The ideal number of active projects

Up: ยง My productivity system

โ Projects are defined as outcomes that will require more than one action step to complete and that you can mark off as finished in the next 12 months

Reasoning

  • The distinction between Focus and Active projects allows me to:
    • Push important projects to completion quickly (Focus)
    • Make steady progress on upcoming priorities (Active)
  • Constraining how many Focus and Active projects I have at any time ensures that I maintain focus so that I can get projects over the finish line, rather than being spread too thin.
  • See: My GTD project definitions

Current Approach

My goal is to maintain approximately 35 active projects across my four areas of focus:

  • Buffer (๐Ÿš€ Buffer, including Buffer systems): ~13 projects
    • ~5 focus projects (completed within 3 months)
    • ~8 active projects (completed within 12 months)
  • Creator (๐ŸŽจ Creator, including Creator systems and productivity): ~8 projects
    • ~3 focus projects
    • ~5 active projects
  • Side Hustle (๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿ’ป Side Hustle): ~6 projects
    • ~2 focus projects
    • ~4 active projects
  • Personal (๐Ÿก Personal): ~8 projects
    • ~3 focus projects
    • ~5 active projects

It's fine to stray a little from these numbers, as projects can vary in size, but if I stray too far I am likely to feel stretched thin, make slower progress, and feel more stress. So I aim to regularly check in on how many Focus and Active projects I have across the different areas of focus and trim down. This largely happens in my Weekly Review.

Why Creator has dedicated capacity

Previously, Creator was bundled with Buffer in project capacity (~15 combined for Buffer+Creator+Systems). In January 2026, I separated Creator to have its own allocation. This reflects my goal to elevate Creator as a distinct focus area with protected time, rather than having it compete with Buffer demands for shared project slots.

Background