Nirvana HQ

[Steffen]

I moved to Nirvana (from Nozbe) about a week ago. And since then I only ran into one point of friction, assigning tasks to a project. When clarifying and organizing and wanting to assign an item from the Inbox to a project I run into two challenges (using the web app).

What methods in Nirvana do you all use to do this?

Hello Frank! I had the same still problem and still do to some degree.

This is my proces below:

- Inbox Item to existing Project: https://jumpshare.com/v/8ca8ezhpLSx4nevNy3x6
- Inbox Item to new Project: https://jumpshare.com/v/aqwoO5bQtHc3jZkvvRox

Nirvana actually moves the Inbox Item to next when dragging to a project.

I have a lot more Projects however, so I usually search for it using CTRL+F as it moves the browser to the relevant section and highlights my search result.

 

[Steffen]

The DA Nirvana guide is pretty good, especially its repeated reminders not to make things too complicated within Nirvana. I think the guide makes a good case for treating agendas as a reference list: "Remember, Agendas are for standing items to discuss or bring to a meeting. They are not where you would go to be reminded of a next action you have related to that person."

It just changed it to this for people or clients I have recurring meetings with! Got tired of using seeing them in Next actions

 

[Frank Goedhart]

Hello Frank! I had the same still problem and still do to some degree.

This is my proces below:

- Inbox Item to existing Project: https://jumpshare.com/v/8ca8ezhpLSx4nevNy3x6
- Inbox Item to new Project: https://jumpshare.com/v/aqwoO5bQtHc3jZkvvRox

Nirvana actually moves the Inbox Item to next when dragging to a project.

I have a lot more Projects however, so I usually search for it using CTRL+F as it moves the browser to the relevant section and highlights my search result.

Thank you for this valuable insight. I'm now using similar flows, but they do still require a lot of mouse actions.

I will try to incorporate CTRL+F when adding actions to the list of projects.

 

[bcmyers2112]

Here are two questions for @Longstreet and our other Nirvana Ninjas:

• It looks like you can't create a new project while entering an action. So if you begin entering an action that is associated with a new project, you have to stop, enter the project, and then create the action. Is this correct?
• It looks like the only way to choose a project to associate with an action is to scroll (in other words, there's no keyword search). Is that correct?

(Despite my stated misgivings about Nirvana I'm still thinking about giving it a try. It has limitations I don't like but life is a series of trade-offs. There are certain Nirvana features that I like enough that I may be able to live without some other things.)

 

[Mateusz]

There are certain Nirvana features that I like enough that I may be able to live without some other things

You have answered to your questions

 

[bcmyers2112]

You have answered to your questions

Wow. That was super-efficient of me.

 

[Longstreet]

Here are two questions for @Longstreet and our other Nirvana Ninjas:

• It looks like you can't create a new project while entering an action. So if you begin entering an action that is associated with a new project, you have to stop, enter the project, and then create the action. Is this correct?
• It looks like the only way to choose a project to associate with an action is to scroll (in other words, there's no keyword search). Is that correct?

(Despite my stated misgivings about Nirvana I'm still thinking about giving it a try. It has limitations I don't like but life is a series of trade-offs. There are certain Nirvana features that I like enough that I may be able to live without some other things.)

I am not sure I would call these limitations. I have never created an action for a project without creating and defining the project first. It seems backwards to me. As for the scrolling, yes, I think that is it, but again, I have never found that to be a problem. But that's just me.

 

[bcmyers2112]

I have never created an action for a project without creating and defining the project first. It seems backwards to me.

It's not something I do on purpose, but it happens. Because my current list manager (Evernote) doesn't link projects to next actions, it's never been an issue.

With Nirvana, if I forgot to enter the project first it sounds like I would be creating an extra step.

 

[Longstreet]

It's not something I do on purpose, but it happens. Because my current list manager (Evernote) doesn't link projects to next actions, it's never been an issue.

With Nirvana, if I forgot to enter the project first it sounds like I would be creating an extra step.

Fair enough - completely understandable. Nirvana really is cool and so fast, and I love their iOS app. Go for it!

 

[TesTeq]

I am not sure I would call these limitations. I have never created an action for a project without creating and defining the project first. It seems backwards to me. As for the scrolling, yes, I think that is it, but again, I have never found that to be a problem. But that's just me.

OK, maybe it's backwards but in ADVANCED list managers like Nozbe or Things 3 you can easily convert a to-do/task/action into a project. You just choose "More" and then "Convert to Project". Some tasks grow unexpectedly... @bcmyers2112 @mcogilvie

 

[Frank Goedhart]

OK, maybe it's backwards but in ADVANCED list managers like Nozbe or Things 3 you can easily convert a to-do/task/action into a project. You just choose "More" and then "Convert to Project". Some tasks grow unexpectedly... @bcmyers2112 @mcogilvie

This is also included in Nirvana and works exactly as you are describing.

An inbox item example: Right-click -> Convert -> Project
An action assiged to a project: Right-click-> Convert -> Standalone Action or Standalone Project

 

[bcmyers2112]

Two things. First, I think we'd all do well to recognize that different people's minds work differently -- and that that's OK. Sometimes I capture an action that's part of a new project by jotting down the action, because that's what came to mind. When I process what I've captured, I often enter the action into my system first because that's what I captured; but I also add the project because I'm used to asking myself, "Is this part of a project?" It works for me.

Second, in Nozbe when you input an action you can create a new project from within the action. It appears that's something Nirvana can't do.

Anyway, my questions have been answered. Thanks.

 

[TesTeq]

This is also included in Nirvana and works exactly as you are describing.

An inbox item example: Right-click -> Convert -> Project
An action assiged to a project: Right-click-> Convert -> Standalone Action or Standalone Project

Thank you. I'm not a Nirvana user and I've drawn wrong conclusions from this discussion. So Nirvana is an ADVANCED list manager.

 

[bcmyers2112]

I've decided to stop my usual dithering over decisions and just dive in. Today I'm taking the plunge with Nirvana after test-driving it and Nozbe as well.

Both are good. Ultimately my decision came down to this: I feel Nozbe has better features but Nirvana offers a more faithful GTD implementation.

It's true I'll be giving up the Siri and Drafts integration I have with Evernote today, but I'll be gaining a way to link projects to next actions. After several years of going without it, I'm at a point where I've realized I can really use that feature.

And I can use Siri to dictate and send an email to Nirvana. That's as good as a direct Siri integration as far as I'm concerned.

While I do have reservations about Nirvana's slow pace of development -- from reading reviews it appears they took months to support the iPhone X which left some users high and dry -- if this doesn't work for me it's not like I can't switch.

@Longstreet can say that I've come over to the dark side (or the light side, depending on your point of view). @TesTeq and I are likely headed for that epic wrestling match in the Jell-O pit.

 

[Longstreet]

I've decided to stop my usual dithering over decisions and just dive in. Today I'm taking the plunge with Nirvana after test-driving it and Nozbe as well.

Both are good. Ultimately my decision came down to this: I feel Nozbe has better features but Nirvana offers a more faithful GTD implementation.

It's true I'll be giving up the Siri and Drafts integration I have with Evernote today, but I'll be gaining a way to link projects to next actions. After several years of going without it, I'm at a point where I've realized I can really use that feature.

And I can use Siri to dictate and send an email to Nirvana. That's as good as a direct Siri integration as far as I'm concerned.

While I do have reservations about Nirvana's slow pace of development -- from reading reviews it appears they took months to support the iPhone X which left some users high and dry -- if this doesn't work for me it's not like I can't switch.

@Longstreet can say that I've come over to the dark side (or the light side, depending on your point of view). @TesTeq and I are likely headed for that epic wrestling match in the Jell-O pit.

Welcome to Nirvanahq! Glad you joined us.

 

[mcogilvie]

This is also included in Nirvana and works exactly as you are describing.

An inbox item example: Right-click -> Convert -> Project
An action assiged to a project: Right-click-> Convert -> Standalone Action or Standalone Project

I don’t see how to do this in the mobile app.

 

[Mateusz]

I don’t see how to do this in the mobile app.

It is possible only for items which are inside Inbox.
Open an item and use three dots in left top corner

 

[bcmyers2112]

While it's true that Nirvana lacks Drafts integration because it also lacks share sheets, I realized I could create an action in Drafts that sends an email to Nirvana.

I think I'm going to enjoy using this tool.

 

[Mateusz]

While it's true that Nirvana lacks Drafts integration because it also lacks share sheets, I realized I could create an action in Drafts that sends an email to Nirvana.

I think I'm going to enjoy using this tool.

I am using Braintoss that way. It works beautifully.

 

[Longstreet]

I am using Braintoss that way. It works beautifully.

Yes! I use Captio, which is a similar app.