21–30 of 128 posts
I just end up using text files or written notes. Works both as a to do list and idea scratchpad. The only thing I'd want to change is be more organised about keeping the text files in sync (we can't use Dropbox at work, so I end up using emails). I've heard good things about org mode in emacs, wonder what added value I'd get from that.
With the time it takes to maintain that setup, you could probably do another task or two per day
I do use Outlook for diary management but that's because I work in a corporate environment and trying to do anything else would be working against the system. But it's one calendar for everything (work and personal).
I'm using Trello every day, but I don't like that it is too manual. It's like a physical board. There are no options to automate certain things, especially task order and recurrence. I spend too much time maintaining correct order to avoid important tasks moving out of sight. My ideal system would do the ordering for me, according to the priority, date, postpone hints, and other task properties.
This article isn't really coherent or is it?
I've given up chasing the software solution and realised that a paper to do list (managed in a Filofax) is the optimal for me. Most of my tasks come my way through face to face discussion so there's no email to convert to a task etc. And if it can't be taken off the list this week then it's probably a project that needs diarying. I do use Outlook for diary management but that's because I work in a corporate environme…
I've tried multiple software applications, from plain text, to trello, to custom software. Nothing works as well.
* This actually serves another purpose as well: in a page full of notes, my drop-shadowed action items pop out.
I never remove notes, I just add a new header for each note I need to take. These notes are eventually moved into actionable items (Trello is good for this), or if the task is quick and small, I maintain a generic "TODO" at the top of the file and delete that line item when the task is complete.
Keeping it simple just means I don't think about it, and actually get shit done.
I want to mark a task as dependant on another being done.
I want to add time estimates to those tasks, and see a gantt chart. I want tasks to show the sum of their dependencies estimates next to their own estimates.
I want priorities to also flow through dependency chains in this manner - if a high priority task is dependant on a low priority task, the low priority task inherits the high priority while that relationship exists. If a deadline of 7pm exists on one task, and it has a dependant task with an estimate of 1hr, that dependency will inherit a deadline of 6pm.
Todo lists and task management software won't ever solve the problem. The problem has to do with the way the system works, how the society is modeled. The application paradigm (where we have disconnected apps that do few things well) is the root cause.
It should be obvious that the solution is to change the UX of software as a whole. Get rid of the silly WIMP paradigm, and move to a more task-oriented one. Make the OS your task management system, and let apps (now semantic agents) help you achieve them.
What we lack is breakthroughs in language. We need a better semantic model to describe and model expected outcomes.
Does anyone know of a to-do list manager that works this way? I ask because while I like this method, it is difficult to see all your to-dos or deal with a to-do that has multiple steps.