spreadsheet has a column for ideal frequency. It takes that and the date-last-done and calculates the tickler date. I sort by tickler date before each pre-selection. It works well enough for now, although when I'm done importing old lists and no longer need the search feature I might print it out and go back to paper, or bite the bullet and learn how to do databases and a better user interface in my husband's favourite programming language.

R.M., That sounds like my old rotating lists for recurring tasks method (poorly described somewhere in these forums). Seeing all my supposedly-weekly tasks in one place, with the oldest one on top and the ones I just did on the bottom kept me very aware of how I was doing. Being able to write it at the end of the weekly list (worst case turn a page) rather than turn to the next target date in the calendar made it much smoother. Who would expect that turning to "same day next week" or "same date next month", even with sticky flags, would be such an annoyance!

Bringing them over to the main list might be worth the extra writing, although I didn't do so, to my detriment. Even with "work on weekly list" in my main list, they were "out of sight, out of mind". Also, I didn't balance work on the lists very well. I made great strides on the weekly list (I saw it every few days), but the monthly and seasonal lists (mostly high-resistance things like cleaning the gutters) got short-changed. Having all the current tasks on the main list will help balance them better.

I'm going to keep your method in my back pocket.