PROCESS: How to Reconcile Projects & Tasks

Managing your to-do list and tasks is an evolving endeavor. When it comes to staying organized and efficient, I swear by my PROCESS step, a cornerstone of my Weekly Reset. In just 30 minutes to an hour, this simple routine helps me reconcile my entire Notion workspace. Let's delve into the nitty-gritty. I typically “Process” in the same order outlined. I first review everything that I currently have on my plate and then work in things added to my Parking Lot throughout the week.

Reassign Overdue Tasks

Let's be honest. As much as I'd love to tell you that I religiously update my Notion workspace daily, ticking off checkboxes and modifying statuses, the reality is different. My calendar is my daily lifeline, keeping me on track throughout the week, while Notion mainly gets updated with new data as it comes along.

What really works for me is to review all the "Overdue" tasks in Notion at the start of a new week. It provides an excellent opportunity to revisit each task, add final updates, and then archive them as “Done.” This way, I have a comprehensive log for future reference.

If you’re able to carve the time out at the end of each day and do some maintenance, I encourage you to do so. Just be mindful that you’re not over-investing your time maintaining when you could be doing.

Review Collaborative Platform Notifications

I keep notifications from other platforms in the queue until I address them. Designating a specific time each week to sift through these outstanding reminders ensures that they do not get lost in the digital clutter. Whether it's Smartsheet, Monday, Asana, Hubspot, or another type of collaborative space like Slack, this review step helps me take control of any overlooked details.

The Parking Lot

Now that everything I'm currently working on is reconciled, i can look at what i added throughout the week.

My Notion 'Parking Lot' is where I stash tasks or ideas that I encounter throughout the week but can't immediately attend to. How often you review your Parking Lot is entirely up to you and your workflow.

If a task that is time-sensitive comes through, I can effortlessly adjust my calendar, ensuring it gets the attention it deserves. Learn more about the Parking Lot methodology here.

Reconcile Routine Meeting Topics & Tasks

The way that I run my PARA environment is unique in one major way - I set up a Project for each routine meeting I have to attend. In doing this, I not only give myself a space to keep track of related tasks, but also a space to address meeting topics.

Each week, I take the time sift through all of the entries for each Routine Meeting project. I can seamlessly update the “Task Type”, reassign due dates, and add important information that needs to be communicated to the larger group. This step all but ensures that I can head into my next meeting with a clear mind and agenda.

When it comes time to build a meeting agenda and send it out, it’s already done! I just list the topics marked as “Meeting Topic” and send it out to the group. If you’re working in a collaborative Notion environment, you can skip that step altogether.

In Summary

The PROCESS step in my Weekly Reset routine is more than a catch-up phase; it's a strategic review and planning session that sets the tone for my entire week. By dedicating just 30 minutes to an hour per week, you too can declutter your digital workspace, reconcile tasks, and elevate your productivity to new heights.

Join us for the next article, where we'll dive deep into the art of Plotting tasks. Trust me; you won't want to miss it.

Are you using a similar process to manage your workload? Let's discuss. Drop your insights in the comments below!