The 10-to-15 Rule (PARA Method) | Part 2  ## Metadata - Author: [[Tiago Forte]] - Full Title: The 10-to-15 Rule (PARA Method) | Part 2 - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #productivity - #projectmanagement - #notetaking Author: Tiago Forte Source: YouTube — *Too Many Projects? The 10-to-15 Rule Will Save You!* Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU date created: 2025-08-25 23:59 --- # Title: The 10-to-15 Rule for Managing Projects ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📖 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) --- ## 📝 Summary: The video explains the **10-to-15 project rule**: keep your active project list between 10 and 15 items. Too many leads to overwhelm, too few risks stagnation. By removing "false projects" (dreams, hobbies, and ongoing areas of responsibility) and breaking mega-projects into smaller sub-projects, you gain focus, clarity, and momentum in creative and digital work. --- ## 📖 Main Content: Tiago Forte frames the project list as the backbone of the PARA system. Projects require **a clear outcome** and **a timeline**. Brainstorming without filtering uncovers hidden commitments across calendars, emails, and to-do lists. The narrowing process is essential: strike out dreams, hobbies, and areas that masquerade as projects. Mega-projects like "write a book" should be reframed into actionable sub-projects like "increase book pre-orders." A balanced list of 10–15 ensures visible progress, psychological motivation, and adaptability when one project stalls. --- ### 🗒️ Notes - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=0) Define projects: outcomes + deadlines. - [01:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=80) Brainstorm all current commitments. - [03:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=185) Pull projects from email, calendar, and tasks. - [04:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=273) Hidden projects appear in to-do lists (taxes, home addition, etc.). - [06:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=363) 10–15 projects = sweet spot. Too many = overwhelm. Too few = stalled progress. - [07:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=456) Remove dreams, hobbies, and ongoing areas. - [08:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=532) Don’t treat time with family as “projects.” - [10:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=612) Break mega-projects into sub-projects. Replace “launch book” with “increase pre-orders.” - [11:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&t=660) Final filtered list = 12 achievable short-term projects. --- ## 📖 References: - Forte, Tiago. *Building a Second Brain* - PARA Method resources — fortelabs.com --- ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. *Original*: “Too many projects mean you won’t see visible progress. Without progress, you’ll lose belief and quit.” **Paraphrase**: Having an overloaded project list prevents noticeable results, leading to discouragement and project abandonment. 2. *Original*: “Writing a book isn’t one project—it’s dozens of smaller ones, like finding an agent, writing proposals, or securing pre-orders.” **Paraphrase**: Large goals like publishing a book should be reframed as sequences of smaller, concrete projects, each with its own outcome and timeline. --- ## 📰 Newsletter: 📌 **The 10-to-15 Project Rule** Overcommitted? You’re not alone. Tiago Forte’s method says you need **just 10–15 active projects**—no more, no less. Too many → overwhelm. Too few → stagnation. The trick? Strip out false projects (dreams, hobbies, ongoing areas) and slice mega-goals into smaller, achievable ones. 🔗 Watch the breakdown: [Too Many Projects? The 10-to-15 Rule Will Save You!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU) Think of it as spring cleaning for your to-do list: fewer, sharper, and actually doable. --- ## ✅ Action Items: - Frame this as a **teaching moment** for WordPress contributors: keep contributor initiatives scoped between 10–15 at any given time. - Apply rule to **open-source project roadmaps** → avoid burnout by eliminating “false projects.” - Use for **OSPO strategy**: break mega-initiatives (like FAIR or WPCC governance) into granular sub-projects. - Align with career goals: demonstrates project clarity, efficiency, and prioritization—a critical OSPO director skill. --- ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - H1: Capping projects between 10–15 increases completion rates by >30%. - H2: Removing false projects reduces burnout in contributors. - H3: Mega-project reframing improves stakeholder confidence. ### 📊 Methodology: - Run longitudinal studies with contributor teams. - Compare productivity + morale across teams capped at 10–15 vs. uncapped. - Measure task completion, issue closure, and self-reported stress. ### ❓ Questions: - How can this method adapt to volunteer-driven open-source work? - What metrics best signal “false projects” in OSS ecosystems? - Can AI dashboards auto-flag overcommitment? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Study optimal project caps in **distributed, volunteer-driven projects**. - Explore tech for auto-tagging “dreams” vs. “true projects.” - Analyze psychological impact of “visible progress” metrics. ### 💡 Implications: - Could reshape contributor onboarding by teaching scope discipline. - Enhances sustainability of OSS teams by reducing hidden commitments. --- ## 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: - **Visual**: Timeline and checklists implied but not shown → infographics could help. - **Aural**: Strong (spoken explanation). Audio-only version useful. - **Verbal**: Present (clear definitions, analogies). Could add case studies. - **Kinesthetic**: Strong—viewers make lists in real time. - **Logical**: Present—rule explained with cause/effect clarity. - **Social**: Weak. Could suggest peer accountability groups. - **Solitary**: Moderate. Journaling prompts could deepen self-reflection. - **Naturalistic**: Absent. Could compare pruning project lists to gardening cycles. Readability: Upper high school / college level. --- ## 📊 Accessibility Assessment: - Screen reader: Needs transcripts with timestamps. - Keyboard navigation: N/A in video format. Could improve with video chapters. - Contrast: Standard YouTube, but overlay text could be clearer. - Text resizing: Not relevant but captions help. --- ## 🌍 DEIB Assessment: - **Cultural relevance**: US-centric examples (taxes, estate planning). Could broaden. - **Inclusive language**: Neutral and clear. - **Neurodiversity**: Steps chunked logically; captions available. Could slow pacing. - **Representation**: No visible diversity in video. - **Psych safety**: Supportive, not shaming. Encourages balance. --- ## ✅ Logical Validity: - **Strong deductive reasoning**: Project = outcome + deadline → valid. - **Causal reasoning**: More than 15 = overwhelm → supported by cognitive limits. - **Fallacy risk**: Overgeneralization. Not all users can cap projects at 15 (e.g., enterprise roles). Suggest nuance: “ideal for most individuals, but teams may differ.” Tone: Calm, instructive, motivating. --- ## 🔍 DARVO Analysis: No DARVO elements detected. Content is non-confrontational, purely educational. --- ## 🔍 SEO Evaluation: - **Keywords**: Present (“projects,” “10-to-15 rule”). Could add “project management tips.” - **Meta description**: Missing; suggested: “Learn why 10–15 projects is the sweet spot for productivity.” - **Title tag**: Clear, keyword-rich. - **Headers**: Absent in video format; blog transcription could add H2/H3. - **Content length**: Short-form; could expand in blog post. - - Summary: The video discusses the PARA organizing framework and how to create a dedicated place for each project. The first step is to make a list of every active project and clearly define each one with a goal and a deadline. The next step is to follow the 10 to 15 rule, ensuring that the project list contains no more than 15 projects and no fewer than 10. The video also advises identifying and removing false projects, such as dreams, hobbies, and areas of responsibility, and breaking down mega projects into smaller, more manageable sub-projects. Finally, the video emphasizes the importance of having a focused and achievable project list to maintain progress and momentum. - URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anexySaCsgU&ab_channel=TiagoForte in this video we're digging into the Pof my para organizing framework creatinga dedicated place for each of yourprojects this starts with making asimple list of every active project youare currently committed to[Music]now making a list might not seemmonumentous but the reality is thatdeciding what projects you're working onand clearly defining them is the key to gaining Focus Clarity and momentum inyour digital note-taking and yourcreative work first to recap what areprojects projects are outcomes that youare working toward that require adedicated effort within a certain timeframe projects must have two thingsfirst a clear goal that you want toachieve and second a deadline or evenjust a rough timeline you want tocomplete the project by finishing anessay or a piece of writing by nextThursday a is a project going on vacation to a certain country by the endof this year is a project redesigningyour website this quarter or reading abook in the next two months are allprojects every project has a specificoutcome and a timeline to achieve iteven if that timeline isn't completelyprecise with that in mind here's how tocraft your project list step onebrainstorm your list let's create ourproject list together which I'm going todo on paper for illustrative purposesfor your first project list you want to start by writing down everything you'reworking on right now whether or notyou're sure it's a project yet we'llwinnow things down in the next step I'mgoing to start with just whatimmediately comes to the top of my mindwithout censoring myself or trying toevaluate up front whether it's a goodproject or not what immediately comes tomind is the launch of my book somethingelse that comes to mind that thatreminds me of is we're designing acustom notebook I know we also need toplan and our summer Retreat which reminds me I need to look at ourperformance review system I have somenotes on that that I'll look at nextweek we have cohort 14 of our coursewhich reminds me also that we need tostart thinking about a new product thatwe're going to be launching which is alearning community notice that as thesesort of come to the surface of my mindeach one triggers an idea for adifferent one as I look over these thebook launch reminds me that we also have a trip coming up to London and then NewYork City okay I have a few items tostart these are just the immediatethings that were top of Mind next I'mgoing to check my email from the pastfew days to see if that Sparks any otherideas for current projectslooking at my email from just the pastfew days I'm reminded of several ongoingthreads that actually represent projectsso for example I'm going to add writingan article on remote work which I've been corresponding with with acollaborator and also I have a threadgoing with my lawyer about our estateplanning which is not exactly veryexciting but I'm going to put here tocomplete estate planning paperwork andfinally one more ongoing thread which iswith my coach Mina which is to do mycoaching homework now I'm going to go tomy calendar app and my to-do list appand what I'm looking for is anythingthat reminds me or that reveals itself as part of a bigger project even if I'mnot totally sure I'm going to write themdown for nowlooking at my calendar I have both somemeetings from the recent past andupcoming meetings that remind me of afew projects that are ongoing forexample I was just talking to my brotherwho's a contractor about home Studiosand that reminds me that I want to writean article with what we've learned fromdesigning and building the studio thatwe're in right now so I'll say righthome studio article looking here on my calendar we visited a local kiteboarding school recently we're actuallyin one of the world capitals ofkiteboarding which is Long BeachCalifornia so that reminds me I have aproject that I want to take on which isto learn how to kiteboard so let's putlearn kiteboarding thinking aboutkiteboarding reminds me of somethingelse that I'd like to spend some time onwhich is practicing piano looking at mycalendar also reminds me of my fitnessroutine which I have as a recurringcalendar item so I'm going to put here on my list Fitness routine and finallyI'm going to look at my to-do list oftenour to-do list has a lot lot of smalltasks but sometimes what seems like asmall task can actually be part of amuch bigger project let's take a lookand see if there's any hidden invisibleprojects that I've missed looking at myto-do list I'm reminded that I have todo my 2021 taxes so let's write thatdown I also have an item here to talk toa contractor about doing an addition toour home so I'm going to add home edition to the list I also see a to doto read a best-selling sci-fi book soI'm going to add sci-fi reading andfinally something that comes to mind isspending more time with my sonyou can see here in just a few minuteswe've already generated a big list ofpotential active projects based on allthe items in my mind my calendar myemail and my existing to-do list steptwo follow the 10 to 15 rule you want to end up with no more than about 15projects on your list and no fewer thanabout 10. if you have more than 15projects you're unlikely to makesignificant visible progress on them inany given week the risk there is that ifyou don't make visible progress you'llstop believing you can and you'llabandon your projects the point of aproject list is focus it's the abilityto decide on your priorities move themforward and see progress it's making theinvisible effort you put in every day visible on the opposite side of thespectrum having fewer than about 10projects in play holds a different riskno matter how motivated you are tocomplete any particular project you willeventually find yourself stuck orstalled Out On Any Given one at anygiven time whether it's a creative blockfatigue or something entirely out ofyour control sometimes a project issimply unable to move forward and sincethere's no way for anyone to avoid thatentirely you always want another project that you can seamlessly switch towhenever you get stalled out this keepsyour project list living and breathingyou're never stuck always in motion sotry to keep the number at around 10minimum as you can see I have too manyprojects on my list I have 18 that Ithought of for most people watching thisI'm guessing you're in a similarsituation thankfully I have a few waysto narrow things down before simplystriking projects off my list step 3identify false projects first of all we have some items here that aren't reallyprojects the most common items thatsneak onto a project list are dreamshobbies and areas dreams are likeprojects but they don't have a specificdeadline or timeline you'd like them tohappen by hobbies are projects withoutany particular outcome or goal in mindand areas are a general term to describeongoing areas of responsibility thatdon't really end but that you need tosupport and develop over time but that you never really complete things likeyour health your family your finances oryour career let's take a look and try toidentify the and remove them from ourlist so first let's start with dreams ifI'm very honest with myself what strikesme as dreams are the home edition wejust did a major remodel of our garage Ido not want to do any major remodels forthe foreseeable future the other onethat strikes me as actually not veryrealistic right now is learningkiteboarding it's not the summer anyway which is when I would really be doingthat so I'm going to strike that fromthe list as a dream next I'm going tolook for hobbies what jumps out at me ispracticing piano that doesn't mean it'snot important but we don't really needto manage it ongoingly as a project it'sreally just a a weekly habit that I canspend time on whenever I have some freetime the other one that seems like ahobby is sci-fi reading it doesn't haveany particular deadline there's no timeframe by which I need to do this readingit's really just something I do in theevening to relax and finally let's look at areas what are areas ofresponsibility that do need some ongoingattention but don't have this kind ofspecific Moment In Time that I'm tryingto get them done by obvious ones areFitness routine which again is somethingthat I can just put on my calendarcertain day a certain time I don't needto really manage a lot of informationrelated to it and the other one is timewith my sonthat is actually probably the mostimportant item on this list but I don'twant to think of time with my son as aproject something I'm trying to achievesomething I'm trying to overcome it's again really just a block of time that Iwant to set aside each day when I finishwork and doesn't really belong on myproject list now we have some items herethat are actually too big to be a properproject they're actually a container forother sub projects or they don't have aclear enough way to complete them in theshort term one example of this is thebuilding a second brain book you mightthink writing a book is a project it hasan outcome and it has a deadline whichis the release date but no it's way toobig writing a book is actually a collection of many many smaller projectswhich take place over years for me thisendeavor started with finding an agentwhich by itself took several months thatwas a project within itself once thatwas complete and only when that wascomplete did it make sense to startlooking for an Editor to work with me onthe book proposal which again was aproject within itself that took a fewmore months only after that was done didI even start working on the bookproposal you can see that what I callMega projects such as writing a book can always be broken down into smallersub-projects which has the benefit ofmaking them feel much more feasible andtells you what action to take next thecompletion of each small sub-projectkicks off the next one since I knowlaunching the book is too big of aproject I'm actually going to cross thatout and replace it with increasing bookpre-orders can you see how that's a muchmore feasible realistic shorter termproject it's going to happen within the next couple months and then have a clearcompletion and then I can ask myselfwhat's next that makes it feel much moreachievable than something as massive aswriting an entire book now that we'vecalled out false projects and projectsthat are too big and unwieldy let's lookat our list again to apply the 10 to 15rule you can see here that with all thechanges I've made I now have 12 veryclearly defined short-term projectswhich is within that 10 to 15 range thatI'm looking for if you still have more than 15 items you need to move the leasturgent to a future Project's note so itdoesn't distract you in the meantime ifyou have 15 projects because they've allbeen put on your plate by someone elsethis is a chance for you to learn how tosay no because you've over committedyourself or to renegotiate the scope ofthose commitments with someone else atthis stage we have an excellent projectlist we're following the 10 to 15 ruleall of these projects are achievable inscope and we don't have any dreamsHobbies or open-ended areas of responsibility on this list, The 10-to-15 Rule (PARA Method) | Part 2, Tiago Forte, 01h5sqb629cjyaz3h66qp1yq2w.