Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ToDo

Help me get out from under all these piles of to-do lists!

lunasol — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:52:37 -0800

I'm looking for a productivity app that can help me manage both my projects and my time. I use google for email and calendars (my employer uses google apps, plus I have a personal gmail account). I use two computers, both of which are PCs, and an iPhone.

I have a job where I have up to 10 different projects going on at any given time, all with varying timelines and complexity, and many involving other people. My current system of making to-do lists of the things that have to get done today is really not going to cut it anymore.

Here's what I'm looking for in a productivity app:

- Something that can sync across all the platforms I use on a daily basis (iPhone, gmail/google calendars, PCs)

- The functionality to easily take big projects and break them into smaller tasks. For instance, if the project is "Go grocery shopping with Susan," I could break it up into: "ask Susan what time works best for her," "make a meal plan for the week with needed ingredients," "Check pantry to see what I already have," "make shopping list," "go shopping."

- The ability to give these tasks a deadline and/or schedule, and then integrate them into my calendar. So if something needs to be done at a specific time, it automatically goes on the calendar at that time. Bonus points if I can easily take a day's to-do list and slot the tasks into empty spots in my calendar (drag and drop, maybe?)

I'm willing to pay a bit for such a program if necessary. Also, I'm already mucking around with Remember the Milk and Evernote - both of these are appealing, but don't have the ability to easily break projects into tasks and neither integrates the way I'd like with calendars. Although I'm new to both, so let me know if there's something I'm missing!

Help this department of 1 get things done

genial — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:59:23 -0800

As a one-man IT department I'm beginning to have trouble juggling multiple projects along with the day to day stuff. What can I do to make this easier? Searching along this topic yields tons of GTD advice along with plenty of software to help with project management. But a lot of stuff assumes different situations involving a team of people working on something or one person tracking individual tasks. My job is comprised of being Helpdesk day to day for all the small software/hardware/networking/setup issues that arise along with a growing list of short and long term projects. For the past 5 months I've been juggling things ok, but as the list of projects grows and I'm with the company longer I need to figure out a way to manage all of this without sinking.

What I do need is good advice on ways of managing short term and long term goals. I'm a geek so anything software related that will help me is welcome. What I don't need is overpriced packages of software or the advice to just keep a to-do list. That's not working at this point. I know this question is likely somewhere in the archives but I'm having a lot of trouble finding scenarios where 1 person manages an entire department with no "team" and needs to manage short and long term projects. Help?

Monday/Tuesday Bay Area Stuff to Do

yellowbkpk — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:20:39 -0800

What else can I visit in the last 2 days of my Bay-area visit? After dropping my wife off at the airport tomorrow morning, I have 48 hours to see as much cool stuff as possible. I realize that I'm getting awfully close to duping numerous "cool/geeky things to do in the Bay" questions, but the unique twist here is that it's Monday/Tuesday: most of the cool things (like Computer History Museum) are closed these days.

Can anyone suggest some neat things to drive by and take pictures of, see, or do? What's worth the drive time? Apple HQ? Netflix? Google? Yosemite National Park? Mythbusters/M5 Industries?

I've already seen the Exploratorium, and walked around Crissy field and Stanford.

Thanks!

Wrist watch with voice memo capability!

WhereAmI — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:12:07 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good wrist watch with voice memo recording capability? I had a great watch the I bought at the Sharper Image (maybe Brookstone?) years back, but it has disappeared into my junk drawer and I'm looking for a similar replacement :)

Then I can cross finding this off my list.

lucyleaf — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:17:31 -0800

Help me find the website/youtube vids of this handwritten to-do list methodology, please! I can't remember it and can't find it in my saved links. The name of the website/methodology doesn't have "lists" in the name, and I think that's what's keeping it just out of my sight.

The general idea behind it is keeping a notebook dedicated just to written to-do's. You scan over all your to-do's and do only what appeals at the moment. You cross off what gets done and keep adding to your list. There isn't really discussion of breaking down tasks, listing projects vs next actions, etc. Very simple stuff. I remember there being a youtube video interview with the guy who came up with this. A white guy in his 50s (maybe?) who had a British accent (I think?).

This sounded *genius* to me at the time. I've forgotten about it and recently thought about it again. I spent the weekend looking for it on my home laptop with no luck.

(Ahem, I just realized that all the effort going into finding the website, rather than just doing the methodology, is a form of procrastination. But still...)

I ran across it in March, and it may have been linked from someone's blog. I've searched through my links and through productivity blogs I frequent and haven't had much luck. Ring a bell for anyone?

Help me help him find some software!

Aleen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:37:13 -0800

What are the best Windows programs dedicated to making to-do lists? The CEO of my company is looking for software to help him keep track of his ever-growing list of things to accomplish. If he had a Mac, I would recommend OmniFocus, The Hit List, or Things. Which Windows equivalents of these programs do you recommend and why? While I won't say that web-based solutions are out, they are not preferred.

Google brings back odd results and past MeFi questions don't really help.

Thank you!

MS Project like to-do list

Muffy — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:09:43 -0800

todolist filter: I know there are dozens of questions here about to-do lists already, but, alas, none of them fit my requirements. I really like MS Project - it's hierarchical (tasks can nest), and can enforce due dates, but it's too heavy handed for what I need & old tasks don't disappear. I need something like MS Project, but simpler... Things I like about MS Project.

* You can easily add/edit task names without opening a new window - everything is editable in the cell a-la MS Excel.
* You can easily manage due dates without opening a new window - same as above.
* Tasks can be nested & the top nest becomes the "folder" that contains the sub-tasks & the interface for nesting is very simple.
* Nested tasks can be collapsed easily
* Tasks can have predecessors & don't really become 'to do' items until the predecessor is complete - this is a nice to have, but not necessary.
* You can assign people/resources to tasks - again a nice to have, but not necessary, I can just use (parens) to indicate in the title.
* I don't need GANTT charts, but they're a nice to have.

Things I don't like about MS Project (for this use).

* You can't simply 'checkbox' select a task as complete.
* Tasks don't disappear when they're completed, so it's not a good way to track day-to-day tasks.
* You can't easily sort tasks by due date & priority or hide the tree.

Task Coach gets about 80% of the way there, but the interface is a dealbreaker for me. I've also tried Swift To Do Lite, which is in some ways even better, but the inability to nest (though there is a sort of tree structure in the left pane), and the inability to see all tasks related to a project regardless of subfolder is an issue. Web Based (not preferred, but acceptable) TaDalist lacks due dates. Tasks Jr. is very good and I used it for a while & may go back to it, but being web (and non AJAX) it each task addition is a new screen, but there were some other issues I had with it that I didn't like (but don't right now remember).

Is there anything out there that does what I want? Free is better, but I'll pay for something that checks all the boxes.

Mark tasks for follow-up

dondiego87 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:45:47 -0800

Looking for a To Do list manager for the Mac that allows easy marking for follow up. iPhone integration a big plus. I'm the president of a relatively large and active organization on my university campus, and delegation is a big part of my work. Although this makes things a lot easier for me, it creates the problem of not knowing whether delegated tasks actually got completed.

I was wondering if the hive mind could help me find a to do list manager that, in addition to the normal "Check when completed" box, has an option along the lines of "Follow-up in __ days."

For example, let's say I have a task that says, "Ask Jim to call Habitat for Humanity." As it is now, I would have to check it off once I've done that, then create a task due in 2 days that reminds me to follow up with Jim. What I would like is an option to automatically create a follow-up task.

I'm running the latest version of Leopard. I don't have an iPhone yet, but I'm planning on getting a 3GS in the near future and I would love any app to integrate with that well. I would prefer local software (not webapps), but any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for your help!

Help me organize my to-do list when every task is swarming with interdependent subtasks and prerequisites.

nebulawindphone — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:55:16 -0800

Yakshavingfilter: How do you keep track of all the not-untils and but-firsts in your life? Help me organize my to-do list when every task is swarming with interdependent subtasks and prerequisites. I'm good at linear tasks. First A, then B, then C, then I'm done.

Lately a lot of my projects have taken a turn for the nonlinear. First A, but in order to do A I need to do a1, a2 and a3, and maybe a4 if a3 doesn't pan out, and I can't even start on a3 until a2 is finished, but in order to do a2 I need to wait for a collaborator to get back to me on a2' and a2'', and if and.... wait, where am I?

How do you stay organized and keep track of what you're doing in this sort of situation? What works for you? Low-tech and high-tech solutions are both fine with me, and it doesn't have to be some kind of capital-S-System, but I do need something a little more orderly than nine bajillion sticky notes — that's my current solution, and it ain't working.

Make My To Do System Better.

RandlePatrickMcMurphy — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:05:50 -0800

I'm happy with the system I've come up with on Google calendar to keep a to do list and track my budget and workouts. Help me make it better. After long and fruitless experimentation, and noting many of the programs and ideas that come up in posts like this, I've finally come up with a system that works for me.

In addition to my main Google calendar where I have all the appointments and time-sensitive things, and that is synced to be blackberry and outlook at work, I've created separate "calendars" - sub-calendars, really - that contain my work and personal to do lists and record expenses and workouts in the "event details." It works like this: for the to do lists, every morning or at the end of the day, I hit "duplicate event", change the date to today or the next day, and go into the event details, where I have a list of things organized GTD style, by @office, @home, etc or by big projects or themes, and delete what I've done and add whatever's come up. The money and workout calendars work the same way, in "what" it says workout or money, and in event details I put in whatever I've spent or done. (And they're recurring events, so the blank is there every morning to be filled in.)

So all this works great. Each calendar is a different color, I can chose which ones I see, and because its all in one place, as opposed to having one program to do budgets (ie xpenser or quicken), one to track workouts, one for to do lists, I actually use it every day. I like it so much I'm thinking about adding a calendar to track what i eat. And I'm reading about unschedules and thinking that could be integrated into this as well. (And, feel free to steal and adapt if you think this could work for you.)

Here's the question: What creative ways are there to make this better? For example: How could I easily edit these calendars on my blackberry or by SMS? How can I see the event details for one of those calendars for an entire week or month? Would it be possible (and I'm no programmer) to come up with a way to add up the quantities in event details? Can I get appointments to open up in event details by default? Or: Is there some off-the-shelf solution that does all this and more?

Task management without the cloud

devnull — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:41:48 -0800

Oh no not another task management question! I'm looking for a web-based task manager that lets me sub-divide tasks. I'd like to manage my day better. I read The Zen of Todoist, and I like their web app. The Windows-only ToDoList app looks good too, but I'm on Windows and Linux. Something java based like jtodolist would almost do, but the interface needs lots of work.

I'd like something similar to all of these, something that lets me sub-divide a task into lots of smaller tasks.

I can't use something in the cloud because of confidentiality reasons.
Ideally an app that lets me sync between Linux and Windows computers, or a web based app.

TaskFreak! looks promising but doesn't support sub tasks.

If it supports keyboard shortcuts a-la-gmail or vim, that would probably swing it for me.

Any ideas?

What should I do in NYC for My 30th birthday party?

squareoak — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:38:18 -0800

I have a 30th birthday coming up in NYC and I'm trying to think of some fun restaurants, places to go (i.e. bowling, paintball, karaoke), and or things to do. I'd like for a group of us to be able to eat and do something (like bowl) at the same time then we'd all go out to a bar afterward. Anyone have any fun restaurant or party place suggestions in NYC? btw, not interested in bowling or karaoke suggestions

Help me organize my time and projects by the hour.

metalheart — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:51:29 -0800

What time/project management software or sites might be able to help me view my week in hourly clumps and allow me to check off completed tasks or monitor their success? I've tried a number of GTD services, but none of them has been quite right, so I'm looking for suggestions. I've searched through Ask MeFi, but I've not really found anything like what I'm looking for, so here goes.

I really want to manage my time better. I already do pretty well on the whole, but I want to do better, so I can accomplish more. I already use Google Calendar for basic things, like house chores, but I've found it doesn't really cut it for me on other things--for whatever reason.

Pen and paper doesn't work for me, as I'm a very computer and mobile-oriented person. I've tried Todoist and liked its more textual system and idea of checking items off as you completed them, but it too fell short in the end. (It wasn't as intuitive as I'd have liked.) I tried Basecamp, but I hated the interface design and found it to be way too basic.

Currently, I'm trying out RescueTime for my computer time management, but I'd rather if it could do offline goal tracking and statistics as well...

It seems, overall, that I need a few features from each of these services, really, and I can't seem to find anything that fits that.

What I would like to find is some (preferably) web-based or desktop software that will work more on an hourly basis. What I mainly want to do is work a certain number of hours on various tasks, each week. I'm a student, and it's my summer holiday. I want to freelance several hours a week, work on art for a number of other hours, write, etc.

What time/project management software or sites might be able to help me view my week in hourly clumps and allow me to check off completed tasks or monitor their success?

P.S. - It'd be great if there were some sort of mobile alert thing for this as well, but it's not necessary. Would just be a nice to have.

Practice to Build a Computer?

crayolarabbit — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:32:43 -0800

How should I prepare to eventually build a computer from parts? I have never done any sort of electronics or computer hobbying or hacking, but being an avid interneter and an even avider cheapskate, I've decided that I want to build a computer from parts at some point, like you see people saying they do.

What sort of smaller projects should I undertake first to teach myself the basics and practice the techniques? Bonus points if the project is available in kit form, so that I don't have to worry about getting the parts wrong and can just give it an evening's work.

Facebook: the new cure for forgetfulness

Solomon — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:05:21 -0800

How can I use Facebook/Bebo/Myspace to remind myself to do various tasks, via my mobile phone? My mobile phone provider is giving me free WAP access to Myspace, Bebo and Facebook, but charging me for the rest of the WAP internet. I used to use Gmail's mobile interface to email myself reminders ("take the chicken out of the freezer", etc) as I went about my day, but it's now costing me money to use that service.

So, I'm looking for a way to set up an account with one of the above websites that will allow me to either a] email myself reminders, or b] subscribe to an RSS feed of stuff I've posted during the day, that my feed reader will pick up for me automatically.

In an ideal world, I'll be able to turn my computer on when I get in from work, and have an automatic visual reminder appear that tells me to get the chicken and stick it in the fridge. I used to get this using Gmail and Thunderbird, but it now costs me extra to do that. The fact that this is automatic is very important (my feed reader and Thunderbird are always running), because if I have to visit a website, I'll forget.

I get the feeling that this (or something like this) has already been done, but I can't find it when I Google.

In summation: I post a message to Facebook/Myspace/Bebo. I get home, and get reminded of that message automatically. How?

A simple matter-manager for a small law firm

yeliabmit — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:19:29 -0800

Can anyone suggest a good, relatively simple open-source or low-cost file/client management program suitable for use by a small law firm? The software should be able to schedule/calendar, manage documents, track tasks/to-dos, and associate all of these things according to particular clients/matters. Something that syncs between machines is a definite plus, as is something that isn't a resource hog. We manage the accounting side separately, so that needn't be a component. I'm the newest addition to a small law firm that is woefully behind the curve technologically, and we are drowning in paper. Scheduling and file management would benefit tremendously from a computerized solution. Because we're a small firm, the big-ticket commercial software options just aren't realistic (and, frankly, from what I've seen of these programs, I would highly resent paying the high fees for their use). The lawyers here are unusually intimidated by computers and software, and so a solution that doesn't involve weeks of training seminars to use would be ideal.

Specifically, we manage our files according to client and matter. The software wouldn't have to track too much detail about the clients (although that would be nice), but we would like to be able to collect things like documents, scans, emails, calendar items, and tasks according to particular matters (perhaps by tagging them). I've read a few things about Evolution as a MS Outlook alternative, but I'm not sure that would be appropriate. Perhaps I'm wrong?

Any suggestions will be most gratefully appreciated. Thanks in advance.

How to Integrate "Repeating Tasks" Into a Text File To-Do System?

WCityMike — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:46:41 -0800

I recently switched over to a plain text file as my to-do list; I can structure it the way I want, it is an absolute cinch to access in any one of a hundred zillion different ways, it's crossplatform, and so on. However, I am running into one methodology I can't figure out how to translate into the "plain text" world, and that is repeating tasks. I am wondering how people who also keep their to-do lists in text files handle repeating tasks. I'd like to specifically exclude the solutions of loading repeating tasks into a calendaring program or employing a third-party application to create them (i.e. Taskpaper & AppleScript, or Remind). I'm really looking more for how you handle it in simply in the world of plain text.

Also, to open it up a little, I'm curious as to what little mechanisms or mindhacks or systems you may employ within your text-file to-do list, so please feel free to share that, too (although I am primarily interested in the repeating tasks question).

Thanks!

Multi-platform, web-accessible task list software

spyke23 — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:34:43 -0800

Having searched through askMeFi already, I haven't come across anything that answers my query. I use Evernote, which is a fine web/application, that is accessible on all platforms, via the web, and by Iphone. Does such a thing exist in the realms of to-do list software? I prefer being able to put my tasks into an application, but have them accessible and synced to the web. I use OS X

Computerized "Job Jar"?

penciltopper — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:35:11 -0800

I would like randomly selected items from a To-Do list to "float to the top" on a regular basis. Ideas? Ok, so growing up, we had chores to do and things that needed doing around the house. Trying to assign them or claim them permanently never worked out very well, so we wrote anything that needed doing on slips of paper, put them in a jar. Every Sunday you took one item out of the jar and were stuck doing whatever was on the paper. Sometimes it was quick and easy, sometimes it was a real pain. But the luck of the draw made it easier to tolerate.

I have a Tasks list in Outlook that when printed out is several pages long, full of 4-hour or 8-hour projects. Guh. Obviously, it's too big to help me get it all done, and there's always some other needs-doing item I'd prefer to do that can push a more unpleasant task out of the way. I'd like to cut everything but this week's absolutely necessary "next action" items from my Tasks list, and have the rest somewhere else.

What I would like to do is block out a day or half-day each week for the "Job Jar". By some sort of magic, that big list of items would have one or two projects percolate to the top somehow, and notify me. They'd go in that week's block of time as Must-Dos, rather than languishing away on a Someday list as they do now.

I've seen a lot of productivity hacks go by on MeFi - does anyone have ideas?

I doubt Outlook would be able to do this for me, so any other tool that would do this is worth it. Gimme whatever you got.

I'm not interested in the obvious choice of assigning due dates beforehand to these projects and getting notified that way. If I am allowed to make choices about what's due when, then the whole element of random assignment I'm looking for is lost. I'm lousy at making deals with myself (I practice active procrastination), but can keep a Job-Jar-like pact; so I'm looking for something that can randomize listed items and deliver one or two a week.

Super double special rainbow pony bonus points for something that's smart enough to give me one item listed as All-Day or two listed as Half-Day.

Can anyone recommend a to do list or shopping list application for my Nokia N95 cellphone?

inbetweener — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:10:14 -0800

I have a Nokia N95 and wondered if anyone could recommend any cellphone Java apps or Symbian S60 series 3 apps that would provide to do list / shopping list functionality to my phone. I use rememberthemilk.com on my PC but I need something when I'm out and about and cellphone web access doesn't really come cheap in the UK so I've ruled out the mobile version of RTM.

The built in todo list on the Nokia calendar app is awful. I'm currently using a java program called Odysseus for the shopping list but it too is pretty frustrating to use... and I'm currently using the standard Nokia notes application to keep todos in a text file on the phone but again - far from satisfactory.

My google-fu isn't really helping me locate a decent (preferablt free) alternative - anyone have tried and tested suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Moving to Portland

triolus — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:11:30 -0800

I'm moving to Portland, OR next week, and wanted to get a feel for the area. What are some places that I absolutely should visit, places to dine and drink, and so forth? I'll be living off SW 21st Ave, and will not have access to a car for several days until the movers get it out there, so I'm really looking for suggestion within walking/rail distance. Several things on my mind:

1) Good, cheap places to eat. I won't be able to cook for a few days until, once again, the movers get my stuff out there.

2) Pet stores - I need food and a new litter box for the cats.

3) The local dive bars - where are they?

4) How is the public transportation system, in your opinion?

Plus anything else you can think of that can help an ATLien adjust to the new town. Thanks mefis!

Getting a ToDo List Manager is on my ToDo List

willmize — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:05:50 -0800

There seems to be a million different online and software based To Do List and Project Management applications, and my brain is tired of trying to figure out the difference between them. It's the bells and whistles that get to me. Help me find the one that fits! Here's a description of my perfect application:
1) I have Project A, B, C, D, E through infinity. There should be no limit to the number of projects I can have.
2) I have Tasks assigned to each Project that need to be done in a certain order to complete that project.
3) The ability to look at one Project in detail, see all Tasks and be able to makes notes on each task.
4) When I log in or fire up the app, I want to see a list of all projects, along with *just the current task waiting to be accomplished.* I get overwhelmed easily when I see a list of 20 to 30 tasks for just one project. I just want to see the one task I need to focus on now. For example, I could have Project A - Task 4, Project B - Task 2, Project C - Task 8, etc.
5) When I check off that task (let's say Project A - Task 4), the next one comes up - the next time I log in, instead of showing Project A - Task 4, it would show Task 5.
6) I would LOVE for this to be an online application and therefore independent of operating system. Bonus points for the ability to be able to drag and drop to reorder Tasks and prioritize Projects. Also bonus points for the ability to group Projects according to similarity (writing, home improvement, fitness and diet, vacation planning, car maintenance, etc)
7) If it's software based, it needs to fit on a thumb drive and be cross-platform, as I have a PC at work and a mac at home.

I've looked at Remember The Milk, Vitalist and TaDaList but don't think they fit the bill for the above.

I hope I've been specific enough and hope this question might also help others whose brain works similarly to mine.

Thanks so much for your help.

iCal Repeat Todos

honorguy7 — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:00:15 -0800

How do I set iCal todo items to repeat on a regular interval? That way if I check off to mow the lawn, it will auto-create a new todo item for next week so I see it on my schedule. My Palm pilot used to do this. Is there an AppleScript?

Dick Tracy Hipster PDA

mecran01 — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:23:48 -0800

I need a way to keep my short, paper todo list in my face. Something like a luggage tag that I could wear like a wrist band, so I could glance down and see my four tasks for the day. What else might work? Keeping a 3 x 5 card in my pocket doesn't work because I don't look at it. Same with a palm pilot. Ideally, nothing that looks to dorky, but I know that's asking a lot given that the list has to be visible. And I hate writing on my hand.

Calendar software that includes to-do lists?

nebulawindphone — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 11:55:54 -0800

I don't want a to-do list next to my calendar. I want to-do lists in my calendar. Help me find the scheduling software (OS X or web-based) of my dreams. I want a calendar that lets me do the following things:

Set up repeating events (e.g. a course that meets a few times a week)

Associate a separate to-do list with each instance of a repeating event (e.g. a separate list of assignments due each day in class)

Highlight the events whose to-do lists are unfinished (e.g. the classes for which I still have homework to do)

This seems pretty straightforward, but Google Calendar and iCal can't do it. Do you know of a program that can?

Bonus points if it still plays nice with iCal feeds.