Every priority system needs an explicit 'not now' tier…
Include an explicit 'not now' or lowest-tier priority type to prevent deferred items from inflating middle categories and to create visible records of deliberate exclusion.
When This Fires
- Designing a new priority system
- When the middle tier of an existing system has become bloated and undifferentiated
- During triage when items feel unimportant but have no appropriate category
- When you want to distinguish deliberate deferral from forgetting
Common Failure Mode
Not using the tier because it feels like giving up: "I shouldn't label anything as 'not now' — everything should be worked on eventually." But "Not Now" is honest prioritization. You can't work on everything. Items that won't be addressed this period should be explicitly deferred rather than sitting in a middle tier creating the illusion that they'll be reached.
The Protocol
In any priority system: (1) Include an explicit lowest tier: "Not Now," "Deferred," "Backlog-Someday," or equivalent. (2) During triage, actively use it: items that won't be addressed this period go here — not into Medium. (3) Periodically review the tier (quarterly): have conditions changed that would promote any items? (4) The presence of the tier keeps middle categories honest by giving non-urgent items an appropriate home.