Comments on: Confused by Conflicting Priorities? Here's a Five-Point Checklist that Can Help https://gettingthingsdone.com/2009/03/a-5-point-checklist-that-helps-me-select-a-task-when-confused-between-conflicting-priorities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-5-point-checklist-that-helps-me-select-a-task-when-confused-between-conflicting-priorities David Allen's GTD® Methodology Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:07:01 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 By: Kevin https://gettingthingsdone.com/2009/03/a-5-point-checklist-that-helps-me-select-a-task-when-confused-between-conflicting-priorities/#comment-752 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:07:01 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/?p=1096#comment-752 You should have made it a 4 step checklist. Your step 4, is okay giving the context that all of the items on your list are important to get done at some point. And of course there are things that are equally important. But as a general rule doing the nothing is better than doing the wrong thing. I would have said, “Doing something of medium importance rather than the thing of highest importance is still moving you toward your goals.”

As for step 5. Why not just make that step 1 and not even bother with GTD at all. You basically said you are impotent, nothing matters and you will die eventually anyway. My counter point to 5 is that you and you alone are responsible for the achievement of your goals and thus your happiness. Trying to assert as fact that nothing matters, you can’t accomplish anything and even if you could you couldn’t know it was the right thing as a tool to resolve conflicting priorities is bizarre.

The bottom line is everything on your list should be something that is building toward goals in your life. If it isn’t it should be crossed off, if there is a priority conflict and even going up to 50,000 feet (your ultimate reason for being on the planet) you can’t decide between the two tasks. Then of it can help to take Alan Laekin’s advice, from his great book, “How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life.”

Take out a piece of paper, write at the top.
“I have decided to do X”

If you are convinced that they are equal priority but still feel locked in doubt, then just pick one, and the physical action of writing your choice down can help eliminate the stress you talked about.

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