Best GTD Apps

Tombo

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I know this is a lame question but I currently have wunderlist and was curious if there were better task managers for GTD?
 

mcogilvie

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I know this is a lame question but I currently have wunderlist and was curious if there were better task managers for GTD?

Wunderlist is pretty good. The choice of a list tool depends on platform(s) and personal preferences. I don’t think there is a “best” choice for everyone. As your life changes and your self-understanding grows, your needs and preferences may change. And of course software evolves too. I’m using Things right now, and I think it is better than Wunderlist for me now, but it is Apple only.
 

Tombo

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Yes I’m on multiple platforms chrome book, Mac, pc I phone so it helps to have cross platform intergration
 

mcogilvie

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If you want to try the big truck of gtd, you could wait for the web version of OmniFocus 3 to appear. Otherwise I think Wunderlist is probably the best combination of sophistication and simplicity in the cross-platform space. I have not tried NirvanaHQ extensively, but it would give you more features with a web-based interface. Personally, I prefer an iPad to a chrome book, but I have the luxury of choosing my platforms for home and work to match.
 

kelstarrising

Kelly | GTD expert
Remember, Wunderlist is going away at some point. I heard it’s not as soon as they originally thought, but just know that going into it. Todoist or Nirvana would be safer long term options if you didn’t want to think about having to move someday.
 

Tombo

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Thank you, I don’t have a choice I have to use a
Chromebook and I like the sound of nirvana but it doesn’t have google extensions. I might try keeping separate work and personal systems.
Kelstarrising what system do you use?
 

TesTeq

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@Tombo : Did you try Nozbe ( https://nozbe.com/ ) ? 10+ years, hundreds of thousands of users and no GTD Setup Guide required! I know Nozbe founder - he has dedicated his life to create this application and as far as I know has no plan to disapear in Microsoft's dungeons like Wunderlist creators did!
 

kelstarrising

Kelly | GTD expert
@Tombo : Did you try Nozbe ( https://nozbe.com/ ) ? 10+ years, hundreds of thousands of users and no GTD Setup Guide required! I know Nozbe founder - he has dedicated his life to create this application and as far as I know has no plan to disapear in Microsoft's dungeons like Wunderlist creators did!
If no setup guide required, why do you keep asking us to write a setup guide for it?
 

TesTeq

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If no setup guide required, why do you keep asking us to write a setup guide for it?
In my opinion the official setup guide in the official David Allen Company shop is a significant market advantage. Newbies that visit GTD Connect Forums look for an app advice. For apps that have official setup guides the natural path leads to the David Allen Shop. For apps without the official setup guides the path leads to @Longstreet (Nirvana) or to me (Nozbe). But... who are we for newbies? Just fellow GTDers...
 

devon.marie

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The best software is the one with just enough helpful features that you can work with it, but not so many that it, as DA has said, "takes 5 cups of coffee, the perfect moment in the day, and totally clear head space to successfully work it.” You can absolutely make GTD work in any software or system, so you should use one that works the way you think and is intuitive for you. If that’s a dedicated, complex app like Omnifocus, great. If that’s a notebook, great.

My advice would be to start suuuuper simple: since you’re on a Chromebook, use Google Calendar and G Tasks, which is now built into Gmail and Google Calendar and has a great web interface and iPhone apps. Get into the habit of using them properly. Only when GTD is habitual can you find the weak spots in your setup. That will then tell you the direction you need to go to find the perfect system for you. And who knows - maybe this will work perfectly and you won’t need to change it up.

Though it’s probably a good idea to ditch Wunderlist simply because it’s EOL at this point. That’s the downside to 3rd party software - you always run the risk of things closing up shop. I’ve found myself incredibly resistant to software that “traps” your data. My process keeps getting simpler and simpler so that when the current tool I’m using inevitably closes down, it’s not hard to switch to something new.
 

MichaelB212

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@chirmer 100% agree! I keep getting simpler & simpler! I am using Things 3 as my list manager but have considered reverting to Mac/iOS' simple reminders app (though I do prefer Things clean design and feel a bit committed after shelling out the dough for the apps). I also use the native Calendar and Notes apps and have been reducing the number of calendars and folders in them, respectively.
 

Tombo

Registered
The best software is the one with just enough helpful features that you can work with it, but not so many that it, as DA has said, "takes 5 cups of coffee, the perfect moment in the day, and totally clear head space to successfully work it.” You can absolutely make GTD work in any software or system, so you should use one that works the way you think and is intuitive for you. If that’s a dedicated, complex app like Omnifocus, great. If that’s a notebook, great.

My advice would be to start suuuuper simple: since you’re on a Chromebook, use Google Calendar and G Tasks, which is now built into Gmail and Google Calendar and has a great web interface and iPhone apps. Get into the habit of using them properly. Only when GTD is habitual can you find the weak spots in your setup. That will then tell you the direction you need to go to find the perfect system for you. And who knows - maybe this will work perfectly and you won’t need to change it up.

Though it’s probably a good idea to ditch Wunderlist simply because it’s EOL at this point. That’s the downside to 3rd party software - you always run the risk of things closing up shop. I’ve found myself incredibly resistant to software that “traps” your data. My process keeps getting simpler and simpler so that when the current tool I’m using inevitably closes down, it’s not hard to switch to something new.
Thanks chimer great advice I will look into google it makes sense sense I was looking for apps that link to google why not just use google
 

Tombo

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@chirmer 100% agree! I keep getting simpler & simpler! I am using Things 3 as my list manager but have considered reverting to Mac/iOS' simple reminders app (though I do prefer Things clean design and feel a bit committed after shelling out the dough for the apps). I also use the native Calendar and Notes apps and have been reducing the number of calendars and folders in them, respectively.
 

Tombo

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Mbusillo
I hear what you are saying in the middle of all this I research I have using iOS reminders to keep track of all things that are floating in my head.
Maybe that’s the solution i need right now
 

mcogilvie

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My advice would be to start suuuuper simple: since you’re on a Chromebook, use Google Calendar and G Tasks, which is now built into Gmail and Google Calendar and has a great web interface and iPhone apps. Get into the habit of using them properly. Only when GTD is habitual can you find the weak spots in your setup. That will then tell you the direction you need to go to find the perfect system for you. And who knows - maybe this will work perfectly and you won’t need to change it up.

I agree with everything you say, except about Google. You know what they say: "If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product." In my opinion, Google productivity tools are just good enough to use because they are free, but no better. The iPhone app has a mediocre rating, for example.
 

TesTeq

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Though it’s probably a good idea to ditch Wunderlist simply because it’s EOL at this point. That’s the downside to 3rd party software - you always run the risk of things closing up shop. I’ve found myself incredibly resistant to software that “traps” your data. My process keeps getting simpler and simpler so that when the current tool I’m using inevitably closes down, it’s not hard to switch to something new.
That was a reason why I closed my Evernote account several years ago. They were making it very difficult to export notes and files. I don't know how they behave now. I don't trust them.
 

devon.marie

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I agree with everything you say, except about Google. You know what they say: "If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product." In my opinion, Google productivity tools are just good enough to use because they are free, but no better. The iPhone app has a mediocre rating, for example.

I actually pay for G Suite, so in my case I trust them a bit more with my data. I can see how folks wouldn't want to use their products, though. However, I don't think they're bad by any means. Most of the iOS ratings are lower because of features it doesn't have, like repeating due dates. As long as one knows what they're getting into, though, they're great. They integrate into the sidebar of Gmail and G Suite apps (docs, slides, sheets), meaning they're ubiquitous if you use the whole system.

I advocate using them simply because they're very basic. You can't go crazy on an extravagant process when the app does like, maybe 5 things ;)
 
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