So here's a silly idea HN might appreciate. After reading some protocol specs I thought of using the key words from RFC 2119[1] to organize my todo list.
There are tasks I MUST do, which are an absolute requirement. There are tasks I SHOULD do: there may exist valid reasons to postpone or skip them, but the full implications should be carefully weighed first. And there are tasks I MAY do, things that aren't essential at all, although they would be neat if I have time.
This helps because before, I would typically clutter my todo list with every random cool idea that came to mind, then get overwhelmed and never do most of it. Or spend all day on fun yet unimportant stuff. Now the priority C, or "MAY", items are clearly marked and I prune any that cease to interest me, while gravitating to priority A, or "MUST", items to complete first.
You're right on the mark with this. There's a book for adults with ADHD that recommends the exact same prioritization scheme. I've used it for years to prioritize tasks as A, B, and C to great effect.
There are tasks I MUST do, which are an absolute requirement. There are tasks I SHOULD do: there may exist valid reasons to postpone or skip them, but the full implications should be carefully weighed first. And there are tasks I MAY do, things that aren't essential at all, although they would be neat if I have time.
This helps because before, I would typically clutter my todo list with every random cool idea that came to mind, then get overwhelmed and never do most of it. Or spend all day on fun yet unimportant stuff. Now the priority C, or "MAY", items are clearly marked and I prune any that cease to interest me, while gravitating to priority A, or "MUST", items to complete first.
[1] https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2119