Nirvana HQ

rmjb

Registered
I would like to ask if it is really worth to buy this guide?
Nirvana is dedicated to GTD and its interface is quite easy to understand and use. I can't imagine which areas could be improved by this guide. Any advice?

By the way, where can I find Nirvana's forum?

I used Nirvana for 9 months before buying the guide. After reading it I realised I over complicated my implementation. I would recommend it.
 

Mateusz

Registered
One more thing.

I am testing the Nirvana app under a one-month premium account.
I use mostly iOS app - iPhone XS with latest iOS version.

I think there is a bug with 3D Touch function. Under Nirvana icon (after 3d touch) there is a shortcuts menu. Within this menu, there are: "New Inbox Action "and "New Action".

New Action works as it seems to work namely, it creates a new item under the section which app used last time. So it could be marked as Next, Waiting, Scheduled or Someday depends on last activity in the app.

New Inbox Action seems to add a new item into Inbox, independently on the last viewed section in the app. But it doesn't. It works exactly the same way as New Action. When your last viewed section was Next than Next Inbox Action will add your new item into the Next section rather than Inbox.

Apologize for my English. I hope I have described it clearly.
 

Mateusz

Registered
I have one more question. It's very easy to find information that says Nirvana development is so slow. Even more, it's presented as almost dead.
No new features, no updates for mobile apps. Do you know any plans for calendar integration?

Is it true or not? Why did the GTD team decide to write an official guide for dormant application?
 

kelstarrising

Kelly | GTD expert
I have one more question. It's very easy to find information that says Nirvana development is so slow. Even more, it's presented as almost dead.
No new features, no updates for mobile apps. Do you know any plans for calendar integration?

Is it true or not? Why did the GTD team decide to write an official guide for dormant application?

Don't assume less frequent updates means dormant. They are very deliberate in the changes they make. It is very much alive and well.
Sounds like it's not the tool for you though. Plenty of others to choose from that might make you happier.
 

sholden

Registered
The company is definitely functioning from a support perspective. I get quick responses to questions and recommendations for new features. But like Kelly F said ... they are very deliberate about changes.
 

TesTeq

Registered
I have one more question. It's very easy to find information that says Nirvana development is so slow. Even more, it's presented as almost dead.
As Mark Twain once said: "The reports of Nirvana's death are greatly exaggerated." ;)
If you want more updates you can count on Nozbe. Nozbe 3 is currently at version number 3.9.4 and there's a brand new private beta of written from scratch Nozbe 4.
 

Mateusz

Registered
I am (was?) a nozbe user for years.
Recently I have decided to switch from nozbe to... something else. Probably I will stick with nirvana for longer time. we have to know each other :)

I found last nozbe updates almost usless and I really don’t like direction which they have choosed for nozbe 4.
 
I am (was?) a nozbe user for years.
Recently I have decided to switch from nozbe to... something else. Probably I will stick with nirvana for longer time. we have to know each other :)

I found last nozbe updates almost usless and I really don’t like direction which they have choosed for nozbe 4.

I've not posted here before but have been doing GTD for a long time (10 years) During that "long time" I've probably spent far too much of it bouncing from one app to another; I've tried many :-(. I've really tried to focus on just the GTD basics the last couple of years and not clutter my system. That has been good.

I've been using Nozbe now for almost two years but find myself wanting to try something else and agree with @Mateusz. The focus seems very much geared to teams and I don't use Nozbe in a team environment. Not that there wouldn't be something for individuals but my sense is that the Nozbe team is more interested in an Asana look-a-like and I'm not sure that is for me. My other issues with Nozbe are: price ($130 Canadian/year; not a lot, perhaps, but it is a lot when you can get the same for less in many other apps) and html, rich formatting when forwarding email. Most other apps also do not do #2 either, however, (except Todoist and GTDNext, that I know). I also don't think that Nozbe is as particularly "GTD" focused as they claim. Not more than most others, anyway.

I like Nirvana's simple, GTD-oriented setup. Some of the things I wrestle with are: 1) Cannot upload attachments (I know, you can link to files, but that adds a bit of friction to the system) and again 2) forwarded email does not come in as html, rich formatting. So, I'm just curious how some of you Nirvana folks handle attachments and email. I like to have everything at hand in a task and not have to go looking for stuff before I can do a task. BUt I may need to revisit that.

I've also experimented over time with GTDNext recently, which I actually really like but the no-mobile app is a real problem. I tried but it just doesn't work for me.

Anyway, always great discussion here. Love discussing GTD and GTD apps. :)
 
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Mateusz

Registered
I'm using nirvana for three weeks right now and I feel very familiar and comfortable with my reorganized system. It’s a good sign when you don’t feel that there is something new that you have to accustom to.

I always preferred a web version of nozbe so it’s natural that nirvana fit well to me. I’m using station app as my main workplace. I have nirvana (instead of nozbe), google calendar, google drive and google keep (instead of evernote which I found too sophisticated) within it. Plus a few less important apps/pages.
Of course, it’s not a real integration between these apps but it works very well. I treat them as different modules in my GTD solution. What is most important I have instant access to each „module” from one place. And all is working faster than traditional web browser works.

When it comes to deal with actionable emails I use one of three methods which are described in Nirvana’s setup guide which I have already bought.
 
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Ariadne Marques

Registered
I started using Nirvana back when you could buy the lifetime subscription (I am not sure the lifetime option exists anymore). I remember testing the app, loving it and subscribing it for life! But at the same time I was obsessed with my Calendar and started testing Trello with Google Calendar integration. Long story short, I moved my system to Trello+Google Calendar+Google Keep and started scheduling tasks like crazy. Then I realized I was complicating my system and creating a sense of task urgency that was overwhelming me.
I looked back to Nirvana and loved it again!
Nirvana is simple, pure GTD-oriented with no calendar integration that usually made me schedule everything. So I'm using Nirvana for all my next actions (I love the Areas of Focus option, I have Personal and Work), minimal contexts (@home, @work, @calls, @errands) and everything else that has a date goes to my Google Calendar (reminders, events, deadlines). I use the "Scheduled" option on Nirvana for deferred actions, as a trigger that I need to get back to it again, not as a hard due date.
I store MPN (master project notes) on Onenote and support material on Onedrive.
It's been working well so far!
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
I started using Nirvana back when you could buy the lifetime subscription (I am not sure the lifetime option exists anymore). I remember testing the app, loving it and subscribing it for life! But at the same time I was obsessed with my Calendar and started testing Trello with Google Calendar integration. Long story short, I moved my system to Trello+Google Calendar+Google Keep and started scheduling tasks like crazy. Then I realized I was complicating my system and creating a sense of task urgency that was overwhelming me.
I looked back to Nirvana and loved it again!
Nirvana is simple, pure GTD-oriented with no calendar integration that usually made me schedule everything. So I'm using Nirvana for all my next actions (I love the Areas of Focus option, I have Personal and Work), minimal contexts (@home, @work, @calls, @errands) and everything else that has a date goes to my Google Calendar (reminders, events, deadlines). I use the "Scheduled" option on Nirvana for deferred actions, as a trigger that I need to get back to it again, not as a hard due date.
I store MPN (master project notes) on Onenote and support material on Onedrive.
It's been working well so far!
This sounds like a great system! Of course....I am a bit biased as I am an avid Nirvana user! Cheers! :D
 

danwh

Registered
I started using Nirvana back when you could buy the lifetime subscription (I am not sure the lifetime option exists anymore). I remember testing the app, loving it and subscribing it for life! But at the same time I was obsessed with my Calendar and started testing Trello with Google Calendar integration. Long story short, I moved my system to Trello+Google Calendar+Google Keep and started scheduling tasks like crazy. Then I realized I was complicating my system and creating a sense of task urgency that was overwhelming me.
I looked back to Nirvana and loved it again!
Nirvana is simple, pure GTD-oriented with no calendar integration that usually made me schedule everything. So I'm using Nirvana for all my next actions (I love the Areas of Focus option, I have Personal and Work), minimal contexts (@home, @work, @calls, @errands) and everything else that has a date goes to my Google Calendar (reminders, events, deadlines). I use the "Scheduled" option on Nirvana for deferred actions, as a trigger that I need to get back to it again, not as a hard due date.
I store MPN (master project notes) on Onenote and support material on Onedrive.
It's been working well so far!
May I ask - do you keep routines (chores,etc) that reoccur in the calendar or Nirvana?
 

Stephen Brown

Registered
So I'm using Nirvana for all my next actions (I love the Areas of Focus option, I have Personal and Work), minimal contexts (@home, @work, @calls, @errands) and everything else that has a date goes to my Google Calendar (reminders, events, deadlines). I use the "Scheduled" option on Nirvana for deferred actions, as a trigger that I need to get back to it again, not as a hard due date.
I store MPN (master project notes) on Onenote and support material on Onedrive.
It's been working well so far!

Do you use the time estimation and energy levels?
 

danwh

Registered
I want to like Nirvana. I have a windows computer at work and everything Apple for personal. I’ve tried to keep Omni for personal and Outlook for work, but I seem to like everything in one place. Tried Omni via iOS and their web interface, but it was too clunky.

Have simplified for a while with Todoist and it is fast and simple using Kelly’s setup guide. But I miss not seeing the the next actions as a project and having a start date.

So - i’m Down to Nirvana and Todoist. Spending too much time fussing and should just pick one. Nirvana is great for organizing but it does take extra effort to add the tasks and not as quick to pull them up. Todoist filters are great for that.
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
I want to like Nirvana. I have a windows computer at work and everything Apple for personal. I’ve tried to keep Omni for personal and Outlook for work, but I seem to like everything in one place. Tried Omni via iOS and their web interface, but it was too clunky.

Have simplified for a while with Todoist and it is fast and simple using Kelly’s setup guide. But I miss not seeing the the next actions as a project and having a start date.

So - i’m Down to Nirvana and Todoist. Spending too much time fussing and should just pick one. Nirvana is great for organizing but it does take extra effort to add the tasks and not as quick to pull them up. Todoist filters are great for that.
Well, I am biased, so I would go with Nirvana. :D But both are quite good, so choose whichever makes you feel confident in your external system and happy to use it.
 
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