Comments on: Crazy for Queues: A Simple Hack for Complicated Schedules

By: Chris Osborne

Chris Osborne — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 02:50:02 +0000

I can see the logic behind it, but I don’t think it’s something that I would be able to utilize. Still though, something I would pass along.

I have one question though. Let’s say that you don’t do what’s on top and the work becomes overdue. Would you still finish that task before anything else or would you move it down the list so that something else doesn’t also become overdue?

By: HackCollege Podcast Episode 18: Miami | HackCollege

HackCollege Podcast Episode 18: Miami | HackCollege — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:15:04 +0000

[...] Guest Posts [...]

By: Cal

Cal — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:16:31 +0000

@Valery:

You’re right on! A project queue is not a full list of all the next actions. It’s an *ordered* list of the next major project chunks you need to get done. You don’t choose which of these to do next — you complete them in the order presented.

Most of the tasks on your plate are still captured and dealt with in the standard next actions list style.

By: hir

hir — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:54:02 +0000

TYPO:at a lost to
at a loss to

By: Valery

Valery — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:55:37 +0000

@Jessica - My two cents on the difference is this: A “projects” list and a “next-action” list have the ability to track of the same items as the queue, however, on a day-to-day basis, you still have to make the decision on where to focus your energy. I know if the next action for a specific project is something I perceive as distateful, then I will put it off until they become an emergency and instead do the next actions that are more interesting to me.

By forming your next-actions for each project into the proposed project queue, you keep yourself from having to make the day-to-day decisions about what to do next (because you just start on the next task for project 1, then go on to next task for project 2, and keep adding the new next tasks to the bottom of the queue) and it keeps you from neglecting projects until they become an emergency.

That’s how I see it, but I’d love to hear someone else’s thoughts.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:41:31 +0000

I’m still not sure how this is different from a “Projects” list and a “Next Actions” list.

By: Cal

Cal — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:57:22 +0000

Here’s a snapshot of the first few entries on my writer’s queue:

——————————————
[ ] blog theme overhaul
——————————————
[ ] finish interviews; submit draft of Flak article
[ ] McSweeney’s submission
[ ] next round of interviews for TSC project
…

By: Daryl Tay

Daryl Tay — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:43:52 +0000

I was thinking the same thing, we could do with a visual aid!

By: Madeline

Madeline — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:27:57 +0000

I like the idea, but I’m having a hard time visualizing what a project queue looks like. Could you upload a sample queue or a screenshot?

By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Guest Post: Implement a Mechanism-Based Lifestyle

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:19:09 +0000

[...] written by our good (and much cooler) friends over at Hack College. If you’re so inclined, check out the article I wrote for them: how I use “project queues” to stay focused. I think we can all agree: Nothing says [...]