Discussion Forum > Reverse Long List
Charles:
As I understand your instructions, you compile a list of tasks in order of deadlines with the most urgent deadlines at beginning of the llst and the least urgent at the end. You can add new tasks at any time, giving them a place in the list according to their deadlines.
Tasks which don't yet have deadlines go at the end of the list.
You then select which task to work on by scanning from the beginning of the list and doing the first one that you feel like doing. This provides a mix of high priority and lesser priority tasks.
You can adjust the deadline for any task whenever you need to.
This sounds as if it might work very well. My only comment is that for the purpose of prioritisation a deadline should refer to the date you need to start work on a task, not the date it needs to be finished by.
As I understand your instructions, you compile a list of tasks in order of deadlines with the most urgent deadlines at beginning of the llst and the least urgent at the end. You can add new tasks at any time, giving them a place in the list according to their deadlines.
Tasks which don't yet have deadlines go at the end of the list.
You then select which task to work on by scanning from the beginning of the list and doing the first one that you feel like doing. This provides a mix of high priority and lesser priority tasks.
You can adjust the deadline for any task whenever you need to.
This sounds as if it might work very well. My only comment is that for the purpose of prioritisation a deadline should refer to the date you need to start work on a task, not the date it needs to be finished by.
December 7, 2021 at 13:39 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Charles
Is the use of bullet points just for cosmetic purposes? And do you highlight the selected task in any way so you can go back to it easily when you've finished working on it?
Is the use of bullet points just for cosmetic purposes? And do you highlight the selected task in any way so you can go back to it easily when you've finished working on it?
December 7, 2021 at 17:41 |
Caibre65
Caibre65
@Mark
That's a pretty good understanding. I'm glad it came across! One clarification is that I mix tasks with deadlines along with tasks without deadlines, ordering them by an estimated sense of urgency/priority. Some deadlines are very far away (e.g. term paper), and some undated tasks technically don't have deadlines but I'd like to be done soon-ish (e.g. laundry). (This relates to your comment, addressed below)
This way isn't perfect though, as I do vaguely recall times when dated tasks further down the list were due surprisingly soon. So maybe it is better to put all undated tasks at the end.
I think a similar idea to this "reverse long list" was evoked on this site before, when someone proposed working the long list (wherein new tasks are entered at the end) from the bottom up.
<<for the purpose of prioritisation a deadline should refer to the date you need to start work on a task, not the date it needs to be finished by.>>
Yes, another way to do it is to break a large project down into subtasks and list earlier subtasks higher up. So for example if the task is a large report due in a few months, then you could list:
- clarify question
- check with instructor
- gather research/data
- analyze
- write
- get feedback
- edit
- submit report - due Mar 31
"Clarify question" would be near the beginning of the list, and "Submit report - due Mar 31" would be quite a bit further down.
I would only write the due date on the final step.
Other tasks/projects with other deadlines can be mixed into this of course.
Personally, I've found that having the first few tasks and the last task listed is most useful. The tasks in between change so much over the course of a project that I'm not sure what value there is in listing them when you're only at the beginning of a project.
@Calibre
Yes, the use of bullet points is just cosmetic. You could use any other symbol, or just a dash. It's just to differentiate one task from another.
I personally don't highlight the selected task. I haven't had a problem re-finding the selected task. Maybe it's because I have it on a Word document which I keep open, so I can remember the "place" it is on the screen. You could certainly try it.
That's a pretty good understanding. I'm glad it came across! One clarification is that I mix tasks with deadlines along with tasks without deadlines, ordering them by an estimated sense of urgency/priority. Some deadlines are very far away (e.g. term paper), and some undated tasks technically don't have deadlines but I'd like to be done soon-ish (e.g. laundry). (This relates to your comment, addressed below)
This way isn't perfect though, as I do vaguely recall times when dated tasks further down the list were due surprisingly soon. So maybe it is better to put all undated tasks at the end.
I think a similar idea to this "reverse long list" was evoked on this site before, when someone proposed working the long list (wherein new tasks are entered at the end) from the bottom up.
<<for the purpose of prioritisation a deadline should refer to the date you need to start work on a task, not the date it needs to be finished by.>>
Yes, another way to do it is to break a large project down into subtasks and list earlier subtasks higher up. So for example if the task is a large report due in a few months, then you could list:
- clarify question
- check with instructor
- gather research/data
- analyze
- write
- get feedback
- edit
- submit report - due Mar 31
"Clarify question" would be near the beginning of the list, and "Submit report - due Mar 31" would be quite a bit further down.
I would only write the due date on the final step.
Other tasks/projects with other deadlines can be mixed into this of course.
Personally, I've found that having the first few tasks and the last task listed is most useful. The tasks in between change so much over the course of a project that I'm not sure what value there is in listing them when you're only at the beginning of a project.
@Calibre
Yes, the use of bullet points is just cosmetic. You could use any other symbol, or just a dash. It's just to differentiate one task from another.
I personally don't highlight the selected task. I haven't had a problem re-finding the selected task. Maybe it's because I have it on a Word document which I keep open, so I can remember the "place" it is on the screen. You could certainly try it.
December 8, 2021 at 10:56 |
Charles
Charles
I've used a system before, and I'd like to get your thoughts on it. Maybe it can be called the Reverse Long List.
This is done electronically. Basically, you start a Word document and a bullet list of tasks.
Add new items to the *beginning* of the list (not the bottom as in Mark's systems).
Order tasks with deadlines according to the deadline, with the dates written.
When selecting tasks, always scan from the very beginning and choose a task that you feel like working on.
As you're scanning, if you feel a task doesn't deserve to be reviewed so often (that it's lower priority), then move it down to wherever you feel like it.
If you work on a task and it's unfinished, don't cross it out. Just leave it there and return to it later.
I guess the idea is that you form a sort of roughly prioritized list and always consider first if you can work on the higher priority things. If you don't feel like doing them, then you consider the lower-priority tasks.
By entering new tasks at the beginning, every task gets their chance to be concsidered and only gets put lower on the list when you're more certain they aren't that high-priority. This thus also deals nicely with urgent tasks.
Another benefit is that the list can grow extremely long without you needing to face its length while using it. The bottom of the list essentially becomes a someday/maybe list. You can keep as many options available while focusing on higher priority or more urgent tasks at the moment.
Any thoughts?