When managing tasks, it gets easy to just set due dates for everything. From experience, when we set arbitrary due dates, we wind up rescheduling them, or ignoring them, causing us to miss real due dates instead. What makes the GTD methodology so powerful is the understanding that due dates are promises or needs that need to be fulfilled. If we can’t fulfill them, we need to reach out to the person we made the promise to in order to renegotiate the due date. With this in mind, it is important not to set due dates unless they are real. If you are focused on getting things done, and complete tasks in context, tasks will get complete without a motivating due date. While everyone’s task management system is unique, I use flags to identify tasks that don’t have a set due date but have an implied “complete as soon as possible” urgency. That way when I am in context, I focus on those tasks first. I also try to complete those tasks within a week.

I’ve found this compromise of using flags to stand for items that are asap, but not with a specific due date, helps me manage my due dates without losing trust in their legitimacy. How do you make sure you get urgent and important tasks done?