Just a note to say that GQueues, recently mentioned here https://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/8555/0/gqueues-question was one my favourite task managers for quite some time.

I now use a paper system for my own task management, coupled with online project management applications for our team's overview.

Can you describe your “paper system” a bit — or perhaps you covered it elsewhere? I’ve been thinking I would collect less dreck than I do in OmniFocus if I put it aside in favor of a paper organizer.


Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

I now use a paper system for my own task management, coupled with online
project management applications for our team's overview.

Paul Korm wrote:

collect less dreck

Well stated.

Paul Korm wrote:

Can you describe your “paper system” a bit — or
perhaps you covered it elsewhere? I’ve been thinking I would
collect less dreck than I do in OmniFocus if I put it aside in favor of
a paper organizer.

I use both paper and software and find that things accumulate in both systems. On paper, you can write up a new list and transfer the "cling on" tasks to a fresh list or perhaps a secondary list. You can do the same with software, so I am not sure which better addresses the issue. I suspect that a secondary list is probably the right answer so you can address the items on your essential to-to list, but some items just do not seem to get resolved, nor can they be deleted due to their need to be resolved. I wish you luck.

--Ken

Beck wrote:

Paul Korm wrote:
>collect less dreck

Well stated.

Yes, I agree the dreck is a problem. Whilst I remain a fan of OmniFocus (and aware that it does have tools for separating the dreck from the non-dreck), I recently decided that I needed something else as well.

So now I use OmniFocus as a daily "menu of tasks", and every day either drag and drop between three and six "MITs" (Most Important Tasks) to my Fantastical Calendar (where the task durations are respected - thanks to, I think, Paul Korm here, who alerted me to this), or write them by hand on index cards held by a slim index-card holder complete with mini ball-point that I carry around (NoteShel is a relatively inexpensive brand).

The small index cards to carry around is a method I use more often than OmniFocus. (Though I use OF and DropTask side by side frequently.)

It seems that the "productivity" craze is fueled by a perhaps too-literal interpretation of David Allen's "Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them." -- which leads to the compulsion to capture everything in one or more "inboxes". What Allen said is actually rather silly and reductive. (Minds can hold lots of facts and impressions, and ideas arise because the mind has experiences to draw on.) I look at sites like "The Productivity Guild" (what a horrible name) and wonder why so many folks seems to think that they are machines who must process tasks tipped out of their inboxes.

Hugh wrote:

So now I use OmniFocus as a daily "menu of tasks", and every day either
drag and drop between three and six "MITs" (Most Important Tasks) to my
Fantastical Calendar (where the task durations are respected ... or write them by
hand on index cards held by a slim index-card holder complete with mini
ball-point that I carry around

As I called this thread at the start a "sort of poll," I feel I should tally the "results." I put results in quotes, because this is really a very superficial analysis of the responses. If someone said they were using or indicated that had once relied upon app, then I counted it. I didn't count suggestions or referrals to apps that didn't appear to be currently or recently in someone's task management arsenal.

7 users of OmniFocus
4 users of Things 3
3 users of 2Do
3 users of ToDoist
2 users of DropTask
2 users of Google Keep
2 users of Orgmode
2 users of TickTick
1 user each of the following:
Agenda
Anylist
Curio
Dynalist
GQueues
Hyper Plan
Hyperfocus
Noteplan
Notetaker
Remember the Milk
Reminders
Skedpal
Tood.xls
Trello
WorkFlowy

If I missed an app you use, please let us know.

Steve Z.

Thank you for your summary — and thank you for this interesting thread — Steve.

This forum is slewing more toward macOS these days — at least from this list. (Albeit, some of those apps are macOS + WIndows, or Windows only, or include Linux.)

I use the Self Journal by Best Self Co https://uk.bestself.co/collections/all/products/self-journal
I previously used Michael Hyatt's Full Focus Planner https://fullfocusplanner.com but the import tax imposed since last year made it too expensive so I switched; in practice, I think I like the Self Journal's format better anyway.

The one adjustment I've made is to write each of my tasks on 38x51 mm Post-it sticky notes; they are small enough to fit as many as needed on a planner day page, and big enough for the information needed to identify a task. I also use 76x127 mm ones, for note-taking and for grouping mutliple tasks of the same project.

I always carry such pads and a pen with me, and have sets of pads and pens in most places where I may need to write.

The Post-it 'hack' has made a big difference in helping me focus. Context is for me essential; I don't like to-do lists which include unrelated items. I can quickly move notes around, and plan their respective tasks' implementation on the calendar.

I know that all this can be achieved with software, but just typing on an active screen interferes with my thinking.


Paul Korm wrote:

Can you describe your "paper system" a bit -- or
perhaps you covered it elsewhere?


Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>I now use a paper system for my own task management, coupled with
online
>project management applications for our team's overview.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

As I called this thread at the start a "sort of poll," I feel I should
tally the "results." I put results in quotes, because this is really a
very superficial analysis of the responses. If someone said they were
using or indicated that had once relied upon app, then I counted it. I
didn't count suggestions or referrals to apps that didn't appear to be
currently or recently in someone's task management arsenal.

7 users of OmniFocus
4 users of Things 3
3 users of 2Do
3 users of ToDoist
2 users of DropTask
2 users of Google Keep
2 users of Orgmode
2 users of TickTick
1 user each of the following:
Agenda
Anylist
Curio
Dynalist
GQueues
Hyper Plan
Hyperfocus
Noteplan
Notetaker
Remember the Milk
Reminders
Skedpal
Tood.xls
Trello
WorkFlowy

If I missed an app you use, please let us know.

Steve Z.

I believe that I mentioned MLO (My Life Organized) among several others. While I do find it complicated, it is quite powerful and has lots of options to customize.

--Ken

Sorry, Ken, and thanks for letting me know. That helps a small amount with the Mac vs. Windows imbalance.

Ken wrote:

Stephen Zeoli wrote:
As I called this thread at the start a "sort of poll," I feel I should
>tally the "results." I put results in quotes, because this is really a
>very superficial analysis of the responses. If someone said they were
>using or indicated that had once relied upon app, then I counted it. I
>didn't count suggestions or referrals to apps that didn't appear to be
>currently or recently in someone's task management arsenal.
>
>7 users of OmniFocus
>4 users of Things 3
>3 users of 2Do
>3 users of ToDoist
>2 users of DropTask
>2 users of Google Keep
>2 users of Orgmode
>2 users of TickTick
>1 user each of the following:
>Agenda
>Anylist
>Curio
>Dynalist
>GQueues
>Hyper Plan
>Hyperfocus
>Noteplan
>Notetaker
>Remember the Milk
>Reminders
>Skedpal
>Tood.xls
>Trello
>WorkFlowy
>
>If I missed an app you use, please let us know.
>
>Steve Z.

I believe that I mentioned MLO (My Life Organized) among several others.
While I do find it complicated, it is quite powerful and has lots of
options to customize.

--Ken

Thank you, that's very helpful. I recently received a Kokuyo Techo Jibun 2019 diary. Similar features to the Self Journal, it appears.

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

I use the Self Journal by Best Self Co
https://uk.bestself.co/collections/all/products/self-journal
...
etc.

Those interested in multi platform, free and local plus cloud might want to check out something mentioned only once in this thread, also censored from the list as I expected, Microsoft To-do. The strong point apart from the above, integrates into MS online offline Office suite, Word Access excel etc not to mention onedrive cloud storage, free or otherwise. That's why I contested it with Google suite. These two are multi platform multi app suites. Different dimension to a little app here or there, that might be abandoned by the dev. So also long term strategy.

But I don't use MS To-do. I was using a couple of others mainly, also not mentioned so far, interesting to see results.

Finally I'm actually using, or trying out, something which is not a task or to-do app. Has calendar views, reminders etc plus has other advantages. I'd recommend looking into other genres of apps with much more features, as long as they have a calendar. Then you'll find tools which offer a lot more than a mere to-do task app. Just needs a little open minded approach, not the usual laser focussed.

Thanks for the summary. To elaborate a bit, I use 2Do for all my personal tasks, but I also use Todoist, Trello, and Dynalist. I wouldn't include Dynalist here because I don't use it as a task manager. But I use Todoist and Trello for collaboration since 2Do doesn't have collaborative features built in. (Actually, if you sync with Apple Reminders you can have a shared list, but that is too limited for my needs.) I tend to use Todoist for simple projects and Trello for larger event planning. I also use Todoist to keep track of my wishlists (gifts shopping, books to read, films to watch, etc.)

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

As I called this thread at the start a "sort of poll," I feel I should
tally the "results." I put results in quotes, because this is really a
very superficial analysis of the responses. If someone said they were
using or indicated that had once relied upon app, then I counted it.

I don't know/think I was in on this. Anyway, for what it's worth you can add me to the lists for Todoist and Google Keep. (Not completely happily, though they get the job done better than the alternatives I've tried - and I've tried/bought a lot.)

Microsoft Todo integration with Cortana rolling out:

https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-to-do-integration-in-cortana-now-rolling-out-to-everyone/amp/

I gotta put my vote in for Everdo. It's getting rapidly developed but already most of the power features you'd want for a full blown GTD system

- Cross platform
- Great performance
- Separate start / due
- "Areas" focus which is like a global filter for tasks/projects (one of my favorite features)
- All task operations available on Projects (for most programs "Projects" are just a folder with super basic meta-data)
- Good hotkeys
- Repeating tasks
- Subtasks
- Encrypted sync you can either host yourself or run via their cloud (currently still beta, but has worked nearly flawlessly so far)
- Notes (both in tasks, but also a whole separate notebook module)
- Rapidly being developed

I thought I was going to be on Org-Mode forever, but this does most things org-mode does just it also does it well on mobile.

Everdo looks interesting, but no iOS app yet. Roadmap says it should come out sometimes this year though...

Everdo looks like a desktop clone of Nirvana (https://www.nirvanahq.com

I now see that the Everdo developer has noted some differences between Everdo and Nirvana; see his post in https://www.reddit.com/r/gtd/comments/78okve/i_have_built_everdo_a_private_multiplatform_gtd/

Question... both specific to Everdo, but also a general inquiry... how does an app built specifically for the Getting Things Done method scale for people who aren't married to GTD? I've wondered this about OmniFocus too.

thouqht wrote:

I gotta put my vote in for Everdo. It's getting rapidly developed but
already most of the power features you'd want for a full blown GTD
system

- Cross platform
- Great performance
- Separate start / due
- "Areas" focus which is like a global filter for tasks/projects (one of
my favorite features)
- All task operations available on Projects (for most programs
"Projects" are just a folder with super basic meta-data)
- Good hotkeys
- Repeating tasks
- Subtasks
- Encrypted sync you can either host yourself or run via their cloud
(currently still beta, but has worked nearly flawlessly so far)
- Notes (both in tasks, but also a whole separate notebook module)
- Rapidly being developed

I thought I was going to be on Org-Mode forever, but this does most
things org-mode does just it also does it well on mobile.

I'm not sure what "scale" in the context of this question means, but OmniFocus 3 has dialed back it's GTD emphases by eliminating "Contexts" and using "Tags" instead. I've never been a GTD person (the whole obsession with "productivity" does not appeal to me), but I've used OmniFocus in all its guises since it came to market. Mainly because it is quite flexible and reliable. Most of life doesn't need a plan, but the bits that do can benefit from structure, which is what OF provides.

I don't think that answers your question, though.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

Question... both specific to Everdo, but also a general inquiry... how
does an app built specifically for the Getting Things Done method scale
for people who aren't married to GTD? I've wondered this about OmniFocus
too.

Thanks, Paul. That answers part of what I was trying to learn. Just to be clearer -- if that's possible -- I am wondering about the flexibility of dedicated GTD apps in general. Will they provide effective task management if you don't subscribe whole heartedly to the GTD principle.

I am like you. I don't need everything to be put into a GTD hopper and come out the other end with a neat list of tasks to do every day. (I am not disparaging that functionality. Everyone works differently.) In fact, feeling I HAVE to write it all down makes me anxious.

I like being able to build a list when necessary, one that's detailed or not, depending on the project. Often I just write down the outcome I want instead of the steps leading to it. (For example, publish the newsletter by x date.) Mostly, though I want to associate resources with tasks -- what Beck was talking about earlier. Documents, notes related to tasks. If Agenda had a Windows version, it would be ideal for me, I think.

But getting back to GTD, Everdo is a really attractive app. The separate notebooks really intrigued me, but as far as I was able to tell, you can't associate the notes directly with tasks or projects. They seem to live independently.

Steve Z.



Paul Korm wrote:

I'm not sure what "scale" in the context of this question means, but
OmniFocus 3 has dialed back it's GTD emphases by eliminating "Contexts"
and using "Tags" instead. I've never been a GTD person (the whole
obsession with "productivity" does not appeal to me), but I've used
OmniFocus in all its guises since it came to market. Mainly because it
is quite flexible and reliable. Most of life doesn't need a plan, but
the bits that do can benefit from structure, which is what OF provides.

I don't think that answers your question, though.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:
Question... both specific to Everdo, but also a general inquiry... how
>does an app built specifically for the Getting Things Done method scale
>for people who aren't married to GTD? I've wondered this about
OmniFocus
>too.

For me GTD is about NOT thinking about things I have to do. The benefit of GTD is precisely that it isn't one big list, but that it hides all the things that can be done "someday" or in a different context, or which don't start till a later date. But it only works if you can trust the system to show you the things you DO need to think about when they become relevant (due to date, context, etc.). In this sense, any proper GTD system can scale infinitely because it only ever shows you what requires focus right now.

I still think 2Do is the best at this of all the suggested apps, although I appreciate that any system can be made to work - even pen and paper - if someone is sufficiently dedicated to that system. If I have to focus on a sub-set of my today tasks in 2Do I will use stars, priorities, or tags to filter that list even further. Stars are great because even things not showing up in Today can be starred if you want to start thinking about them early. Priorities I use less often, but can be useful if I have a lot to do in one day and need to tackle the most important ones first. And tags are useful for contexts. My most common one is "errands" which covers everything I have to do outside before returning to home or office. (Location based reminders are also great.)

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

Question... both specific to Everdo, but also a general inquiry... how
does an app built specifically for the Getting Things Done method scale
for people who aren't married to GTD? I've wondered this about OmniFocus
too.

Like Paul Korm, I see Omnifocus (especially Version 3) as less of a strictly GTD app than some of its rivals have been. I do remember two or three apps that were designed around rigorous David-Allen principles and flowcharts. I think Midnight Inbox was one, but I cannot remember the names of the others. All I remember about those I trialled was that they were too fussy and time-consuming for me.

That's not to say that I think that the David Allen methodology has not been useful. It's made me at least think a bit more carefully about the to-do lists that I've been making for the last 50 years. But as with any methodology, its lessons can be applied too zealously.