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I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

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Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#581

Post by temptemptemp111 »

bitexploder wrote: post #517
Igrom wrote: post #92

Reading through the comments under this thread, there are many users who swear by a plain text file, but who then build quite a lot of snowflake software to regain functionality offered by more structured TODO applications. That includes: - having your computer alert you to things that come up - being able to tag notes - being able to add events to a calendar - being able to set priority of tasks - expecting prioriti…

Most of this is solved by: todo list in one file. One list. Use markdown. Try Obsidian. Read Randy Pausch last lecture. Look at his todo list. Copy that. Use a calendar if it is time sensitive. Look at your todo list often. Want to be fancy? Have an inbox file that is also a list. Your backlog is stuff that moves down to priorities other than 1. Try the Covey quadrants for your task priorities. Don’t over complicate…

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Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#583

Post by dileeparanawake »

Simple is good. For me - apple notes (my life todo temp), apple reminders (more persistent todos / reminders - setup kanban) and then text files + kanban for coding projects.

Todo lists of any kind in a team context usually fall down and kanban is the way forward.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#584

Post by mock-possum »

conductr wrote: post #570

At work, I use my calendar. At home, I have a wife. It's a joke but there's a lot of truth to it. She maintains our social calendar (which is mostly our kids social calendar and we tag along tbh) and I just ask what's happening tomorrow each night. For anything she's not telling me where to be, I have a Post It or just remember it. If there's something I want to do, I make sure she pencils it in well in advance or I…

That… sounds kind of fucked up.

You’re saying you have an unpaid secretary?

Surely there’s a better way you could present this?

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#585

Post by conductr »

mock-possum wrote: post #584
conductr wrote: post #570

At work, I use my calendar. At home, I have a wife. It's a joke but there's a lot of truth to it. She maintains our social calendar (which is mostly our kids social calendar and we tag along tbh) and I just ask what's happening tomorrow each night. For anything she's not telling me where to be, I have a Post It or just remember it. If there's something I want to do, I make sure she pencils it in well in advance or I…

That… sounds kind of fucked up. You’re saying you have an unpaid secretary? Surely there’s a better way you could present this?

I see no need to sugar coat it when it's my reality and there's no labor disputes. If you want to be outraged by what works in my relationship have at it, meanwhile we'll continue our 20 years and counting... but if it makes you feel better, I fully realize it's self-deprecating and I'm basically a Homer Simpson of an oaf. I'd invite you to consider that some women/wives actually enjoy traditional home-making and more traditional roles which we have followed as it comes natural to us based our similar values. While you're at it, you should consider that I have a pretty high stress job and she doesn't. I also make about 8x what she makes and while she chooses to work, she's the one with the bandwidth for maintaining the house/kid's schedule. Need I continue?

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#586

Post by komali2 »

jama211 wrote: post #379
atoav wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As somone who uses text and paper for todos, happily for years now after spending equally much time procrastinating in search of the perfect task management system I will now do a half-ironic take on answering your points: > having your computer alert you to things that come up That's what the calendar or the alarm is for > being able to tag notes Write #tag and then grep for it. Not that hard > being able to add eve…

Very well said. People here are interested in poking holes in things, instead of actually being productive. Again, we should just look at what actually productive people tend to do, which in my experience is generally to just use whatever works and not spend too much time thinking about optimising todo systems.

In my experience the most productive people I've met have secretaries.

I finally hired one two months ago for 500 bucks a month and it was a life changing increase in productivity and decrease in stress.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#587

Post by gxs »

For those interested, you can do some cool stuff with notes using just apple shortcuts on both Mac and iOS

I have a shortcut for example on my Home Screen that opens a text dialogue - anything that I type is appended to a text file I specify with a timestamp, for example

Highly recommend for this type of stuff

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#588

Post by davedx »

Igrom wrote: post #92

Reading through the comments under this thread, there are many users who swear by a plain text file, but who then build quite a lot of snowflake software to regain functionality offered by more structured TODO applications. That includes: - having your computer alert you to things that come up - being able to tag notes - being able to add events to a calendar - being able to set priority of tasks - expecting prioriti…

Text files are too basic, I'm a spreadsheet TODO fella

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#589

Post by kseistrup »

There once was an app called “Do It (Tomorrow)“: https://www.tomorrow.do/

I believe it has been discontinued.

It simply has two list: the “inbox“ where you would add anything that should be done, and then a “tomorrow” list.

As you went through your day you would either swipe to delete any done task, or you would swipe it to the “tomorrow” list. At the end of the day, the “tomorrow” list would be merged with the “inbox”.

Simple and effective.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#590

Post by jh00ker »

nosianu wrote: post #121
Igrom wrote: post #92

Reading through the comments under this thread, there are many users who swear by a plain text file, but who then build quite a lot of snowflake software to regain functionality offered by more structured TODO applications. That includes: - having your computer alert you to things that come up - being able to tag notes - being able to add events to a calendar - being able to set priority of tasks - expecting prioriti…

> - having your computer alert you to things that come up If my own experience is a valid example, alerts are overrated. They don't work for long. I hate getting interrupted by something that actually does not need my attention at that precise moment. I would disable those alerts in no time. I prefer leaving physical cues in the real world. I think screens are bad UI unless you already spend way too much time in fron…

> Physical cues are wonderful!

You would love this project! https://littlesignals.withgoogle.com/

"Little Signals considers new patterns for technology in our daily lives. The six objects in the series keep us in the loop, but softly, moving from the background to foreground as needed.

Each object has its own communication method, like puffs of air or ambient sounds. Additionally, their simple movements and controls bring them to life and respond to changing surroundings and needs."

I've been wanting to build these since the project came out, but never found the time. Has anyone else here built them with success? I'd love to hear your story about how you used them!

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