Recurring tasks cluttering up my task manager

[Mountaineer]

Hi,

maybe someone here has the same issue as I do and some ideas to solve it. I currently use Microsoft Todo and Todoist as my task managers. I have a rather long list of recurring tasks that I manage in a distinct project. Those range from daily things (e.g. "take medicine") up to yearly ones ("prune ficus tree").

The thing is that I don't need to see "prune ficus tree" all year long in my task manager. I'd rather have it only appear once it's time to do it again. Similar to a tickler item.

Right now it's stowed away in the "recurring" project, I could live with that. But once it's "due", it will be shown on my "Today" views rather prominently, although it's not really important - maybe I don't do it for another month.

I'm thinking about writing a small program to create those tasks only when they become relevant, but before I invent something myself I thought I'd ask here if someone already found a solution for this "problem".

Thanks a lot!

 

[FocusGuy]

I dont know how works this 2 software.
One solution is to put outside a recurring annual list, put in your diary open annual list at a certain date.
Other would be to use the start date if there is one and show only but what is available
so there are 2 mains thinkings for me. One is to collect everything in the same software the second is to let in tour software only but was is actionnable and relevant.

 

[RomanS]

I only know and answer in relation to To Do.

For me, this IS an item in Tickler that To Do reminds me of on the desired day in the shortlist "Today". I don't necessarily see items in "Today" as important, just to decide: (a) complete today, (b) complete soon (therefore move to appropriate context list and delete due date), (c) move further into the future (therefore set new due date in Tickler).

 

[mcogilvie]

Hi,

maybe someone here has the same issue as I do and some ideas to solve it. I currently use Microsoft Todo and Todoist as my task managers. I have a rather long list of recurring tasks that I manage in a distinct project. Those range from daily things (e.g. "take medicine") up to yearly ones ("prune ficus tree").

The thing is that I don't need to see "prune ficus tree" all year long in my task manager. I'd rather have it only appear once it's time to do it again. Similar to a tickler item.

Right now it's stowed away in the "recurring" project, I could live with that. But once it's "due", it will be shown on my "Today" views rather prominently, although it's not really important - maybe I don't do it for another month.

I'm thinking about writing a small program to create those tasks only when they become relevant, but before I invent something myself I thought I'd ask here if someone already found a solution for this "problem".

Thanks a lot!

There is a whole list of similar kinds of actions that are most easily addressed using separate start and due dates. This is one the reasons I use a task manager that supports both. However, once you understand how these work, there are ways to do something similar in other task managers. For example, you can have a context called Start Date where you only check next actions which are due today. Exactly how you handle recurring events is dependent on how your particular tool works.

 

[Lucas W.]

Maybe you will find the below tips helpful:

• Use basic check lists (like “daily”, “weekly”, “monthly” etc.) without any start/due dates. Just review them on regular basis.
• When the item shows on your “Today” view, copy the entry and put it on the proper context list. Reschedule/skip/delete/tick off the original entry if needed.

Personally I use a mix of the above. I’ve found using the dates for daily or weekly routines rather to be a hassle.

 

[Ariadne Marques]

Maybe you can put those recurring items like "take medicine" or "prune ficus tree" in your Calendar instead of your to-do list. They would work as recurring reminders without cluttering your tasks, and if you still need to track it as a task, then you can add it to the contexts lists. That's what I did when I tried MS To Do for a while.
I use Nirvana now, and I have a bunch of daily, weekly, monthly recurring tasks in there, but I can set up start dates so they will only show up at a certain date (or I can configure how many days before the due date I want them to show up), very handy.

 

[René Lie]

I use a combination of a tickler list (in Asana) and the calendar for this kind of items. To me it's a question of lead time. For instance, "replace smoke detector batteries" is something I'm reminded of in my calendar as I find it OK to see it a couple of weeks in advance during a weekly review, but "bi-annual car inspection" is something I want to see a lot earlier - and this then goes into my tickler list with a due date (and as a recurring event).

 

[Eric Bowers]

Hi,

maybe someone here has the same issue as I do and some ideas to solve it. I currently use Microsoft Todo and Todoist as my task managers. I have a rather long list of recurring tasks that I manage in a distinct project. Those range from daily things (e.g. "take medicine") up to yearly ones ("prune ficus tree").

The thing is that I don't need to see "prune ficus tree" all year long in my task manager. I'd rather have it only appear once it's time to do it again. Similar to a tickler item.

Right now it's stowed away in the "recurring" project, I could live with that. But once it's "due", it will be shown on my "Today" views rather prominently, although it's not really important - maybe I don't do it for another month.

I'm thinking about writing a small program to create those tasks only when they become relevant, but before I invent something myself I thought I'd ask here if someone already found a solution for this "problem".

Thanks a lot!

Both Things and OmniFocus accommodate start dates (defer dates). Maybe looking at software that more elegantly handles these types of dates will help? You mention some great apps, but it's my understanding that this is a limitation of each of them.

 

[cfoley]

I have changed my tools several times over the last few years and the thing that works for me is to be crystal clear on how I am organising something in pure GTD terms.

For me prune ficus tree would be a tickler, and I would re-ticle it every year.

Great. Next is the implementation. Ticklers have to be separate from actions and projects, which is key if you are using the same list manager for all. I have segregated them in the past by setting up a faux @Tickler context. You can use start and end dates if your list manager has them, or you can prepend them with the date you want to see them. The format 2023-12-31 will keep them in a usable order when sorted.

For re-tickling, I would just do that manually for annual items. How many years will you benefit from an automation before life takes an unexpected turn?

For daily things like medicine, for me it really needs to be a habit-building project. Sometimes medicine can be several times a day. I would print out a habit tracker, try to tie it to other habits, like tooth brushing or eating meals and worse case scenario set some phone alarms.

 

[Gardener]

Right now it's stowed away in the "recurring" project, I could live with that. But once it's "due", it will be shown on my "Today" views rather prominently, although it's not really important - maybe I don't do it for another month.

Another vote for a task manager with start date and due date.

But that alone is probably not a reason to change task managers. Another option could be to have a single weekly recurring task, "Review upcoming recurring tasks", that does show in "Today" but only occupies ONE line rather than cluttering it up with a ton of lines. Or perhaps have this as part of your weekly review.

Assuming you can sort your recurring tasks by due date, you could look at what's coming up. The ones you do want to hear about, you leave alone, and they invade your Today list on schedule. The ones you don't want to hear about, you put off for another week or month by changing their due date.

I realize this has the down side of those tasks not being available if you lean back after a stressful phone call, say, "What's something to clear my mind?" and see, "Prune ficus! Perfect!"

Except, in that "What's something to clear my mind?" moment you could go look at recurring tasks?