Two Tools: Abstracting → Transforming

Problem: Once your to-do list passes 20 items, you don't know what to start with, so you actually start nothing—and this repeats. You apply 2 tools to this problem, in order.

Step 1 — Abstracting: Bring your current to-do list to mind, and distill the essence running through those tasks into one sentence of the form 'This list is ultimately a problem of ___.' Then, based on that essence, pick 2 dividing axes for sorting the tasks (e.g., does it grow if deferred / can only I do it). Step 2 — Transforming: Abandon the list form and re-arrange the tasks into a 2×2 table with your 2 axes from Step 1 on the horizontal and vertical. Write what went into each cell. Be sure to (1) separate the abstracting output from (2) the transforming output, and (3) end with one line on the difference made by using the two tools in this order.