When you want to work on something should be a separate datapoint from when it HAS to be done.

Deadlines are hard and fast due dates. Due dates are softer. August Bradley, creator of the Notion Life Operating System utilizes “due dates” and “do dates” to separate out when he wants to do a thing versus when it’s properly due.

Some task applications natively support this approach. Things 3, for example, has exactly these two fields on each task. Other task applications call this start date and end date, like Microsoft Outlook.

Due dates I care to see on the day. Deadlines I care to see in advance, probably up to a week.


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