Is there a good way to keep a non-changing to-do list?

January 20, 2015 2:42 AM

There are a few things I want to make sure I do every day -- like make my bed, wash dishes before going to bed, take my vitamin, etc. Is there any way to keep track of this? I've thought of just a piece of paper tacked up on the wall, but wondered if there's a better way to keep track on paper or electronically.
posted by caoimhe to Grab Bag (30 answers total)

Get a whiteboard, write up your tasks in permanent marker. Use a whiteboard marker to cross tasks out, wipe clean every morning.
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:49 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Oh and a laminated printed card or piece of paper with your task list works just as well for a cheaper/less permanent/less intrusive implementation.
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:51 AM on January 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

Habit RPG (more) for iOS and Android has recurring daily entries. It has mean taking my vitamins.

Presumably other todo list apps have recurring daily entries as well; but most do not have little sprites.
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:55 AM on January 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

Teux deux (requires a subscription) allows you to easily add daily or weekly to do items.
posted by chaiminda at 2:58 AM on January 20, 2015

I set up repeating todos (with reminders) using "Reminders" on OSx, works like a charm (and syncs to all computers and iDevices), the pup always gets her pills.
posted by HuronBob at 3:06 AM on January 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

I use Remember the Milk. Tasks can be set up there to recur 1 day (or week or month or whatever) after they are checked off as complete.
posted by Stacey at 3:07 AM on January 20, 2015

I use Carrot To-Do pretty much just for this sort of thing. You have to level up some before you get recurring tasks, though.
posted by you must supply a verb at 3:10 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm a big fan of Todoist. It has android/iOS/chrome/outlook/etc versions and it is awesome. Recurring tasks are fairly simple to set up.
posted by HermitDog at 3:15 AM on January 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'm a BIG fan of Habit List. It combines the Seinfeld Don't Break The Chain along with HIGHLY customizable recurring To Do's.

Love it.
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 3:34 AM on January 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

I really like ReminderFox. It's an addon for Seamonkey or Firefox.
posted by Too-Ticky at 3:39 AM on January 20, 2015

I asked a similar question about recurring tasks recently and have been very happy with the overwhelmingly popular response, Todoist.
posted by telegraph at 3:53 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Strides for iOS works for me for exactly this.
posted by dowcrag at 3:59 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I use a kind of 'reverse' todo list to manage this. I have an app for Android called TimeJot that keeps track of the time since I've last done something*, and whenever I do a regular Thing (eg scoop the cat litter, daily writing exercise, vacuum, clean out the fridge) I tick it off on TimeJot. I get a weird sense of satisfaction from building up a 'streak', and it also helps me notice when I'm getting irregular in my habits.

It's also good for keeping track of still-regular but not-so-regular tasks, like deep cleaning the bathroom, oiling our wood counter tops etc.

* there are LOADS of different apps that do this, I just got into the habit of using TimeJot.
posted by nerdfish at 4:09 AM on January 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

I use the iPhone app 'Way of Life' for this. There's tons of options, and most todo apps will let you set up recurring reminders.
posted by Happy Dave at 4:32 AM on January 20, 2015

I use an iphone app called Habit List. It keeps track of how many days in a row I've completed my habit and lets me set up reminders.
posted by bunderful at 5:04 AM on January 20, 2015

Seconding HabitRPG. For me personally, the gamification aspects help me do my tasks. Even if I sometimes actually forget to mark them and then lose life because I fell asleep.
posted by X-Himy at 6:17 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

My approach may be old-school, but I have a text file saved on my computer and synced to DropBox titled 'To-Do Items.' I have two lists; one short-term, another long-term to-do items. You could do the same, and have a list titled 'Everyday Tasks' or something along those lines.
posted by dubious_dude at 6:31 AM on January 20, 2015

Thirding HabitRPG. I usually get disillusioned with to-do lists a short while after setting them up, but my habitRPG list comes up on my computer first thing in the morning and keeps me aware of what I have/haven't done and I can see quickly at a glance not only my recurring daily tasks but things I need to get accomplished later. I also very much like that I can have certain daily tasks that only get performed on weekdays/mondays/MWF/etc. because some of my tasks are so variable (or don't necessarily need to be done every day). ALSO using the habit creator list part for rewarding myself for the little things (like drinking water and eating a reasonable lunch) are incredibly helpful (for me).
posted by AnneShirley at 6:47 AM on January 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

A billion years ago (ok like maybe 5-6, but before I had a smartphone) I used Joe's Goals for this. If you want basically a no-frills sticker chart except online instead of on your wall, this will get it done.
posted by phunniemee at 7:33 AM on January 20, 2015

I use an android app called "Regularly" for commonly repeating tasks, including things like changing my toothbrush, watering the plants, flipping the mattress, checking tire pressure, etc.
posted by TomMelee at 8:30 AM on January 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

Another vote for Todoist. I keep the widget as a full screen on my phone. Reoccurring events are easy to set up. I've recently installed IFTTT and set it up so that events added to my Google calendar are automatically added to Todoist.
posted by MuChao at 8:44 AM on January 20, 2015

If you derive satisfaction from tracking this sort of thing in a simultaneously massively underbuilt/massively overbuilt way (not that I'd know anything about that), emacs org-mode has a habits module.
posted by dorque at 9:31 AM on January 20, 2015

Coach.me would work, and as a bonus, its approach is very positive and encouraging.
posted by BrashTech at 9:50 AM on January 20, 2015

I use Google Calendar for recurring tasks, and set up text message reminders, since I'm less likely to ignore a text than other types of reminders.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:27 AM on January 20, 2015

I use Todoist for most things, but for a 'do this thing every day', there's also Home Routines, which was designed (as you might guess) for household tasks, but which also works really well for things like 'do in the morning' or 'do before bed' type lists.

Bonus, you get little stars when you check off a task, and you can see how much of that list you've done. (You can set the lists to reset nightly or weekly or whatever.)
posted by modernhypatia at 10:52 AM on January 20, 2015

Response by poster: Wow, what excellent responses! No best answers yet, because I'm going to try out a few first. Thanks everyone -- I'll never forget to turn the dishwasher on at night again. :)
posted by caoimhe at 12:31 PM on January 20, 2015

Check! and Do! By Su Won Shin do this exact thing very well... And are very cute without being too twee or childish.
posted by jrobin276 at 1:34 PM on January 20, 2015

Seconding Coach.me, which also lets me set reminders.
posted by xmts at 3:26 PM on January 20, 2015

If you're a Gmail user, check out reminders on Inbox (let me know if you need an invite). You can set them up to repeat based on any sort of recurrence schedule, snooze to "Pick date & time" and then select how you want it to repeat.
posted by cybertaur1 at 10:34 AM on January 22, 2015

I use and love Beeminder for making myself do things regularly.
posted by katrielalex at 1:04 AM on January 23, 2015