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To-Do Lists Don't Work

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Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#21

Post by dredmorbius »

yawn wrote: post #5

I have tried several different software solutions, including writing my own web apps, but I always give them up. This is the only solution that has worked in the long run for me: a simple text file. Each day I start a new list of items by putting today's date at the top of the file. Only things I can finish that day are added. The next day, if I didn't finish something and still consider it important, it's copied to…

Similar. I generally use a notepad (hardcopy) and some sort of textfile or email based system.

Notepad: date at the top of the page, things to do transferred from yesterday plus new items as they go.

Text files: I've created a number of systems which operate based on timestamped files living in a directory which I scan regularly. And email folder can also be used (the metadata's useful, but not entirely appropriate). Otherwise, inserting the date/time via a script and opening the file is pretty straightforward. Doing this one a daily basis (date +%Y%m%d), and including yesterday or most-recent file as "old todo") might be a reasonable way of working. Ultimately it's a highly flexibly, lightly structured system.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#22

Post by gwern »

A week or two ago, I read the book _Willpower_ by psychologists Baumeister & Tierney. They include a chapter praising To-Do Lists.

Who should I believe, 2 famous psychologists who basically invented the entire subfield dealing with willpower, or a consultant business blogger?

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#23

Post by aheilbut »

I recently started using Checkvist, and like it better than anything else I've tried so far, because

- it supports hierarchies;

- tasks can be assigned due dates, and can then be viewed in chronological order;

- tasks can be tagged;

- it's on the web

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#24

Post by polyfractal »

I forget where I heard this routine (Lifestyle Business Podcast maybe?), but I've found it very helpful. It goes something like this:

-Write to-do items on a post-it note

-Scratch them off as you accomplish them

-When the majority of the post-it is scratched, start a new note, beginning with the few items that did not get finished from the last post-it

-Evaluate the items that you didn't accomplish from the last post-it. How many times have you copied them from one post-it to another? If more than twice, it is either not important or you are seriously procrastinating. Do it, outsource it or just delete it and move on.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#25

Post by tnuc »

polyfractal wrote: post #24

I forget where I heard this routine (Lifestyle Business Podcast maybe?), but I've found it very helpful. It goes something like this: -Write to-do items on a post-it note -Scratch them off as you accomplish them -When the majority of the post-it is scratched, start a new note, beginning with the few items that did not get finished from the last post-it -Evaluate the items that you didn't accomplish from the last post…

My entire working day revolves around a list in front of me that I treat just like this.

Post it notes just aren't big enough for the amount of items I have to do most days.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#26

Post by mrzerga »

i ve been using this little piece of magic (freeware obviously) for about 3 years now, after trying paper, evernote, etc : http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/5371/ToDoList-A-simple-b.... with the level of the granular control i can use it as todolist calendar,whatever. like the simplicity and intuitiveness. so todolist work for me just fine

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#27

Post by FireBeyond »

chief8192 wrote: post #14
j45 wrote: post #6

Cool article. Reminds me of the best calendar/to-do list software I ever used and have spent years trying to re-locate on another mobile os: DateBk6 ( http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/datebk6.htm ) What did it do? 1) It let you make to do items, but assign a date to them too. 2) If you didn't assign a date to them, they'd stay in your general to-do list. 3) If there was a date for the to-do, the to-do item would show u…

I'm guessing you've probably already tried it out, but if you haven't, you should check out Things: http://culturedcode.com/things/

Try as I might... I can't justify, or figure out how $50 (+ $10 for a mobile app - used to be $20) for a To Do list, however nice, is worth it.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#28

Post by j45 »

torontos wrote: post #18
j45 wrote: post #6

Cool article. Reminds me of the best calendar/to-do list software I ever used and have spent years trying to re-locate on another mobile os: DateBk6 ( http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/datebk6.htm ) What did it do? 1) It let you make to do items, but assign a date to them too. 2) If you didn't assign a date to them, they'd stay in your general to-do list. 3) If there was a date for the to-do, the to-do item would show u…

Seems like maybe you should make this to solve the need rather than consider getting a palm treo!

Haha, I pretty much would hire an iOS dev to build it and never release it.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#29

Post by j45 »

FireBeyond wrote: post #27
chief8192 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing you've probably already tried it out, but if you haven't, you should check out Things: http://culturedcode.com/things/

Try as I might... I can't justify, or figure out how $50 (+ $10 for a mobile app - used to be $20) for a To Do list, however nice, is worth it.

I'd pay $1000 for the right app from any app store today.

The problem is they all suck because they do a few things well and none do the simplest the best. I've spent hundreds of dollars.

The closest I've found to being reasonable is omnifocus but it too is missing the calendar, but it does tasks well.

Re: To-Do Lists Don't Work

#30

Post by j45 »

dredmorbius wrote: post #19
j45 wrote: post #6

Cool article. Reminds me of the best calendar/to-do list software I ever used and have spent years trying to re-locate on another mobile os: DateBk6 ( http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/datebk6.htm ) What did it do? 1) It let you make to do items, but assign a date to them too. 2) If you didn't assign a date to them, they'd stay in your general to-do list. 3) If there was a date for the to-do, the to-do item would show u…

PalmOS, for all its cruftiness, had (and perhaps inspired) some very well-designed, highly usable mobile apps. For all the flash and glitz I see on iOS and Android, that's still lacking in too many cases. I also miss graffiti and the bubble keyboard both.

Some call it crufty, I call it the first and best and most productive smartphone ever, to this day.

It's kind of sad the best of Palm OS can't be replicated to this day.

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