Ep. 379: The Nature of Someday Maybe Items  🔗 **Source:** [Ep. 379: The Nature of Someday Maybe Items](https://share.snipd.com/episode/a4f278a4-c84d-4b95-b2ef-68daeefd0c70) ## Highlights - **Projects Need External Anchors** - A project is any committed outcome requiring more than one action, regardless of size or importance. - Weekly review matters because untracked commitments keep pulling attention and can redirect you before completion. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez So rightly so, if we look at our definition, right, or the GTD definition of a project, it's pretty much that. A multi-step outcome achievable within a timeframe up to a year. This is arbitrary in a way, if you think about it. So, and I'll explain to you a little more why such broad definition, but you can also think of it as within a few weeks or months. So it's any multi-step outcome you're committed to that it's done or achievable within a few weeks or months, and maybe even up to a year or a little longer. It really doesn't matter if we're not we're not looking for an exact time frame here. So you may say well why so broad? I mean it really doesn't give you a lot of structure or parameters in that way. It's actually very simple of an answer. Truth is that anything you've committed to or if you have something that you're committed to, that one action will not finish, or one sitting, as I think one of you referenced a moment Ago. And if you don't have a placeholder or a bookmark, right, a place where you're actually tracking that outcome, then what's going to happen is that whether you like it or not, you're going To get distracted by it. In other words, it's actually going to take more attention that it needs, you know, from your mind. So the idea here is that you want to make sure you always have an external anchor that you trust, a place where you're writing these reminders that you come and review on a regular basis Because if not it's definitely trust me here it's going to distract you and it's going to most likely redirect you which is even more dangerous before you finish it so you may never get To an end so that's why we have such broad definition you need that but in addition to that it's also because we have found that any one of those, let's say, reminders or outcomes or that Inventory of outcomes of, you know, that are achievable within a time frame of up to a year, you will need to review them at least weekly. You know, as part of your very famous GTD weekly review, because otherwise it would add ambient stress, and it's actually an indication that you're not appropriately engaged with Work or life. And interesting enough, the one-year time frame plays in, because we have also found that anything that we're committed to finishing within a timeframe of up to a year, if we're not Reviewing on a weekly basis, again, it would start pulling or pushing on your attention unnecessarily. Gives you an idea of why such a broad definition because you know you may be redirected you're going to be unnecessarily distracted and the one year time frame is because anything that Within if it's done within a year ([Time 0:03:23](https://share.snipd.com/snip/36bcf7d5-6c4f-4f80-991f-abb5900c6822)) - **When A Multi-Step Outcome Is Not A Project** - Not every multi-step outcome belongs on the Projects list if a calendar reminder makes it self-evident. - Picking someone up at the airport needs only a dated reminder, while preparing for their visit needs weekly-review visibility. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez Is to ask yourself is this an outcome or is this something that i need to see or want to see or have to see as part of my weekly review because things that are self-evident, things that are Kind of obvious to you, they don't really have to be a project, even though they might be a multi-step outcome. What? Yes. For example, pick up that at the airport. You may say, well, but it's a multi-step outcome. Yeah, but it's self-evident. As long as I have a reminder on my calendar the day that that arrives, that's all I need. It's obvious. I don't need to see it as part of my weekly review. But maybe prepare for that visit. That I need to see as part of my weekly review because there's so many things I need to do around that. ([Time 0:06:43](https://share.snipd.com/snip/7d73893c-173a-491d-b64e-be3af05b56f2)) - **Project Lists Track Outcomes Not Tasks** - The Projects list is an inventory of currently active project titles, not a collection of tasks or project details. - Project size can range from repairing a watch to buying a company if both require multiple steps. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez A projects list, all it is, it's an inventory of all your currently active projects. It's very important to keep in mind that they need to be currently active. And these are not obviously the steps to complete the projects. These are not the details about the projects. These are just an inventory of my titles of all my currently active projects. What's the number more or less that we see people have on any given project list? Anywhere from 30 to 100. I'm only giving this to you as reference. It really, it's not that dramatic if you have that number or not, but just keep that in mind. ([Time 0:08:44](https://share.snipd.com/snip/6e953eeb-bade-4be0-9975-01bfc6fbe202)) - **Someday Maybe Removes Unneeded Pressure** - Someday/Maybe holds potential projects or actions that you are not committed to pursuing yet. - Treating it as a guilt-free category relieves pressure while preserving possibilities for later review. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez And I'm going to ask you, since the topic today is projects and someday maybe is, what is a someday maybe? In your own words, what's a someday maybe for you? How is it different to a project? Is it different to a project or to an action? And let's see what you come up with. Something I'm not committed to yet. Yes, very good. What else? What else is a someday maybe in your own words? A graveyard. There you go. There's some more coming in these are an outcome that i'm not committed to yet but i want to regularly assess whether i would want to activate them or not yes like ideas project tasks uh-huh That we like to action in the future and we can always define future yes very good not my not right now list you can even call it my not right now list if you like that better good something That not does not require attention now or action yeah and do you have a someday maybe list and you can just quickly type yes or no stuff stuff i'm interested in but i'm not moving on now Yes yes yes cool yay i'm glad you guys have a someday maybe list excellent truth is that the someday maybe category on agree is one of the best categories to relieve unneeded pressure. So keep that in mind. It's an excellent category to relieve unneeded pressure. ([Time 0:09:26](https://share.snipd.com/snip/6f39659a-4c69-4ce3-8992-e033d27def0f)) - **Use Someday Maybe As A Flexible Parking Lot** - Define Someday/Maybe according to your own review horizon, from next week to distant dreams. - Move inactive projects there to reduce the weight of an overgrown Projects list without deleting useful reminders. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez And in our definition here, again, a someday maybe or someday maybe category or someday maybe list, right, are all potential projects or actions you're not yet committed to move on. And you get to define what is the not yet committed to move on. For some people, they, you know, they really kind of use it as on a week to week basis or quarter to quarter basis, by yearly, yearly, a dream for the long term future, or even if I don't, If I ever get to win the lottery, these are my someday maybes. I mean, there are all kinds of ways to even organize this someday maybe category. That's why I was saying it was, it's, it's challenging to pick what to talk about or not talking about in a short webinar like this, but there's something maybe, it's a great category To maintain, to allow your creative thinking, lots of room to explore possibilities and options. So I'm glad to see that I think the majority of you have a someday maybe category. It's one of those that I don't think we actually use as much as we can. Because this is really the place to have those inventories of reminders without feeling like you have to commit to moving to moving them right now so in a way kind of relieves us from any Guilt if there's any out there so it's a guilt-free list kind of thing right and I was telling John I mean to me it's one of those lists that it's it's a great list to lower the weight of your Projects list because i'm going to start um now moving into understanding where more can we mine for projects or where can we potentially have projects that we have not identified yet But there are already projects either inerrant or it's something that as I think about, it makes me think of something new and I don't have it in my projects list. And what that can result often is it's then, and my projects list is so long. And truth is, it might not be as long because some items are those that you're not going to be moving on them right now and can be moved to your someday maybe. ([Time 0:10:47](https://share.snipd.com/snip/bbedd7e9-3369-4b2a-afe5-d7319704f4e5)) - **Find Hidden Projects In Three Places** - Mine for uncaptured projects in current activities, higher horizons, and less obvious personal concerns. - Review calendars, next actions, agendas, bags, offices, and areas of focus to uncover commitments hiding in plain sight. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez There are several places. There are actually three main categories we've identified in terms of where to mine for projects that are real but have not been captured yet and these are current activities, higher Horizons and the others. I'm going to start with current activities because these are pretty much the ones that are going to be easier probably for you to notice and identify because they're closer to the surface. So these are the kinds of things that are going to be connected to your current reality, right? So if any reason, mind sweep you've done that you have you know there's probably something there that when you clarify may turn into a project as you look into your calendar when you're Doing your weekly review or at any time that may pop a project that's missing from your list as you look into your next actions list you may have added a call reminder and forgot to that It's part of a multi-step outcome and now that helps you identify that project etc you know your agendas list your briefcase or your bag if you look into that there's maybe a paper some Kind of document that it's tied to a project or even if you in your mind you know in your mind's eyes scan your home office your um your um your work office or just home, that might reveal A project that it's there, yet it hasn't been captured. So believe me, as you start noticing and paying more attention to these three main areas, your projects may start to increase or change. We don't know that yet. The other area where you may also have projects, again, that are real but haven't been captured is your higher horizons. As you focus on the higher horizons, you know, there might be things in there that have your attention. There may be things in there where there are projects that are hiding or there might be you know look into or explore or research perhaps about a future goal or perhaps about your vision Or even more so for today we're going to be actually focusing on areas of focus because many times your areas of focus and accountability i think don you ask them to um you know kind of be Prepared to have that list available if they have it because your areas of focus and accountability you know many times as part of your review and looking at them you may actually spot Something or spot a project that it's there yet you had forgotten to put on your list right and it could be about some area that it's already in play so like an inerrant project or it could Just be something that as you're looking at your areas of focus um you recognize that you have attention on it and that you need to be doing something about it and it's a multi-step outcome And then it generates a new project on your list. And having said that, it can also well be that you look at your areas of focus and you're cool, right? They're on cruise control. Everything is at standard, you're comfortable with. So it doesn't have to generate a project. It doesn't even have to generate an action. But it's just a reminder that as you look at the higher horizons and particularly for today into your areas of focus and accountability, there may be a project that you need to add onto Your list. ([Time 0:13:02](https://share.snipd.com/snip/a7cf98dc-1fa0-4efc-a8f8-80f341ae0016)) - **Turn Vague Tension Into A Project** - Problems, creative opportunities, clunky processes, and competence-building ideas often conceal projects. - Verbs such as “look into,” “explore,” and “research” clarify a forward movement even before the solution is known. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez And then the last place that I find fascinating still to this date where we can have you know yet uncaptured projects and it's often where they most easily hide or camouflage is in this And what we refer to as the others we didn't have a better title so the others is um pretty much a place where you will get to identify some of the more subtle areas that actually have your Attention or are pulling in your on your mind and again these guys easily hide trust me and you know things like for example problems or issues so any problems or issues out there that You currently have that you would like to resolve. That's one area. Creative opportunities. Any creative opportunities that you want to look into or explore. Maybe, I don't know, take dressage classes. That's me. That's something that I may want to explore or sign up for some dance classes you know or sign up for some painting classes don't know or how about what processes or procedures would you Like to have improved or installed to make life and work run smoother you know, there may be many things out there that are clunky and each time they happen, you know, it's exasperating Or they get on the way. Well, is there any process or procedure that you can actually come up with or improve that would make things easier for you? Or do you have any competence build these ideas to look into? You know, anything you've been telling yourself you should or might look into to increase your own capacities. Maybe it's learning another language. Maybe it's becoming better at Excel. Maybe there's something out there. Again, these are very subtle. But if they're somewhere in your psyche, again, probably creating unnecessary tension for you so the idea here is that in a moment I'm just going to have you explore again this is not Meant to be a black or white or already know the answer to this none of the above but more my hope is to help you start seeing where these projects or even someday maybes may be hiding you Know maybe you have a a problem with a co-worker and i don't have an answer to how to solve it yet but nonetheless it's a problem that it's it's wearing on me right so maybe it can be something As simple as look into how to resolve my differences with john you know and you may say well that's still not the problem is not so understood but just the exercise of clarifying in my mind What could put me in forward motion what could put me you know at the driver's seat towards that outcome releases the pressure in my mind so it's very important that we start to become Much more agile around turning things around into projects and for that again ([Time 0:16:34](https://share.snipd.com/snip/084cb478-ff2f-4cc3-adb8-e07270edc58f)) - **Clarify Problems Before Choosing Action** - First identify the problem, then decide whether you want to act on it now. - If you do not want action yet, place a clarified outcome such as “get along with John” on Someday/Maybe. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez So again, if you have a problem or issue that is pulling or pushing on you, once identified, so first you have to identify, I have a problem with John, right? So once it's identified, you can more clearly ask yourself, is there anything I want to do about any of that now? And the answer may be no. I don't even want to look into how to resolve my differences with John, right? So I may just put it on my Sunday maybe. You know, Sunday maybe, get along with John. Again, you may say, well, this sounds like, you know, la la land. This doesn't sound very, you know, scientifically proven. Trust me. What's important is that you clarify it in your mind. And what's important is that you clarify the commitment with yourself. Because you're going to have another weekly review, right? And every weekly review, you'll get to reassess and-evaluate and you can always change things around. So anything you might want to get off your mind with some action can turn potentially into a research or even look into projects. Why I repeat this is because I don't want you to feel like now I have to have the answer. ([Time 0:20:04](https://share.snipd.com/snip/9697ac4c-82ee-41ee-aade-0d099e9eafea)) - **Customize Your Projects List** - Customize project views when one undifferentiated list becomes stressful or unworkable. - Group by areas of focus, personal versus professional, clients, sales, or an on-hold category that functions as Someday/Maybe. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez But if you start finding that your project list is becoming, you know, too unworkable, too stressful, it may be just that it needs some customization. But you may want to start personalizing your project list and start managing it differently. And you may start wanting to group projects, you know, by areas of focus, for example. Or you may start to group projects by personal and professional. You just have two lists in that way. Or you may want to group projects by sales projects or clients, you know, et cetera. I think you get the idea. You can start doing that. That's fine. Because for some people, having a projects list, just one for all, and a someday maybe, it's all they need. I'm one of them. So I'm raising my hand because that's what I use. But some folks go, well, that's not enough for me. Actually, I need like in between my projects and my someday maybe. So voila, the on hold. An on hold or projects on hold list, it's not a projects list. It's really a someday maybe list. But no, sometimes, you know, we feel like someday maybe is too far away. Projects on hold, I feel it's closer to me. That's okay. You can do that if you need to do that. Think of whatever you need to do so that it really supports your weekly review. ([Time 0:22:11](https://share.snipd.com/snip/52630645-4bf1-4f65-bc1e-fe3ea12d8dc0)) - **Prune Projects During Weekly Review** - During review, ask whether each item truly needs weekly-review visibility. - Move clear no-longer-active items to Someday/Maybe or an on-hold category, but keep uncertain items on the Projects list. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez You're going to go back now to your project list and scan it and look to see really, you know, think about it. Is this something I need to see on my next weekly review? Or is this something I need to be seeing on my weekly review? That's one great way to think about it, right? If the answer is no, I'm not sure. Really, if the answer is no, I shouldn't say I'm sure because if you're unsure, it should stay on your projects list. But if the answer is a clear no, and it's more appropriate to move it to your Sunday maybe list or projects on hold, or maybe you have different categories even for Sunday maybe, you know, Sunday maybe this month, someday maybe next quarter. Those are things that you can incorporate into your system. You know, take the time now and move it. It's fine. And if you hate it, you move it back. ([Time 0:26:06](https://share.snipd.com/snip/c9c2aea0-07e7-43eb-b78e-2a407482b80c)) - **Finish Every Project With A Next Action** - After adding or recovering projects, complete the thinking by identifying a next action for each active outcome. - This step grounds the inventory in execution and turns review discoveries into forward motion. Transcript: Ana Maria Gonzalez If nothing on your next GTD weekly review, you will come back and make sure you're at next actions to every project in your list. Because again, you may have added new projects today to that list and you have to finish the thought process, right? You now have to ground it and bring it into, you know, the execution level by having an action, a next action identified. ([Time 0:30:16](https://share.snipd.com/snip/48052d0e-fd3f-49ed-8cd7-3395be2bc1f6))