Not Date specific but recurring

[Fredjclaus]

My system is almost 100% digital. I do have the tickler file system set up for those things that require to me to have paper at events such as when I teach a class, or when I'm going to an event I need a ticket for. However, what about tasks? As the technical Director at my church, it's my job to keep all the computers in tip top shape, and all the data safe. I have a system going where once a week I go and back up the computers at the church. Now that doesn't need to be done on a specific day or at a specific time, but it does have to be done weekly. Right now the only way I could think of doing it, is to have a folder for weekly tasks inside my church folder. Inside that I would say "Back Up Pastor's computer". then in the note section I put the date I did it. If there is more than 7 days between dates, I know I haven't done it yet.

Is there an easier way to set that up?

 

[aderoy]

One thought may be to use Checklists for the tasks?
I have recurring tasks (Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly) that I place on a checklist (can be a template) that once started check each completed item until complete or interrupted than I know the next step(s) to be done.

Simple example:

* Daily
- [ ] Remote login verify Larcan modulator health
* Weekly
- [ ] All Daily items
- [ ] Check air temp (RF Scout)
* Monthly
- [ ] All daily and weekly items
- [ ] Remote login to Novanet TX
- [ ] Update Logsheets with reading
- [ ] Are readings within limit?
- [ ] If Yes no follow-up required
- [ ] If No then follow-up

 

[Fredjclaus]

In my case I would have the Weekly part of that list. So at the beginning of the week just uncheck everything and start over?

 

[Folke]

Depends on the app you use. Uncheck and reuse is fine. I use a regular "GTD" app, and would set it up such that the checklist would auto-repeat every Monday (the checklist as a whole being represented as an "action" and all the individual checklist items being represented as checkable subtasks "under" that action). Since I would get a "fresh" list each time, I would not need to uncheck anything.

 

[Fredjclaus]

Thanks Tes, I will look into it. Right now I set it up in Evernote, but GTD doesn't have to be one program. I think for something like this I would need Sciral or something like it for my weekly checklist.

 

[Fredjclaus]

Folke what program do you currently use in this situation?

 

[aderoy]

I just use EMACS org mode for most of my recurring tasks. Easy to setup recurrence (x # days, weekly/monthly etc) . Some are paper based (remote site limited cell no network), printout the template placed in the folder for the site. Each time I head there grab the folder and good to go.

 

[Folke]

Folke what program do you currently use in this situation?

I use Doit.im now. An app with similar features is nirvanahq.com. They are quite similar and roughly equally good. I have been quite happy with both.

 

[Fredjclaus]

Good information to have. Thanks. Both are good ideas. I like the paper idea about grabbing the folder when you get there.

 

[Nursefriendly]

Thank you Folke for the sharing the app name.

 

[Gardener]

This doesn't do the Windows or paper users any good, but I wanted to mention that OmniFocus has a "repeat again after X days" feature.

 

[jenkins]

My system is almost 100% digital. I do have the tickler file system set up for those things that require to me to have paper at events such as when I teach a class, or when I'm going to an event I need a ticket for. However, what about tasks? As the technical Director at my church, it's my job to keep all the computers in tip top shape, and all the data safe. I have a system going where once a week I go and back up the computers at the church. Now that doesn't need to be done on a specific day or at a specific time, but it does have to be done weekly. Right now the only way I could think of doing it, is to have a folder for weekly tasks inside my church folder. Inside that I would say "Back Up Pastor's computer". then in the note section I put the date I did it. If there is more than 7 days between dates, I know I haven't done it yet.

Is there an easier way to set that up?

Checklists. I have dozens of them. For me, they are just plain-text files with bulleted lists. I name these files by category, e.g., Household Maintenance, Financial Tasks, Personal Health. I then ask myself, "How often do I want to see this checklist?" and place that file in a corresponding folder, e.g., Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly. I then add repeating items to my calendar to remind me to check those folders, e.g., End of Week, End of Month.

So for example, on Friday, my calendar will say "End of Week," which prompts me to look inside my "Weekly" folder, which has a bunch of checklists inside it. If I decide to take action on any of the items on these checklists, I either do them (

 

[devon.marie]

Thanks Tes, I will look into it. Right now I set it up in Evernote, but GTD doesn't have to be one program. I think for something like this I would need Sciral or something like it for my weekly checklist.

I would make use of Evernote's Reminders for this. I'd make a master checklist for your Weekly Tasks, then use the Reminder feature to schedule it. Once it pops, complete the tasks in your list, and then uncheck them all and schedule the reminder for a week later. Then stick it in your Tickler file. If you have it set up to email you every morning of a due reminder, you'll wake up to a soft reminder for the checklist in your email, and then the app itself will fire the reminder at the time you've scheduled it.

Or, you can use my personal favorite technique for apps that don't support reoccurring tasks (I'm looking at you, Trello) and use Zapier. You get 5 free zaps, or recipes, and you can set one up to create a new Evernote note every week on the day and time you wish. That way you can put, say, a Notes field at the bottom and track anything you need to over time, like if you found spyware on a computer or what have you.

https://zapier.com