Word/phrase for importance being reduced

Question

For example when you stop doing one thing before it's finished, and start something else because you, or someone else, considers it more important than the thing you were doing. The thing you was doing is now less important than this new thing that needs doing.

I am trying to think of a heading for list of things like this, things have been dropped half way through to start something else "more important", but still need finishing at some point.

De-prioritised is not the correct word for this in my opinion, as you can de-prioritise jobs that haven't yet been started, or may never be started. I am after a word that clearly gets across that I was in the middle of a job that is now sitting half done because I started something "more important".

Answer 1

Deprioritize/deprioritized and abandoned come to mind when I think of a list of items in this manner. Example would be "The Deprioritized List of _" or "The Abandoned _"
After seeing your comment I would simply suggest interrupted.

Answer 2

Postponed Tasks

Postpone:
1. to put off to a later time; defer:
2. to place after in order of importance or estimation; subordinate
(dictionary.com)

Answer 3

The following might also be good headings if you're looking for something less formal:

On hold-- Paused. Connotations that the event/task is ready to initiate or resume and has been intentionally postponed. (Also used to describe a state of interminable limbo hell on the telephone.)

Set aside-- Removed from the focal point. Similar to cast-off, trashed, or discarded, but holds the possibility of the item/task being restored to its former place. (Can also describe when something is saved or reserved for a special purpose.)

Later-- As opposed to right now. This one doesn't indicate that the task has already been started as well as the other two do.

All along the same lines as @Chris Sunami's popular "Postponed".

Answer 4

Superseded? In the context of "The superseded"

Answer 5

"Downgraded Priorities" can describe the now lesser-important tasks and projects.

Answer 6

As this is related to programming workflow, a computer term would probably be in order.

From Wikipedia:

In computing, preemption is the act of temporarily interrupting a task being carried out by a computer system, without requiring its cooperation, and with the intention of resuming the task at a later time. Such a change is known as a context switch.

URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preemption_(computing)

Pre-empted could probably serve as the status label for a task that has been pre-empted by a new task.

Preemption List or Pre-empted Tasks could probably be the heading for a list of such tasks.

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

You could say that the second thing "took priority" over the first thing. You could call a list of things like this a "priority list".

Priority:

• a thing that is regarded as more important than another. "housework didn't figure high on her list of priorities"
• the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important. "the safety of the country takes priority over any other matter"
• synonyms: prime concern, most important consideration, primary issue More the right to take precedence or to proceed before others. "priority is given to those with press passes"

Answer 8

To contrast a list of 'High-Priority' tasks which you'd be focusing on, have you considered titling this list simply 'Nonessential Tasks'? At first glance my ear told me 'Inessential' would be a better fit, but according to this question, nonessential would be more appropriate for your situation.

Answer 9

The word I would use is "relativized" to refer to diminished relative importance.