I'm new to GTD, have read the book and decide to have a try. I have been using Todoist Premium for a while. Previously, I treat Todoist projects as real projects in a company project with start date, deadline and milestones. But when I switch to GTD, the first thing confuses me is that I don't know how to have actions in my Todoist projects while still having a separate NextAction List with all the NextActions for all projects. I only come up with the idea of labeling NextActions and set up a filter to see all NextAction label tasks. But then I will need to update and label new tasks. Are there anyone who also use Todoist in a pure GTD way and have similar problems? Thanks for your help.
TesTeq
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Check this thread: http://forum.gettingthingsdone.com/threads/todoist-question.13433/
Hi, TesTeq, I've read all the discussions from your link. From what I understand, it seems that the only way currently to have a separate Next Actions Lists in Todoist is to make a Next Action Lists label. So do you use Todoist with such method or you have any other cross-platform tools to recommend? Thanks a lot.
AnneMKE
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I use Todoist for my GTD system. I use the labels function in Todoist to identify the context of next actions. So I have several labels like "Action_Calls," "Action_Errands," etc, and several more that are "Agenda_Jane," "Agenda_Bob," one for each person or group with whom I meet regularly. Together these constitute my Next Action lists.
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking about "company" projects vs other projects. In my system, either one would be a project, using the projects function in Todoist, even though a project with milestones and deadlines would have more details entered than one without them.
I understand that GTD is working on a setup guide for GTD in Todoist -- I bet it will offer improvements over what I'm doing! Hope this helps.
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking about "company" projects vs other projects. In my system, either one would be a project, using the projects function in Todoist, even though a project with milestones and deadlines would have more details entered than one without them.
I understand that GTD is working on a setup guide for GTD in Todoist -- I bet it will offer improvements over what I'm doing! Hope this helps.
Longstreet
Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
@Alex Hu: You might want to check out two outstanding GTD web apps: Nirvanahq and GTDNext. Just a friendly suggestion.
TesTeq
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Nozbe. Cross-platform. 10 years in service.
I'm considering setting up a Next Actions Project and then move all the projects under it. I will have a separate Area of Focus, Waiting for and Someday/Maybe Project.
TesTeq
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There must be something very compelling in todoist that people jump through such awkward hoops just to use it. 80 Projects for free versus five in Nozbe? But wait... you say you'll use one Project!
As with any GTD system, don't overcomplicate things. I've always found a system of tags, labels, and filters to be too much, but it works for many people. I've had the best success with Todoist when I do not group actions by project, such as in the attached graphic.
I've considered the possibility of using Todoist "projects" as labels, and labels as real projects, are you using such system now, is it working well?As with any GTD system, don't overcomplicate things. I've always found a system of tags, labels, and filters to be too much, but it works for many people. I've had the best success with Todoist when I do not group actions by project, such as in the attached graphic.
I mean a structure like 1. Next Actions, where I put all projects with next Actions under this folder as nested projects; 2. Area of Focus; 3. Waiting For; and 4. Someday/Maybe. So eventually I have 4 project folders, what do you think?
My Todoist projects serve the same function as a basic list manager, one project per list. I have lists for each of my next action contexts, my projects, someday maybes, waiting fors, and higher horizons. Checklists and agendas are stored as task items in their respective Checklists or Agendas lists. I make extensive use of the comments and notes features to store reference materials.
I'm not using the label feature in Todoist at all. In my experience, it adds a level of complexity that slows me down. The best way I've found to keep everything tied together is a regular weekly review.
As far as how it's working, the key features I need in a system are quick capture, flat lists, a calendar, and the ability to store support and reference materials. I'm most productive on paper, but Todoist is a close second.
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AnneMKE
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That's roughly what I'm doing, although the words I use are different and I break my projects with next actions into subgroups (work, personal, etc). One suggestion: for me, "waiting for" works better as a context than as a separate project. When a task moves from a "next action" to a "waiting for," it's still part of the same project it was part of, and when you're reviewing/planning that project, you want to see it along with the next actions. Hope this makes sense.
TesTeq
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I don't know how to implement GTD in todoist. There will be an official guide from David Allen Company.
In Nozbe you've got Projects, Next Actions, @contexts (categories) and labels that you can use for Project and Next Action grouping (Areas of Focus, Goals etc.). Easy.
Josh Mitchell
Registered
I used to try to create separate next actions lists for each "work project", but realized I was just writing notes and not deciding "what's the next action?"
Now, all projects: work, personal, and etc all go on in my Next Actions lists -- and they are triggered by looking at my Complete Projects List that allow me to "see" what done looks like. I use a basic initialisms and a dash to categorize projects.
Now, all projects: work, personal, and etc all go on in my Next Actions lists -- and they are triggered by looking at my Complete Projects List that allow me to "see" what done looks like. I use a basic initialisms and a dash to categorize projects.
I use priorities to mark next action. p1 to p3 is a next action hwith different priority).
Priorities are very easy to set or change in all devices. I find filters is not that easy for instance to add later or change on my iPhone.
For me to have all next actions and later actions under the correct project makes it so much easier to plan and have control.
Priorities are very easy to set or change in all devices. I find filters is not that easy for instance to add later or change on my iPhone.
For me to have all next actions and later actions under the correct project makes it so much easier to plan and have control.
I agree, Nozbe is a great product and I like the company; if I more fully adopted GTD, I would almost certainly go with Nozbe. But I'm more a date/priority driven task manager. So basically, my next action is the one at the top of my to-do list for today in Todoist. One thing I didn't know for a long time, is you can easily slide things around within a priority. So priorities are set for the next day during my review, then I fine tune once the day gets started.