
Ask HN: I have 1000 things in mind but get done 0. How do you make it work? - tuxwins
I get 100s of ideas that are mostly about additional learning tangential to my Software job or growing skills and I&#x27;m so excited about them. If I get through 10% of them, it would be really fulfilling. I know I&#x27;m unable to get through even any, and that is very unsettling. How do I get over this?
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WheelsAtLarge
It's actually pretty simple.

1) Make a list. It does not have to be perfect. Just get started.

2) Divide it into 2 lists, need to do and fun to do

3) Order list in terms of importance, both lists

4)Pick one in need-to-do list and plan on how you will accomplish

5) Once 4 is done pick an item from the fun to-do list and once done go to 4
and start again.

6) Continue until done

Note: Review and reorder the list every 2 months or whatever period you pick.
Make sure to follow the order. It's easy to skip what you really don't want to
do.

The hardest part is getting started. Once you start to see accomplishments it
will motivate you to continue.

Keeping the list in your mind does not work. It just gives you an excuse not
to start. Also trying to accomplish everything as fast as possible will just
force you to quit when it gets too difficult. Set a pace you can follow.

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gshdg
Go through your list once a week. Identify the things you must do that week or
something important will blow up. Then add one, and no more than one,
additional goal for the week.

We tend to overestimate how much we can get done in a week but underestimate
what we can do in dozens of weeks. We overestimate what we can accomplish in a
year but underestimate what we can accomplish in 10 years.

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radkapital
Have you tried using GTD method with a task tracking tool? It might help in
your case.

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tuxwins
I have followed plaintext productivity. [http://plaintext-
productivity.net/2-11-standing-lists-for-gt...](http://plaintext-
productivity.net/2-11-standing-lists-for-gtd-or-other-organizational-
systems.html) The problem though is following it studiously.

