GTD + mac + THL = the best solution I found (guide)

[nunodonato]

Hi there,
As a recent switcher to the mac platform(2nd time actually), I spent some time investigating the best way to implement my digital GTD system.
Having found what I think it is for me a perfect match, I wrote a short article on how to use this wonderful app called The Hit List.
You can access it at: http://bit.ly/4FKinl

Hope it can be useful to some of you!
bye

 

[alsa]

They don't have a mobile app. Being on the go and being able to add/edit is where the world is at today. Pulling out a laptop every time you need something? Unlikely..

By the way, didn't they promise a mobile app a year ago? Is it still in the works?

 

[kmonique]

GTD using OmniFocus

It's taken be just under a year to complete and implement GTD from reading
the book, Getting Things Done. During that time I have researched and tried several software programs, project management tools, and iPhone applications.

I am solidly convinced that OmniFocus, for my Mac and iPhone, is the most
thorough, reliable, and easy to use for all things GTD. It actually helped me to understand how and why to group next actions by contexts, not projects, because OmniFocus has this view built-in.

I use Outlook at work where the office only supports PCs.
Still, with the very helpful set-up guides with rules for Outlook,
I have my email inbox at zero! This after having over 200 emails dating
back to 2007!

Thanks for allowing me to share this - there's no one else at my job who will understand...yet. As the director of organizational development, I plan to introduce my team and my organization to the power of GTD.

Best of success to all of us!

 

[nunodonato]

They don't have a mobile app. Being on the go and being able to add/edit is where the world is at today. Pulling out a laptop every time you need something? Unlikely..

By the way, didn't they promise a mobile app a year ago? Is it still in the works?

yes it is still in the works. There is only one developer working on it, so its kind of slow.. but it will come out
Anyway, I dont use any mobile tool so I dont miss it either Since my 8work hours are in front of the computer, this is perfect for me.
As for the rest, paper collection tools rule

 

[alsa]

I am a Things advocate myself -- both the Mac and the iPod Touch/iPhone apps are perfect for me. The mobile app is about to be updated in a couple of weeks to support repeating tasks, landscape data input and search across all "buckets." Omnifocus was too much for me, but Things fits right with my needs.

 

[Conejo23]

when I hear that an app like this has only a single developer working on it, that’s a problem for me. Here’s what I know about one man shops: eventually, that one man will decide to do something else and the product will ultimately be abandoned unless someone else buys it and takes it over. Doesn’t mean I won’t use such apps, but I will not use them for what I consider mission-critical functions. For example, Scrivener is a terrific writing tool and I use it. If the guy who develops it decided to go do something else or got hit by a bus, I could easily export my data and move to another tool.

But things like my task management, email, etc...? Those mission-critical pieces of my workflow? No way.

There is (or was) a great app for the Mac called Journler. I loved the concept, the developer did a great job with it but it was just one guy so I could never bring myself to really implement it fully. Kept it at an informal working relationship, and now he’s announced he can’t afford to keep developing and supporting it.

I did a trial of iGTD and it had a lot of promise, but it was one guy. So I looked elsewhere and he eventually joined the Things group and let his app die.

It’s one reason I use OmniFocus. I am very confident that in 10 years, it or it’s next generation sibling will still be very much active and supported.

 

[Conejo23]

but yeah, that aside, any potential GTD solution for me HAS to have both an iPhone counterpart and it has to be very adept at turning digital inputs (emails, websites, text) into inbox items. Both OmniFocus and Things satisfy the first criteria, but OmniFocus is MUCH stronger at the second one. This is a weakness with Things at this stage of its development. But if that’s not a big deal for your workflow, Things is definitely worth a look. Beautiful app that is very well done.

Re OmniFocus, it does have a relatively steep learning curve, no question. But for me, the time and effort invested has produced substantial rewards and I'm now very happy with my setup.

 

[GTDWorks]

I've been using Things for a few weeks and really like it. I'm very adept at using computer software but find OF to be a bit demanding to maintain. I'll use Things for a month and see how I like it. If I find it doesn't have the horsepower I need, I'll switch back to OmniFocus.

 

[ScottL]

if an app does what you need to today...

I am very confident that in 10 years, it or it’s next generation sibling will still be very much active and supported.

Things does what I need to do today. If it never gets updated (and my needs don't change so that I might need more powerful software) I could happily live with the present version forever.

I think people worry too much about automatically getting the next version without asking themselves if it really adds anything useful for them.

 

[Conejo23]

Scott....my comment wasn’t directed towards Things. That seems to have a team behind it and had it met my workflow requirements I would’ve had no problem going with it. I think it’ll be around for the long haul. I was directing my comment to the initiator of this topic, who said it’s a single developer for the app he recommended.

That said, if a developer stops supporting an app, it’s likely just a matter of 2, maybe 3, major OS releases and that app is broken (to at least some degree, if not completely). It’s less an issue of new functionality and more an issue (at least for me) of ensuring that the app stays workable as the OS in which it operates evolves.

If the question at that point is does it make sense to keep one’s OS current, that’s a different debate. On the Mac side, I believe it does. It’s a whole different calculus on the Windows side.

 

[nunodonato]

that development thing doesnt feel like a valid argument for me.
The Hit List does what I want in a *perfect* way, Things is close but its not there yet. Why should I stop using the only *perfect* app I found just because there is only 1 guy working on it? If in 2 or 3 major OS upgrades the app goes dead, I will have plenty of time to migrate the data to other places.. its like that happens from night to day

 

[Conejo23]

it’s just a personal thing on my part. I don’t trust mission-critical apps to a sole developer. Too many of them, in fact most of them, are gone after a few years. The economics just don’t work. It’s just a fact, an app supported and developed by 1 guy is far more at risk of disappearing than one developed and supported by a team. But if you like it, by all means, use it.

 

[Conejo23]

Hit List does look like a very well designed app, though.

Question: how does it handle ‘clippings’? For example, you have an email you want to turn into a task and you want that task to reference the email directly, even after you move it into another folder? How does it do that?

Or you come across a website you want to save to your R&D list?

Or you have some text on a web page that you want to turn into a task.

Just curious how it handles those kinds of things. I’m happy with OmniFocus but I'm trying to get my wife and teenage son to start using list managers (paper or digital is fine by me) so I try to keep my eyes open for viable apps.

Then finally, does it support assigning both projects and contexts to tasks?

Thanks for putting this on our radar.