Any Nirvana users here that can share their experience?

KW7

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https://nirvanahq.com/

Another poster mentioned this software/service several months ago and I'm slowly researching it. I also wonder if my interest is just a reflection of my own difficulties implementing/following GTD. I use Evernote with GTD and have for years. As far as following GTD, some weeks are better than others. Is there a magic software package that will lead me to consistent weekly reviews and creating of next actions? I doubt it but here I am asking about that same topic.
 

MartinJ

Registered
I think Evernote has its limits when it comes to GTD.
I use it mainly as my reference system.

I use Nirvana and I am, overall, pleased with it. But I dont think it will magically make you do weekly reviews. Plan it in your calender and stick with it :)
 

Hammer

Registered
You might want to check out FacileThings.

https://facilethings.com/

You get reminders on the Engage screen (your main work screen) under the reminders section if you have not done your weekly review for more than a week :) It also puts a reminder up if you have items in your inbox and you have not clarified in over 24 hours.
upload_2019-9-12_8-11-55.png


When you are ready to do the review the system walks you through the process following GTD until you have it completed:
upload_2019-9-12_8-11-26.png

(Hopefully the screen shots came through)
Scott
 

Oogiem

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Is there a magic software package that will lead me to consistent weekly reviews and creating of next actions?
No.

No Software package will do that. But some will assist more than others. Omnifocus has a review mode that does in effect force you to look at each and every project on the timeframe you choose.
 

Kevin James

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I've just made the switch from Todoist to Nirvana and am very impressed. I was a bit concerned if NirvanaHQ was still being actively developed as their blog hasn't been updated in some time, but a quick response from their support provided assurance that NirvanaHQ is alive and well. Their small development team is focused on development of native Windows and Mac which are in beta.

I wish they would keep their focus on web, iOS and Android, making improvements there, but their current apps are very stable. I've seen several companies expend effort on native apps only to abandon those efforts later as it's too much to maintain. Personally, even with native apps available, if the web app is done well, I prefer to stay in the browser. I have yet to see a native app that was compelling enough to make me stop using a well done web app. And the native apps just suck up resources that could be used to improve the web and mobile apps faster.

NirvanaHQ has helped me remove some of the "noise" with all the tasks I have and really focus in on the important things. In particular I'm getting a lot of value out of being able to set projects to have sequential tasks meaning only the Next Action shows up in my Next list. Also, the Schedule list really helps keep the noise down by only presenting tasks in my Focus list as the schedule date comes up. Also, like having both the start and due dates available to me.

I wish they would add a few more shortcuts and improve their rapid entry so I can specify Time, Energy and a few other things during the rapid entry. The less I have to touch my mouse in my task app the better. Remember the Milk and Todoist WITH the Todoist shortcuts chrome extension are great at providing shortcuts to navigate the entire app.

Oh, and as far as motivation to do Weekly Reviews...I simply use a habit tracker app to remind and motivate me. In my case, I use Done on iOS, cheap (no monthly subscription) and easy to use.

Great work NirvanaHQ team!
 
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Ariadne Marques

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After using Todoist for 3+ years I've also made the switch to NirvanaHQ this year. To be honest I had to let go of things like: emojis on my actions lists, Calendar integration and adding images to tasks. I know, they all seem non-essential (and they are!) but I was happy with them for some time. I enjoyed Todoist visually but the projects management was awful: moving projects around was always a messy task for me with projects being indented where I didn't want them to be.

With NirvanaHQ I see for the first time a clear and solid way of having a list of active and inactive projects. In my case, I’m using the “Later” category for projects I plan on acting on during the month. Next is for things I want to do this week and Someday/Maybe is future stuff/everything else. The Focus star is awesome for those things I want to focus on the day.

Another thing that I enjoy about Nirvana is that I can filter easily all my projects and next actions, jumping from personal to work (using the Areas of Focus) without the need to setup complicated custom filters (I was never happy with my Todoist filters and over time they got too complicated). I struggled for years to find a good way to have a trusted list of Next, Later, Someday/Maybe projects and that is possible with Nirvana.

The "sequential" and "parallel" options for projects next action are also great! It keeps my lists uncluttered and I avoid "list overwhelm". I think the "recurring actions" options dates work great as well.

It's true that they could use some UI updates to make it easier to navigate using only keyboard shortcuts, but I think it's getting there. It's one of those apps that you can tell people behind it understand what GTD is about and the essence is there.

Now, weekly reviews have always been a challenge for me and I sometimes skip one or two :oops: I'm working on that!

I will try the Done app that @Kevin James suggested for my weekly review habit forming! Thanks!
 

wjlynch

Registered
Any folks having issues with sync? I have LOTS of tasks and projects in there between personal and work and find that the sync between web and the iPhone app is off quite often. I have been a Nirvana user for many years so I am wondering if maybe some became corrupt along the way.
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
I am not having any problems at all. What browser are you using to access the web version? Perhaps sign out, clear your cache, and then sign back in.
 

Space_Invader

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Have been meaning to post about Nirvana on here for a while.

Like a lot of people, I have spent a fair amount of time in the past flitting back and forth between systems under the rouse that if I just found the perfect app, I'd be on easy Street with my GTD implementation. After spending more time on this than I'd care to admit, I finally realised that it was turning into something of a hobby, and I'd be better off picking something, accepting it's imperfections, and trying to make it the ideal second brain for me.

So, current setup looks like:

Braintoss/spiral notepads (pocket/A5/A4 size) for capturing. I use the Nirvana inbox infrequently and only consistently clear it out during the weekly review.

Outlook for email (3 different accounts on one screen!), Calendar and contacts (synced to Google contacts as I have an Android mobile).

Nirvana for lists (next actions, someday, projects, waiting for). The waiting for feature in Nirvana is a bit frustrating but it is sometimes handy to use the same contact tag for agendas and waiting for items so that I can see "at a glance" all of my pending work with an individual at the same time.

The other part of Nirvana which has been great has been the reference section. I basically use this for anything that fits neatly into a list without needing a lot of additional multimedia options. This was inspired by a connect webinar I saw of DA sharing his system. Some examples include: TV Shows to watch, gift ideas, weekly review checklist, restaurants in my city, wines I've liked and want to remember, passwords/info for my company accounts, government registration IDs etc.

All other reference info that doesn't fit neatly into Nirvana goes into Dropbox or Evernote (depending on the file type/content). All searchable by tag but filed in A-Z folders.

Crappy old plastic in-tray on the desk, 2-drawer filing cabinet, labeller, calculator etc means I've got everything I need to get things done at arms length.

What I've learned from using Nirvana is that as long as you have a suite of tools, be they low or high tech, which make it seamless to get things into your system with the minimal setup time/clicks/flicking around trying to find stuff, you can make it work. I could probably make a system of flat lists work in Google Keep, Todoist or Apple Notes just as well as long as I keep on top of the weekly review, but Nirvana has enough cool features (focus view, email to Nirvana, reference lists) and covers the GTD 5 step method elegantly enough that I can't see myself moving away from it any time soon.

If anyone's got any questions I'd be happy to answer 'em.
 

Kelly_Adam

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I started with Todoist, moved to Nirvana and am now using Notion.

Evernote is my digital filing system.

While I like Nivana better than todoist as a list manager I was after an external brain which I've built in Notion. List managers such as Nirvana are too limited for what I'm looking for and what I need.

There is no limit, not that I've found yet, to Notion. Note taking, filing, to do lists, checklists, reference material, project support, linked data bases etc.
I have my calendar, higher level visions and goals, areas and projects right down to day to day checklist and tasks.

I'll admit, it's on going process to set up, as you'd expect when building your external brain but the benefits are worth the trouble. I did worry how I'd make it work with GTD but Notion have though of everything.

If you have any questions, yell out.
 
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