Overcoming Overload?

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Posted by Ken
Mar 11, 2015 at 05:28 PM

Arnold wrote:
I have found ToDoList to be an excellent tasklist with project support.
>Can handle resources and basic reports. Not a full blown Project Manager
>yet for most people it will handle the workload.
> >The input screen has just about anything you can toss in, using a
>reduced entry screen can be a benefit. You can customize the the
>screens. All data can be exported in xml format, Excel, HTML ICS etc.

Hi,

Thanks for the recommendation. I am familiar with the program, as it has been around for quite some time and has quite a following. I am not sure that a switch is the best course of action in this particular case as much as a possible change in habits.

—Ken

Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Mar 11, 2015 at 05:50 PM

I agree with the others that you probably are being asked to do more than is fair or reasonable. However, if you’re committed to trying to deal with it all, I would like to make an “out of the box” suggestion as a tool for managing it all: give TheBrain a try.

Here are the reasons I think TheBrain MAY be the answer for you:

- You can put any information into it. Add spreadsheets, e-mails (at least if you’re using Outlook on Windows), Word documents, PDFs… almost anything can be associated with a thought (TheBrain’s nomenclature for an item).

- It’s primary viewing mode is always drilled to a manageable, bite-sized spectrum of information. So you don’t have to be looking at a long and growing list of tasks. Just focus on the tasks at hand.

- It is very flexible with regard to how you categorize your information, so you can build a system that works for you. For example, you can add multiple tags to a thought, so you can relate it to colleagues and priorities and contexts… whatever. You can assign a thought type to any thought (just one type per thought). Visual properties can be associated with thought types, so you can add visual cues to your thoughts in this way. So, for instance, you can have a thought type of “simple to do” and give it a checkmark icon, so you can quickly designate any thought as a “simple to do.”

- You can, if you choose, add due dates and alarms to thoughts.

- TheBrain has a deceptively simple and effective search function, so you can quickly find anything in your Brain.

- You can link any thought to any other thought, so you are not stuck in a typical linear hierarchy, like you get with any of the task list programs.

TheBrain is really easy to use, though it may appear complicated at first. The developers have a ton of how to videos that explain things pretty clearly.

The price is a bit steep, so you should definitely try it before you buy it. But I’m like you: I get overwhelmed once my tasks lists (I use Toodledo) get to a certain length. TheBrain keeps me sane (pardon the pun).

Steve Z.

Posted by Ken
Mar 11, 2015 at 06:20 PM

Stephen Zeoli wrote:
I agree with the others that you probably are being asked to do more
>than is fair or reasonable. However, if you’re committed to trying to
>deal with it all, I would like to make an “out of the box” suggestion as
>a tool for managing it all: give TheBrain a try.

Thanks for the suggestion, Stephen. I have usually passed on mind mapping types of software as they do not seem intuitive as to how I organize. But, I will have a look as I suspect that a bit of familiarity might give me a different perspective on it, and possibly some ideas about better use of my current programs as well.

Thanks,

—Ken

Posted by Ken
Mar 11, 2015 at 11:41 PM

Ok, I am probably going out on a limb here, but I am wondering if Asana should be left for actual tasks, and if I should be using something else for notes and quick capture of thoughts (prior to being entered into Asana as actual tasks). This may just spread out the mess, but it may also allow me a “work space” for quick capture of conversations, notes or unstructured work items. Work is not going to let me install any software on my machine, so I would need a web-based or portable, no-install app. Ideally, this program would have folders, tags, and automatically place a date and time to any note. Outlook offers dated notes, but for a variety of reasons, I cannot put categories to them. I know there are a host of programs, but I am just not putting my finger on any that are very reliable and quick to use. I would consider something like Toodledo, but the interface is just a bit too clunky for what I want. Does anybody know of any web-based programs that auto-date notes and have folders (and tags)?

Thanks,

—Ken

Posted by Dr Andus
Mar 12, 2015 at 12:28 AM

Ken wrote:
>Does anybody know of any web-based programs that auto-date
>notes and have folders (and tags)?

WorkFlowy could be one option, if you’re willing to accept that any item can also play the role of a folder, i.e. once it’s a sub-item, it’s in the ‘folder’ of the parent. This is supported visually by allowing you to zoom into (hoist) the parent item, which is like clicking and going into a folder. You could use all caps (or bold) for folder names, to distinguish them from notes items.

Each item can have a title, and an inline note.

Each item has the “Last changed” date and time recorded (visible in a tooltip, if you hover over an item’s bullet point).

There are two categories of tags, whether preceded by # or @, which then can be searched for. It’s a bit basic.

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