Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–29 of 29 posts

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#21

Post by Jtsummers »

tedmiston wrote: post #20
Jtsummers wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've gotten to like Staples' Arc notebooks. They fold over like a spiral notebook, but pages can be moved freely like a 3-ring binder. Downside, instead of holes, sheets have notches in them to keep them attached to the rings that form the binding. This can be problematic sometimes if you keep moving a sheet around a lot, but I typically don't move a sheet more than twice (once to put it w/ related content, again to…

That sounds like the Levenger Circa system. I never tried them myself (thought they were too pricy), but they are popular in the GTD crowd. http://www.levenger.com/circa-notebooks-339.aspx I did Hipster PDA for a while, which you could kind of consider a poor man's version. http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-...

The Circa notebooks were my introduction to the concept. Arc is cheaper by a good bit. The rings are slightly different but paper from one will work on the other, maybe not perfectly but functionally.

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#23

Post by sharmi »

I use the zim notebook wiki. Physical Notebooks are great in that you can dump all your thoughts in it. So you can go into your next task clear headed. Unfortunately, I tend to misplace notebooks a lot.

Zim is quite flexible as in it can be used as a wiki or a to-do list. Bonus points for allowing nesting of tasks. I sync between laptops using Dropbox. I doubt it has a mobile option. This is the option closest to a notebook.

Zim or physical notebook, The most difficult thing is that we have to use the tool diligently to reap the benefits. One can often let the practice slide due to time/work pressure. If done properly, you realize how much of your cognitive processes are actually devoted to just remembering the list of things to do

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#24

Post by soboleiv »

asana.com + GTD methodology

here's productivity forum on setups people use (it's in Russian so you'll have to pipe it through google translate but instrument names are in english + screenshots kinda self-explanatory) http://forum.mnogosdelal.ru/viewforum.php?f=7&sid=28fdcb21c9...

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#25

Post by pedrodelfino »

I use a physical notebook. Like the ones kids use at school. I like to scratch the tasks after they are done. I have been using this method since 2012. It is funny to see the old notebooks. It also works as an unstructured and bad written diary.

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#26

Post by Nicholas_C »

Jugurtha wrote: post #9

Did you take a look at Wunderlist? The common problems everyone faces at the beginning are: * Putting todo list items on the same system. * Making it a habit. Discipline and consistency are areas I'm always trying to work on personally (these will cause my end). The few times I was consistent, I just demolished whatever I was trying to do and felt like a 20GW laser pulverizing a problem. https://www.wunderlist.com/

I've started using Wunderlist with some success. I really like having a notebook for a task tracker but the issue is that the notebook isn't with me always. The problem with Wunderlist, as with any method, is that it requires discipline to keep checking and updating it.

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#27

Post by andwaal »

I use mind maps in Freemind. Every project has a root node with project name and date last updated. I then try to go through all projects at least once per day, look for any follow ups I have forgotten and then update the date. This combined with use of appropriate icons gives me confidence I have not forgotten anything. On each project I note everything, last contact with client, meeting summaries, progress, remaining todos, specs. Basically everything of importants.

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#28

Post by tmaly »

qwertyuiop924 wrote: post #17
tmaly wrote: post #10

Trello is nice if you have access to it. If you have Jira or other task/bug system you can also use that. I personally think a TODO.txt file is easier than both. A nice paper sketch book is also good, but if you lose it, your out of luck.

Better yet, if you use Emacs, have a TODO.org Seriously. There's a reason I've been singing org's praises throughout this thread. It hasn't been amazingly useful to me personally (I take my notes on paper), but it's a really high-quality tool, and if you're already using TODO.txt it's like that, but with agendas, sorting, organization, calendars, and countless other useful features.

I am a vim person, but I agree a text file is a far simpler interface.

Re: Ask HN: What do you guys use to help organize daily tasks and things to do?

#29

Post by MegaLeon »

Workflowy fan here: http://www.workflowy.com

I start with a set of bullets for general to dos, personal projects, work projects, backlog (books, movies and games to catch up) and notes.

Then I have sub-pages for each category with individual to-do for projects, features to implements and such.

Post reply on HN