Get Everything Done

Wondering how ppl here are approaching projects. Break 'em down into many small items...? Different 'project' list...? etc...?

Of course, it depends on how you define a project. GTD definition (everything beyond one simple task) is in my opinion too broad and thus useless - suggesting that things like "do shopping" and "build a house" are the same things and should be approached by the same "project" methodology. No wonder many people (including me) who experimented with GTD before experienced that they spent more time by organizing tasks and reviews than by actually doing.

My approach depends on complexity of project and on my experience with it. With some tasks (which I did already, or which are simply sequential, or which are not so important...) I do not organize a project at all, and I even do not define any project anywhere. I just put this task (as big or as small as I feel like) into FV. If I complete it, I define next task in FV immediately. With any task in FV, I know which "goal" should be accomplished, so I do not see it important to make any other "project list" or "goal list" to check. I just remember to write down next task immediately after completion of previous one.

With more complicated projects ("real" projects), I make typical project lists - all projects in one txt file - with phases, subprojects, future tasks etc. I do not use this list for "doing" things, just for planning. That is why all my "actual" or "pending" tasks for the projects are in FV. Here, in project files - there are only project information, future tasks, sometimes-maybe tasks, alternative tasks, contingency tasks....many of which I never do. But I feel more secure that I can think of alternatives or next steps looking at them. I look into project files as I need it, not regularly. With some projects, I even write project plan but never look back to it. I make next tasks in FV as I feel it at the moment. But still, I feel more secure that I can go back to project list if something went wrong.

I do the same than daneb. Except that all projects are in omnifocus for having a list and adding notes when it is necessary. At the beginning i put my task in of too but now i found easier to put everything in my paper note book with Fv. It is easier and more efficient

Jupiter: I have actually decided two days ago, that I will try to move my project lists to Omnifocus, because I have started to lose orientation in my txt file (in fact, Taskpaper file). Interesting consequence :-)

(I wanted to say: Interesting coincidence)

@daneb
I worked on taskpaper and found it great. But i lost all my datas because of a bad sync.
Then i decided to do all digital ie i made a good system with omnifocus with all my projects, context for some tasks ie calls, and a fv persoective which was clever because it was like a fv list on paper. Every datas were sorted by date so i could dot with flags and work from rhe end to the beginning of the list. I thought my system was perfect. Gtd and Fv what could be better ?
I was wrong. I lost with digital my feeling of task and my intuition was desactivated again.
It gets me mad because i will never learn from my past mistakes.
Finaly i rajously took my old paper notebook and put all what was in my mind on a fv list. Suddently everythings worked well again and i stoped proscratrination and acted on what i had to do.

Today i keep omnifocus as a goal project list
Ie Bxxxx courbevoie // close the deal
Account // pay taxes
But for tasks i just believe in FV
i also put tasks in of by projects when things are for later i mean over 2 weeks just to clean my fv list and let it short.

I repeat one thing i said many time in this forum. Paper is much better for intuition than digital. Dont ask me why. With me it is undoubtly a fact.

Jupiter: Thank's for your description. It seems we have very similar way of handling tasks. I also tried to stay completely digital for long time and have not got back to paper unless FV rules were published. Then I tried paper and I am happy with it (suddenly remembering how well paper system worked for me when I used it many years ago).

There is one more thing I use my Taskpaper/OF file for: some true "context" tasks which I cannot do at home/at work = @outside, @people (people outside work, when speaking to them directly), @shopping etc. I do not carry my paper notebook with me, so I use this digital file, which is otherwise rather for goals/projects/future tasks, as you suggested.